Volunteer Training

How to train volunteers to be teachers: a manual

4 January 14, 2003

RE: How to train volunteers to be teachers: a manual Hi there! So you’ve decided to have a volunteer teacher-training program. Great idea! Just think of all the benefits: empowered volunteers, better connections between your organization and the community - and above all, those bright, deserving students (and teachers!) who will have positive learning experiences given to them by a welcome new person in their classroom. Of course, there is a lot of work involved in such a program, but hopefully this guide will reduce some of your workload as you set out to train and coordinate, and nurture your awesome volunteer teachers. This document is written for you, the volunteer trainer, but also contains many tips that are directed at the volunteer teachers themselves. These ‘tips’ sections are all subtitled “For the Volunteer Teacher” and are presented as photocopy-ready or transparency-ready pages. As you use this manual, please feel free to copy and distribute these pages in class. This document was produced by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), Calgary-Banff Chapter, and was made available through a grant from the McConnell Foundation. CPAWS wishes to acknowledge the contribution of writer and volunteer teacher trainer extraordinaire, Sue Arlidge. A number of environmental educators in the Green Street program were kind enough to comment on an earlier version of this draft – thank you. Good luck! This is a living document, and we welcome your feedback. I may be reached at 1-403-678-0079 (phone/fax), or at [email protected].

Gareth Thomson Education Director, CPAWS Calgary-Banff

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE

PAGE

PREPARING FOR THE TRAINING SESSIONS Introduction Material Needs Interviewing Volunteers Recruitment Planning the Training Sessions What to Model During Training Sessions Sample Volunteer Training Agenda

1 2 2 3 4 5 6

LEARNING TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND INCREASING SELF-CONFIDENCE Volunteers vs Classroom Teachers 8 For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Your Role as Volunteer Teacher 9 Training Activity: Classroom Scenarios Role-Play 10 Practice in Public Speaking 11 Individual Presentations 11 Building Confidence 12 Mentorship and Peer Teaching 12 Roles and Responsibilities 12 For the Volunteer Teacher: Facilitating vs. Teaching 13 POSITIVE ENCOUNTERS IN THE CLASSROOM Entering the Classroom Gaining Student Acceptance Teaching Controversial Issues For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips on Teaching Controversial Issues For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips for Classroom Management Techniques

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14 14 15 15 16

TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont’d) TITLE

PAGE

PLANNING FOR THE CLASSROOM Linking to the Curriculum For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Writing Lesson Plans For the Volunteer Teacher: Steps to a Successful Program Structure and Flexibility Designing and Attaining Outcomes Off-Site Guided Field Trips For the Volunteer Teacher: Steps to a Successful Outdoor Program Sample Outline for a Full Day Field Study

18 19 20 21 21 21 22 25

SOME TIPS FOR VOLUNTEER TEACHERS For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on What Makes a GoodTeacher For the Volunteer Teacher – Principles of Learning For the Volunteer Teacher - Young People and Learning For the Volunteer Teacher - Tips on Activity-Based Learning For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips on Generating Discussion For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips for Asking Questions For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips for Giving Lectures & Demonstrations For the Volunteer Teacher - Slide Shows and Multi-Media Presentations For the Volunteer Teacher – Small Group Discussions For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips on Tours or Guided Events For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips on Giving Directions

27 28 30 32 33 34 35 36 36 37 37

AFTER THE TRAINING: COORDINATION AND MANAGING CONTACTS Managing the School Contacts 38 Sample School Database 38 Managing the Volunteers 39 Encourage Continual Learning 39 EVALUATION Feedback from your Volunteers Examining Attrition Rates Sample Evaluation Forms Interview Evaluation Form

40 41 41 42

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TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont’d) TITLE

PAGE

EVALUATION (cont’d) Teacher in Training Five-Minute Presentation Evaluation Form Workshop Evaluation Form Feedback from the Students Elementary School Evaluation Form High School Evaluation Form Classroom Teacher Evaluation Form Manager Conducted Evaluations Improving Your Program Volunteer Evaluation For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Self-Evaluation For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Watching Yourself on Video For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Student Evaluation

43 44 44 45 46 47 48 48 48 49 49 50

APPENDICES Appendix I – Sample Curriculum Connections 51 Appendix II - Coordinating a Volunteer Committee for a Multi-Task Project 52

