Every class has a different vibe and the teacher is so different.
We have one teacher that loves breakfast club. The room mom organizes once a week to have someone bring in on Friday fruit, coffee, etc. The parents come and have breakfast with their kids. Another room does it once a month. Some teachers hate this though.
I had a very good room Mom last year. I felt she was good because she had great communication with the parents. Every holiday or class event she would email and let us know what we signed up for, what we were doing, etc. I think parents appreciate that.
I know our Early School teachers love when the parent comes in and brings the material to do a project. Like last year they did these ghosts with their feet. They had white paint and dipped the kids feet in. Made eyes and that all on orange paper. They cut them out. They were really cute. The teacher did not have to do the work. The two room moms prepared it all and cleaned the kids up. So some like the room mom to be involved in projects or ideas like that.
Do you know anyone who had this teacher before? Maybe find out what they have done in the past?
Last year for Halloween the room mom bought all the pumpkins (small ones) and they had a pumpkin patch set up after the halloween parade. The kids loved to run around and pick a pumpkin. Then the party after. They had us all bring in halloween stickers instead of candy. This way they were not getting more candy on top of all the other stuff they get. I liked this idea and so did the parents. They all exchanged stickers. The kids loved it too.
Ihni either! We don't really do that at our school. But ITA with Melissa that it varies so much from teacher to teacher what they want. I would email your teacher and tell her you would love to know what helps her, what her expectations are, etc and just figure out her style. How fun!
IHNI. But I am trying to know because I am room mom for Anna's class, and the director put her son in Anna's class specifically because she wanted me to be room mom in her son's class!!! (she told me this)
I am pretty sure the reason she said that was because even though I wasn't room mom in either class last year, I took over with the gifts for the teachers for Christmas and end of year, and I got a LOT of accolades for that. (I also did a collection for the director for the end of the year) So I think my gift giving is the primary reason I was tapped for this, lol!!! Now I am nervous to be able to keep that up.
Our teachers basically get there a few minutes before the kids do, so we never have anything before school (ours is a church based preschool).
Other duties I have-making sure that volunteers are lined up for art class and in the classroom as needed, manning phone trees if needed, and helping out with the annual fund raiser. It is pretty straight forward.
I think in my case, it is about the gifts, lmao.
But I am a newbie at this, so IHNI if I am really living up to the challenge or not!!!
My major advice: involvement. I know A is in a school where there's more of a emphasis on family involvement, but for me, it was being available to help out when needed - someone slacks on bringing juice for the party, I've got it covered. Not enough people to drivve on the field trip, I'll drive. Taking the initiative to do what needs done as far as parties or end of the year gifts go without stepping on toes.
I had a lot of fun last year, but this year with me working pt and Hannah's teachers being new and COMPLETELY unorganized when it comes to anything outside of the schoolwork, I don't want anything to do with being room mom (which breaks my heart, but I'm not going down with that sinking ship.)
I agree to ask the teacher what she wants. I know I taught in the elementary school, but the class itself and what I was teaching that year influenced help that I needed. I know that I appreciated when there were big project days or activities that required more involvement from me, it was nice to have someone there that could help. I hope you have fun!
They frown on you volunteering in your own kids class (grade even) and ask people to volunteer in other grades.
