| Volunteers
First Teachers@home utilizes volunteers who make significant contributions to the success of our program. Some volunteers become Parent Coaches. They work with families weekly (or as part of a team and volunteer monthly), assigned to a specific site.
These Parent Coaches use our easy curriculum to conduct the class. But it is in the connections these volunteer Parent Coaches make with each participant that makes this work incredibly rewarding. As one parent commented, “this has been the most profoundly affecting work I have ever done. Seeing the moms I have been seeing every week and hearing about their struggles AND feeling like I am making a difference in their lives is just great”.
Volunteers also work with the children of participants while classes are being conducted. Younger children get the opportunity to do directed play, using games, drawing, working with puzzles, playdough, and various other activities.
Children already in school receive individual tutoring and get opportunities for directed play. Spanish speaking children are taught in English. All children profit from learning cooperative behaviors from what sometimes feels like ordinary activities. Volunteers enjoy this aspect of First Teachers@home. Volunteers as young as 12 can be effective in working with children. For many volunteers, this is a very satisfying part of the program to do.
Volunteers receive training, including on-going quick sessions that can be done on the phone.
Additional volunteer opportunities include short-term help for projects such as editing curriculum materials, marketing, research, conducting focus groups or providing meals. Collecting games, puzzles and other supplies is a great chance for kids to help out. Donations of books are actively sought.
RUSH offers the families participating in First Teachers@home a very generous holiday gift program. A number of volunteers participate in this meaningful program,
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