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Introduction So you’ve decided to have a volunteer teacher-training program. Great idea! Just think of all the benefits: empowered volunteers, better connections between your organization and the community, and above all, those bright, deserving students (and teachers!) who will have positive learning experiences given to them by a welcome new person in their classroom. Of course, there is a lot of work involved in such a program, but hopefully this guide will reduce some of your workload as you set out to train and coordinate, and nurture your awesome volunteer teachers. There is information in this manual that is presented as photocopy-ready handouts that contain tips for volunteer teachers (“For the Volunteer Teacher…”). These are also suitable as transparencies. As you use this manual, please feel free to copy and distribute the Tips for the Teacher Sections, as you refer to each of them in class. As the volunteer trainer, it’s important to model what you’re teaching. You might find these tips useful for you, as the volunteer trainer; feel free to refer to it for the invaluable ‘refresher’ that even the most experienced teacher can use from time to time. Good luck! This is a living document, and we welcome your feedback. CPAWS’ Education Director, Gareth Thomson, may be reached at 1-403-678-0079, or at [email protected].

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PREPARING FOR THE TRAINING SESSIONS
Introduction
Material Needs
Interviewing Volunteers
Recruitment
Planning the Training Sessions
What to Model During Training Sessions
Sample Volunteer Training Agenda

Material Needs If you disburse keys, lock codes, personal or agency nametags or any type of identifying uniform, keep a distribution list. Volunteer expectations and guidelines need to be clearly stated in writing. Some agencies may even request that a code of conduct agreement be read and signed. Clearly lay out the responsibilities of the organization. These may include things such as: an agreement to provide volunteer meeting and work space; reimbursement for all program expenses; providing clear expectations for each volunteer event; providing formal continued training; providing a semi-annual volunteer evaluation, etc. Be certain to share the mandate and philosophy of the organization you represent with all volunteer teachers. It’s probably a good idea to provide a background binder with organization background, structure, mandate, organization’s vision statement, relevant resource materials, such as: previous lesson plans, related research or articles, published brochures, maps or pamphlets, etc. Interviewing Volunteers Depending on what type of participation you expect, you may want to have an information meeting to recruit volunteers. Some types of programs have the luxury of choosing whom to interview as a volunteer. During the interviews ask volunteers about their goals and motivation. Request that they come to the interview prepared to present a five-minute talk or program on a relevant subject. This will tell you volumes about their potential as a teacher.

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Even if you don’t have the luxury of turning away applicants, an interview is a good idea, as it sets the tone of an official relationship. It also provides both parties a chance to share expectations and goals. Choose people who are genuinely enthusiastic about volunteer teaching. Some people are enthusiastic about their subject matter, but are not suited to classroom teaching. If you have small group opportunities for such a volunteer, train them, if not, find someone else. When in doubt, include these people. The subsequent training may help them bloom (or they may self-select themselves out of your program.) Most often it’s wise to do a police check of your potential volunteers. These are available through the local police office. Also, have the volunteer fill out a contract with their contact information, personal references, and a short biography of previous work experiences. To begin with you may well need an active volunteer recruitment campaign:


Put advertisements in local newspapers.




Network with colleagues in similar fields to see if they have recommendations.




Participate in community events for volunteers.




Recruit through volunteer placement agencies.




Encourage current employees or volunteers to spread the word to like-minded friends.




Seek-out retired teachers, and recruit in student teacher environments – they often want the opportunity to connect.




Circulate a ‘wanted’ poster through your e-mail network.

Recruitment A good way to connect with beginner teachers is through your local post secondary institution. Usually, a practicum coordinator is the ticket to a class full of keen, young educators. If you bring them resources, and offer to provide meaningful teaching experiences, you’ll have them hooked in no time! Check with the Ministry of Education in your province to learn about their beginner teacher conferences. Provide a workshop session at these conferences, as a way of connecting with future volunteers.

