Volunteer Orientation

Southwest High School welcomes you to: Volunteer Orientation PICTURE PICTURE PICTURE PICTURE

Learning Objectives New volunteers will leave this orientation knowing: Basic facts, policies, and procedures of the school Traditional developmental profiles of students Strategies for working with English Language Learners How school volunteerism fits into a youth development framework Practices for building student self-esteem How to work with different learning styles How to address the individual needs of students Approaches for working effectively with students with diverse backgrounds Strategies for managing common student behaviors What to ask in an initial conversation with the teacher The MPS volunteer policies The next steps

Southwest High School Moving toward academic success • Vision • Mission • Goals • Values

Southwest High School Our students • Enrollment • Demographics

Southwest High School What we offer • Academic curriculum • Magnet programs • Clubs and activities • Business/college partnerships

School Policies • Cell phone use • Computer/internet use • Attendance • Behavior management • Safety, violence • Etc.

School Procedure • Expectations of volunteers in the school • Supervision • Check-in/ name badges • Absences and consistency • School policies

Logistics and Resources • School calendar • Parking • Class schedule • Staff contact information

Volunteer Opportunities PICTURE • Here would be examples of traditional opportunities you have available in your school

Developmental Profiles PICTURE Take a moment to think back to your time in [insert your school demographic]. • In one word, how would you describe yourself? • What was important to you at that time? • How did you spend your free time?

Developmental ProfilesElementary School • Build trust and set boundaries • Set clear boundaries and goals • Be precise and specific • Reinforce positive behavior • Allow movement PICTURE

Developmental ProfilesMiddle School • Encourage critical thinking • Write and write and write some more • Teach academic success skills • Become an advocate • Set attainable goals PICTURE

Developmental ProfilesHigh School • Be a sounding board • Model the service ethic • Know your learner • Ask for help when you need it PICTURE

When Working with Students PICTURE • Set an example • Be prepared • Review, review, review • Give praise • Practice patience • Communicate • Have realistic expectations • Expect the best

Be cautious of pronunciation, choice and level of vocabulary, how fast you speak, and handwriting • Repetition is key • Talk less and draw out responses • Use a variety of outlets • Get to know his or her culture and past experiences English Language Learners PICTURE

Youth Development In addition to academic achievement, volunteers should strive to develop non-academic outcomes in our students. These are critical to our students’ overall lifelong success. PICTURE Competence Character Connection Confidence Contribution

Youth Development Reflection Describe a time in your education when someone at school either helped or hindered you in building a sense of connection or confidence. Why was this experience important to you at that particular time? PICTURE

Self Esteem A student’s behavior can clearly reflect his or her feelings about him/herself • Feel unloved and unwanted • Feel, or pretend to feel, emotionally indifferent • Put down his or her own talents and abilities • Be easily influenced • Fail to look at the short or long-term consequences of his or her actions Act independently Assume responsibility Take pride in his or her accomplishments Attempt new tasks and challenges

Self Esteem • Listen to and acknowledge feelings • Be consistent • Build interest • Be a good listener • Build a relationship • Be yourself PICTURE PICTURE

Identifying Learning Styles Visual • Likes books and pictures • Easily distracted by movement • Will stare, doodle, or find something to watch when inactive Kinesthetic • Enjoy sports, are well coordinated • Use their hands to talk • Likes to draw and doodle PICTURE Auditory • Talk a lot • May talk to themselves when working alone • Move their mouth when reading to themselves

Classroom Techniques Visual • Insist on a clean work surface • Use demonstrations • Use pictures to reinforce vocabulary words • Encourage the student to point when reading • Highlight, underline, and color code • Use flash cards Auditory • Help the student talk his/her way through tasks • Practice spelling words aloud • Ask the student to repeat directions • Use word associations • Set information to a tune and singing it to help remember it Kinesthetic • Connect movement to other modalities • Provide a checklist of materials needed to do projects • Write things down multiple times to commit them to memory • Move around or take frequent breaks

Addressing Individual NeedsSuggestions for working with students with learning disabilities: • Talk slowly and briefly • Teach one concept at a time • Face the student • Use demonstrations • Use association techniques • Use multiple resources PICTURE

Addressing Individual NeedsCharacteristics of students classified as underachievers. They may: • Be immature • Be troubled by conflict or problems • Watch excessive amounts of television • Come from a home where school achievement is not emphasized • Have a history of poor school attendance PICTURE

Beware of Assumptions • Gets to “act their age” outside of school and “be a kid.” • Has his/her own room at home • Can easily stay after school and get a ride home • Can get a folder, notebook and other supplies they might need from home Have English speaking parents Lives with parents Gets enough to eat Isn’t gifted and ready for a challenge because he or she does not speak English fluently Is loud because he/she is angry

Behavior Management • Behavior management is different from discipline. It is proactive, not reactive • Teachers, not volunteers, should discipline • Misbehavior may happen when students aren’t getting what they need PICTURE

Power: a student acts out, trying to be in charge/control. Response: give student choices about how he/she will do his/her work. Attention: a student acts out to be the center of attention. Response: redirect the student with specific praise for good work or behavior. Revenge: a student lashes out to get even for real or imagined hurt feelings. Response: show student appropriate ways of dealing with emotions. FailureAvoidance: student acts discouraged and helpless in order to avoid repeated failure. Response: teach key strategies and encourage the hope that he/she can accomplish what is expected of them. Behavior Management

Behavior Scenario 1 Students are given an assignment to work on during class. You notice one student who is not working on the assignment. You ask him how his assignment is going and he tells you that he’s done. When you ask to see it, you find that he has hardly started it. You ask him why he hasn’t started. He says that he is going to do it later. You suggest that his homework will be easier if he gets started now and does a few questions here in class. He becomes defiant, mumbles something under his breath that sound like swearing, and tells you stubbornly that he is going to do the assignment later, at home, not here. 1) Considering the four motivators, what might be motivating this student to act the way he does? 2) How you could help this student get what he needs?

