Volunteer Spanish Teacher Information

First of all, thank you so much for volunteering.  The LPE Spanish program is completely operated by volunteers so it is through your efforts, and those of the volunteers before you, that we are able to offer Spanish to over 500 students!  It is an extraordinary gift that you are providing our children and one that we believe you’ll find very rewarding.

We wanted to briefly cover the following:

1.  The goal is to begin teaching your class the first full week in October if you are ready.  If you do not feel ready for any reason, especially the new volunteers, then it’s fine for you to begin a week later.  Make sure and contact your teacher and agree on a start date for your class.

2.  It’s helpful to visit the classroom prior to the first day, so you know where the CD player is located and anything else you might need for the class.  It’s also a good idea to ask the teacher to forward you a copy of the class roster.  In addition, please provide your teacher with your contact information.

3.  If you have not yet confirmed a start date and time with your teacher, you must do this by the first week of October.  Please forward us the date and time you will be teaching your class as well as all of your contact information.   We’ll forward this information to everyone as soon as we have it.

4.  Please notify the teacher as soon as you know you will need to miss a class.  If you know in advance, we may be able to arrange for a substitute.

5.  It is very important that all volunteers follow the curriculum provided by Risas y Sonrisas.   For consistency within the grade level and for the following year, it is important that each class within the grade level follow the curriculum.  The goal for each module is mastery.

6.  All teaching materials, such as posters and games, need to remain at school, since we all share them.  If we take the posters/materials we need just prior to our class and then return them promptly after, there should be enough materials for everyone.  However, should you find that some of the materials you need are all missing during your class, let us know and we may be able to make more of them available.

7.  If you need materials that we do not have, let us know.        

8.  We will be providing Spanish folders for each of your students.  Please take only enough for your class.  The students are to keep whatever handouts/worksheets you have in the folders.   The idea is to have these for reinforcement.  They can take them home, but they need to come back to school for each Spanish class.

9.  For the major modules such as colors, numbers, etc, there are worksheets and crafts in the Spanish workroom (Literacy Library) that can be copied for your class.

10.  If you need copies, you can complete a request in the workroom and submit them in the cubby labeled Specials.  We have a Spanish cubby in the workroom and copies are usually returned to our cubby or to our Spanish room.  They generally will have the copies made for you by the next day and can sometimes return them the same day.  However, it is best to give yourself plenty of time for them to make copies.  Tuesdays are generally the busiest days in the copy room due to Tuesday folders.    

11.  We will occasionally have optional meetings to exchange ideas and get feedback from you.  We welcome any comments/questions/suggestions you might have so feel free to email/call us if you can not meet with us. 

12.  We would like a lead teacher for each grade level to help coordinate worksheets, etc.  If you’re interested in doing this, please let us know.

13.  The Literacy Library is being used from 8:00-10:30AM for testing and occasionally for things such as hearing/vision screening.  You can still go into the room to get/return materials during testing but please do so quietly.

Have a great year!  Do not hesitate to call us for anything.