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Planning the Training Sessions It should go without saying that this is your first chance to model excellence in teaching. Practice what you’ll be preaching. Begin your meetings with introductions, and some kind of hook to make people want to participate. A game or activity as an icebreaker is usually worth the extra time required. Start things off with a positive note and make sure every volunteer training session has the lesson’s objectives clearly articulated. Plan your training sessions so that the volunteer teachers are actively speaking in front of the class, and within small groups during every single session. Sequence the volunteer training so that they get hands-on training right away. Use role-playing and provide as many real life classroom scenarios as possible to give the volunteer teachers a sense of what it’s like to program to diverse groups. It’s fun to act out scenarios, and it helps new teachers realize how flexible they need to be when working with groups. Come prepared for every training session. Circulate an agenda a few days in advance. For effective use of time, consider the following:
















come early and set up room; prior to the training review the objectives and get prepared with resources; serve refreshments – consider a volunteer sign-up for snacks; prepare a sign-in sheet for names, addresses, telephone numbers; start on time to model punctuality; ensure everyone is introduced and wears a name-tag; let the group approve or amend agenda; assign someone to keep the minutes; include an activity in each session; stay on topic; provide suggestions for action plans and hands-on assignments; ensure people leave knowing their tasks; set date, place and preliminary agenda for next session; close on a positive note; after session, if necessary, copy and send minutes to participants; keep a binder documenting minutes & attendance for reports.

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Depending on your organization, you might want to have your training in a block period of time. For optimum hands-on learning, it is also practical to have the training one full day (9:00 – 4:00) a week for 3-4 weeks. See below example of what your Day One volunteer training schedule might look like.

What to Model During Training Sessions When you, or an invited guest speaker are speaking to the trainees, move around, look your students in the eye and change the volume, pace and tone of your speech. Teach to all of the different learning styles, by including a variety of lecture, question and answer, discussion and hands-on activities in your sessions. Show enthusiasm. Use lesson plans. Create the training program using some tenets of adult education: give choices, and let the volunteer teachers design the agenda for the next session. Let them take ownership of their education. The needs of each group will vary with personal dynamics. Learning should be student- centred.

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Day One: Sample Volunteer Training Agenda

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Orientation to organization, mandate – 20 minutes
Individual two-minute introductions – 30 minutes
Site(s) tour – 1 hour
Principles of Learning
Use Subject Appropriate Content as You Sequence Hands-on Demonstrations, Follow Each Lesson with Corresponding Quiz: Learning Theory – learning styles, principles of learning Working With Students Practice Using Audio-Visual: overheads slide projectors power point presentations Student Quizzes on A.V. use Practice in Methods of Teaching: lesson plans 2 minute slide shows with text leading discussions leading a tour demonstrate question & answer techniques classroom scenarios role-play classroom management role-play evaluating learning process workshop


Training Specific Content for Your Organization




Introduction to Guest Speakers, and Working With Guests




5 Minute Student Presentations – evaluated by self, coordinator and peers




Information about Final Practical Exam, Probation Period/Work with Mentor, Annual Evaluation

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LEARNING TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND INCREASING SELF CONFIDENCE
Volunteers vs Classroom Teachers
For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Your Role as Volunteer Teacher
Training Activity: Classroom Scenarios Role-Play
Practice in Public Speaking
Individual Presentations
Building Confidence
Mentorship and Peer Teaching
Roles and Responsibilities
For the Volunteer Teacher: Facilitating vs. Teaching If you’re a good teacher, relatively speaking, it’s easy to train volunteers. The tricky part is keeping the volunteers motivated, organized, and fulfilled. As the coordinator, don’t just assume the ship can run itself. The whole process of working with volunteers requires time, people skills, patience and kid gloves. For every four hours that the volunteer commits to teaching, anticipate spending one hour involved in administrative tasks to support the volunteer. This includes personal interviews and post program evaluation with volunteers, volunteer meetings and training sessions, time spent assisting with program logistics, etc. Volunteers vs Classroom Teachers In a school setting, the classroom teacher knows the group’s needs, interests, background, and can often assist the volunteer teacher with adjusting the program to best meet the group’s needs. The volunteer teacher should have a clear idea of the relationship between him/herself and the teaching staff clear, to avoid miscommunications. If instance, if the volunteer teacher requires assistance in unloading resources, he or she should request it up front, as the program arrangements are confirmed. During the program, it works best if the classroom teacher is responsible for any issues of control of student conduct. The teacher should also take a positive part in the program, for instance asking the questions that he or she thinks will help the group understand concepts. Classroom teachers and other volunteers should assist by circulating during small group discussions, providing support as requested. Spend a few minutes during training to review the handout titled: “Tips on Your Role as a Volunteer Teacher.“

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Be sure to request at the beginning that the teacher evaluate the effectiveness of your time spent with the group. (Please see Evaluation Section for sample evaluation forms.) Thank the teacher for their active participation, as a manner of reinforcing the value of his or her contribution. Ensure that you follow up on any promises made to the teacher re: post program needs, unanswered questions you promised to answer, etc. Keep the goals of your volunteer training program focused and realistic. If you need to have lesson plans developed, determine a way to do it together with the volunteer teachers, or plan to spend the necessary time developing goals and vision so that the lesson plans developed meet your needs.