Behavior Scenario 2 After a month, you feel that your tutoring sessions with a student are not as productive as they should be. Her only responses are “no,” “sure,” or “I don’t care.” If she decides to talk, she only complains about the teacher and claims that the teacher is out to get her. You have often had to ask her to pay attention, but she is disrespectful to your requests. You decide to ask the teacher if this behavior is normal from this student. The teacher tells you that the student has a history of behavior issues and is often reprimanded in front of the class. 1) Considering the four motivators, what might be motivating this student to act the way she does? 2) How you could help this student get what she needs?

Behavior Scenario 3 You have been tutoring an English Language Learner who has had difficulty in reading. With some time and extra help from you, he gets the right answer. At the end of the tutoring session, you ask him if he understands and feels comfortable with the material and he always says yes. You are fairly confident that he is telling the truth and that he is improving. After three months, you find later that his test scores and homework have not been improving and the teacher tells you that he is still lacking in confidence in his reading ability. 1) Considering the four motivators, what might be motivating this student to act the way he does? 2) How you could help this student get what he needs?

Discussing Your Role Your skills • Do you have a background in a certain subject? Do you have experience working with students? By recognizing your skills, you can help ensure that your placement is in the best possible area according to your expertise. Teacher’s ability to support you It is important to find out how much of a relationship you can expect to develop with the teacher. Find out the preferred mode of communication whether it be to talk after class each week or to communicate by email. What you seek Reflect upon your goals and the reasons why you are volunteering in the schools. Whether your preference is to work in small groups, one-on-one, administrative, or as a classroom aid. Teacher’s needs What does the teacher need help with? It is often good to ask this after you present your skills. Also it is good to ask what the teachers expectations are for volunteers in the classroom.

MPS Volunteer Policies Volunteers must always serve as role models. When serving as a MPS volunteer, an individual must refrain from inappropriate behaviors including, but not limited to, the following: • Use of profanity • Use of drugs or alcohol • Carrying weapons • Discussion of inappropriate topics • Giving gifts or money • Making ‘sexual or emotional advances’ to a student • Selling merchandise or actively promoting his or her business • Proselytizing (persuading to a way of thinking or acting)

MPS Volunteer Policies Dress Code: Volunteers’ attire should comply with the school’s dress code. Sign In: All volunteers must sign in and out at a location designated by the principal before proceeding to their volunteer site and must wear an identifying nametag provided by the school Supervision: Volunteers should not be left alone with a student. There should always be visual or auditory contact between the volunteer and a school employee. Discipline: With the exception of verbally and politely requesting the students’ attention, volunteers are not to discipline students. It is all right to ask them not to use inappropriate or disrespectful language in your presence. All discipline concerns should be directed to the appropriate school employee.

MPS Volunteer Policies Privacy: Volunteers must respect privacy of the students and students’ families by not talking about a student’s academic progress, behavior, or a school-related incident without permission from the student (if emancipated or 18+) or student’s parents/guardians. Any discussion of a student (other than the volunteer’s own child) is restricted to the student’s parent or guardian, the student’s teacher, the guidance counselor or another school employee or volunteer who has a need to know. When in doubt about whether information can be shared, check first with the student’s teacher. Student Contact: Do not ask students for their home phone number, address, or email address; do not give them yours. Do not socialize with your student(s) outside of school. Do not give your student(s) gifts. Chances of misunderstanding are high and you do not want to be second-guessed.

MPS Volunteer Policies Abuse: As you build trust with your students, you may become aware of abuse in their lives. This abuse may be sexual, physical, or emotional. By law, you are required to report any suspected abuse. You can report such suspicions to the teacher, principal, or school social worker. You CANNOT promise secrecy to your student, but you must maintain his/her confidentiality by not telling other students or your own friends. Tobacco Use: The use of tobacco products by staff, students, visitors (such as volunteers), or contractors is prohibited on school district property. School district property includes, but is not limited to; buildings, grounds, and vehicles owned, leased or contracted by the school district and school sponsored functions.

MPS Volunteer Policies Touch: We strongly urge you not to initiate physical contact with your students. You may be working with young people who may not be aware of appropriate boundaries. Keep in mind that your student(s) may see your physical contact as a sign of preferential treatment. Volunteer Dismissal: The school principal has the right to dismiss any volunteer who is deemed to have engaged in inappropriate behavior including, but not limited to, that described above. If a volunteer is dismissed, the MPS district and the office of Volunteer Services reserve the right not to reassign the volunteer at another school.

You Can Make a Difference! Thank you for your commitment to our students! Volunteers in our schools have great importance in the lives of our students PICTURE As a volunteer, you can: • Give a student time • Help a student feel accepted • Help a student be successful and confident • Expand a student’s world of adult friendships • Offer a student a listening ear

Volunteer Testimony "No matter how much I was able to help these students, I'm sure they helped me at least ten times more... Southwest High School and those within its doors have had a far greater impact on me than I could have every imagined.” PICTURE

What’s Next? • Screening • Reference checks • Criminal background check • Placement PICTURE PICTURE

Volunteer Orientation