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips on Your Role as the Volunteer Teacher It helps to establish credibility if the classroom teacher introduces you as a teacher. This helps set up behavioral expectations for the students. The most important expectation to be communicated to teachers is that you expect them to take an ACTIVE role in your lesson. Clearly communicate that you expect the teacher to remain in the classroom at all times. The teacher’s role includes offering advice before the program begins. Teachers should be responsible for completing any required paper work, booking school space, etc. If practical, you may request that teachers complete pre-lesson activities with their students. Be prepared with whatever resources the teacher might request.

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Training Activity: Classroom Scenarios Role Play It’s fun and helpful to develop and work through role-playing activities with volunteer teachers to work on developing strategies for adapting classes to various needs and unforeseen events. Put sentences like the following ones in a hat. Working in teams of four, volunteer teachers brainstorm to come up with how they would deal with the situation. Alternatively, they could pick roles and spend five minutes (1 minute maximum preparation time) acting out a role-play of each scene. After each scene, spend time with whole class discussing what you saw and heard. Examples of scenarios to act out include:




You’re engaged in an outside lesson and the wind drags your props away…




You go to turn on your 25 slides, and they aren’t in the box…




The space you have for wide games is full of chairs and tables….




There are five minutes left until the bell, but you still have 15 minutes of lesson to cover. The kids seem antsy.




You’re part way along a trail, when a bee stings a child. They’re not allergic, but they’re upset. The class is getting restless.




One of the boys in the class keeps interrupting and disrupting the lesson with loud burps.




You’re five minutes into an outdoor program and it starts to rain.




The fire alarm goes off when you’re halfway through your lesson – but it is a false alarm




Students seem indolent and distracted and you’re pretty sure your lesson is falling on deaf ears

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Practice in Public Speaking In North America, public speaking is the most often feared event, even beating out the fear of death! It’s natural for your volunteer teachers to feel nervous. Try to channel this energy into the learning process. The easiest way to learn more about teaching in public is to practice, practice, and practice. Each training session should provide an opportunity for students to either teach the group or work with a partner. Individual Presentations At every chance, include personal class presentations for the training schedule. Begin with simple, non-threatening topics, like small group personal introductions, biographical reports, etc. Early in the program of volunteer training, set up a relevant list of topics, and design an outline based on lesson planning technique for a five minute presentation on the given topic, to be scheduled two-three weeks later. During training provide volunteers with an opportunity to team-teach by working in groups of three or four. Give each group a topic, and resource materials, and ask them to be ready to teach a fifteen minute lesson after one hour’s preparation. Each participant should be ‘in the spotlight’ for five of the fifteen minutes. Students evaluate one another, with open-ended statements such as: “The thing I liked the most about your section was…” Build lots of opportunities to speak into your training program, so the volunteer teachers feel confident with diverse groups.


Ensure the teachers practice creating beginnings, middles and ends into their stories, and ultimately their lessons.




Spend time to practice classroom discipline techniques in a roleplaying activity.




Practice open and closed questioning techniques among other important group dynamic techniques, activities and skills. (*Please see “Tips for the Volunteer Teacher” section for more on questioning techniques.),

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Building Confidence “When you ask me how I feel, I’m the only one who can answer, and I like that!” (Grade one student) The most effective way to help new teachers build confidence is to practice. Provide as many opportunities as possible for the individuals to speak in front of the group, even if it is just to make class announcements. Try to keep the atmosphere supportive and light. When people are critiquing each other, try to keep a balance between positive and negative comments. Always begin with strengths: positive strokes and smiles go a long way in reassuring nervous speakers. Mentorship and Peer Teaching If you know good teachers, show them off. Let new teachers observe effective teaching and effective programs. Remember, we learn by observation, and hands-on activities. Take advantage of some of the great volunteer teachers in your agency, and don’t forget your community. Talk to government agencies, provincial parks, similar non-profit agencies, and provide observation opportunities for new teachers. If possible, have trained teachers mentor and assist with probationary year. A commitment of one program a month/trainee is probably attainable by most peer pairs, or groups of four. Recruit possible mentors from the graduates of your earlier volunteer training programs. Roles and Responsibilities When discussing roles and responsibilities with the volunteer teacher, emphasize that the volunteer should ensure that he/she is on the same page regarding who’s taking a lead role in organization vs discipline, vs teaching, etc. The volunteer teachers must communicate clearly what he/she will take responsibility for, and his or her expectations of the other teaching staff he/she is working with.

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Facilitating vs. Teaching One EXCELLENT teaching technique to facilitate classroom discussions. A good facilitator:
has no vested position on the topic;
does not defend specific ideas or positions;
asks questions of clarification;
encourages input from all participants;
is responsible for time management;
ensures that the discussion points are recorded. The facilitator should try to set ground-rules for effective participant input, including:


Listen thoughtfully and critically to others. Try hard to understand the other person’s point of view.




Don’t fight over ownership of ideas. Once you have given your idea to the group, it becomes group property. Don’t argue for it just because it was yours.




Speak your mind freely.




Don’t monopolize the discussion. Make your point in a few words, then give someone else a chance. Don’t make a speech. Try to speak so that everyone can hear.




Don’t let the discussion get away from you. If you don’t understand, say so. Ask questions.




When you are ‘on the other side of the fence’, say so, and tell why. But do it in a friendly way. Avoid win-lose contests.




Strike when the idea is hot. If you wait until ‘later’ you may forget your point, or it may no longer be relevant to the discussion.




Be action-minded. Try to relate discussion to action. Wise action is the true purpose of group discussion.

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POSITIVE ENCOUNTERS IN THE CLASSROOM
Entering the Classroom
Gaining Student Acceptance
For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips for Classroom Management Techniques
Teaching Controversial Issues
For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Teaching Controversial Issues

Entering the Classroom It should go without saying that it’s important for all volunteer teachers to be prepared, arrive early and, if possible, have the program set up before encountering the students. If your agency has dress requirements, explain them clearly to the volunteers. Remind volunteers to dress professionally, and avoid appearing untidy or just plain dirty. A good rule of thumb to share with your trainees, is to dress as the school staff dresses, to help command the students’ respect. As you train the volunteers, model activities such as covering your props with an intriguing piece of fabric, to create an air of mystery and playfulness. Don’t be afraid to have fun with the group as you share the learning experience. Gaining Student Acceptance Practice audience ‘warm-up’ activities with the volunteer teachers. Teach them how to capture the students’ attention and interest by getting them involved and talking. Five minute pre-lesson game shows are usually a hit. Eg: “For 45,000 points, who can tell me two endangered Canadian animals?” Another fun way to engage a group of students quickly is to display an object related to the topic and see if they can figure out why you brought it. It’s usually a guarantee that the students will be more interested in the volunteer teaching them than the topic. Ask each volunteer to develop a fun, two-minute self-introduction and try it on a peer, for constructive feedback. The introduction should include a couple of personal statements, and a comment on why they teach about this topic. The students will want to know what to expect from the program. Volunteer teachers should begin their programs with a quick outline of the events to follow.

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A relaxed attitude, smile and enthusiasm go a long way towards gaining credibility and student participation. When discussing the need to gain student acceptance, go over the handout entitled “Tips on what makes a Good Teacher”. Don’t forget to spend some time discussing how to deal with ‘problem’ students and other classroom management issues. The handout “Tips for Classroom Management” should be covered in depth during training. This is another area in your training program where a student role-playing activity would be helpful and fun. Teaching Controversial Issues Sometimes, the issues you want the volunteer teachers to explore with students are controversial. Address this concern with an open discussion during your training. Pick a sample statement, such as, “Some of the houses in the townsite that lies within Banff National Park should be removed if this will help wildlife movement corridors in the area function properly.” Model how to initiate a discussion by encouraging alternative points of view, using the facilitator tips listed previously. Encourage your trainees to invite students to discuss the different sides of ‘hot’ issues, and encourage them to determine their own opinions and decisions regarding the issue. A useful activity on how to teach controversial issues, ‘Take a Stand,’ can be downloaded from http://www.cpawscalgary.org/education/pdf/take-a-stand.pdf For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips on Teaching Controversial Issues As an individual, you have opinions. As a volunteer teacher, it’s a safe bet that you’re passionate about the topic you’re presenting. But please remember, you are an educator. It is okay to share your personal point of view with the students (do this at the end of the lesson, so you don’t bias the students!) - but remember to tell them that it is just one perspective, and that each individual has to decide for him or herself where they stand on a particular issue, after evaluating the different sides. Your job is to teach kids how to think, not what to think. Encourage students to form their own opinions and attitudes, even if they are radically different than your personal perspective.

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips on Classroom Management Techniques As a volunteer teacher, your control over class discipline is fairly limited, because the class you are instructing comes with it’s own teacher and its own set of behaviour rules. Remember, the primary responsibility for classroom management lies with the host teacher. Nonetheless, some use of the following classroom management tips will help control more minor ‘offenses’, and allow you to run the show, avoiding interruptions from the host teacher. First of all, the whole tone of the class will depend on your attitude as a teacher. Try to ensure that having fun is one of your top priorities, so the whole learning process stays light. Throughout any program you deliver, look for signs of disinterest, such as wandering eyes, posture change from sitting to slouching, fidgeting, coughing, and dozing. If you see these behaviours, it’s time to shift gears and shake it up a bit. Insert a moment of active learning for the students, change the stimulus with a new activity, move around or try changing the tone of your voice, and your facial expression. Try these techniques to ensure a smooth program:


Have a great, fun, dynamic, interesting program planned! If ‘the devil finds time for idle hands,’ then keep their ‘hands’ (i.e their minds) busy.




Emphasize to students that you have a variety of interesting activities – but that the number of things the students get to do depends on their ability to listen.




Set out clear behaviour expectations and praise appropriate behaviour from the onset. (This is particularly necessary if you suspect that the group might be a difficult one).




Important: Ask students to raise their hands if they would like to say something. Allowing students to shout out the answer leads to other poor behaviours, and is pedagogically flawed (it means that only the fast and/or loud students get to answer questions).




Emphasize classroom management techniques at the beginning, not the end, of the program. Wait for the first unfortunate student to misbehave – then seize this opportunity to show students that you are a teacher! DO NOT ignore poor behaviour, it will rapidly escalate.

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Use silence as a tool – wait until you have everyone’s attention




Use direct statements to offending students: “I really need you to listen right now.”




Use proximity. Get close to the problems.




Use eye contact with problem students. Stare for an uncomfortably long time. Don’t be afraid to be silent until the group re-focuses on you.




Stop and remind everybody of the rules. Eg: “I’d like to stop here for a moment and remind everyone that if we are going to make this a productive and enjoyable session for everyone, we will all have to remember that when one person is talking, everyone else needs to listen.”




Make contracts with the students. Eg: “ I’m going to talk for the next three minutes, after that I’ll give you a chance to say something. How does that sound?”




Don’t let attention seekers or really enthusiastic ‘sharers’ dominate the class. When a child continually blurts out answers, try saying: “Which of you children with your hand up can tell me if that answer is correct or not?”




When the class gets too noisy, try speaking more quietly.




Remember that – fundamentally - students want and need the teacher to be in control.

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PLANNING FOR THE CLASSROOM
Linking to the Curriculum
For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Writing Lesson Plans
For the Volunteer Teacher: Steps to a Successful Program
Structure and Flexibility
Designing and Attaining Outcomes
Off-Site Guided Field Trips
Sample Outline for a Full Day Field Study
For the Volunteer Teacher: Steps to a Successful Outdoor Program

Linking to the Curriculum Sometimes it’s a challenge to get your message into the classroom. You need to connect with teachers, maintain contact, follow-through on every lead of, “I heard of a teacher who might want a presentation…” Ensuring your program is linked directly to the current curriculum of studies is critical for ensuring your program will be successful. Classroom teachers have a lot of ground to cover, and can’t spare time on non-related topics. Clearly outline what areas of the curriculum your program will cover. The Ministry of Education in each province posts all current curricula. When developing a program, try to keep themes open enough to fit within a variety of curricular strands. See Appendix I for an example of how topics with environmental themes fit within the Science and Social Studies curricula for Alberta. You can also create a conceptual map, or ‘bubble diagram’ - a visual representation of how the provincial curriculum applies to your program. An example is show below:

Social Studies

How the Blackfoot Used Medicinal Plants

My community has special cultures Mapping my Neighbourhood

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips on Writing Lesson Plans The lesson plan is your friend. Don’t enter the classroom without one. Spend the time required to get the whole program laid out in writing. Experienced or new teachers will all benefit from the structure and organization a lesson plan provides. Every lesson plan should include: title, theme, objectives, student profile, procedure, materials and equipment required, resource material, evaluation technique. Put your lesson plan on handy index cards (or brightly coloured paper) so you don’t lose your plan in the heat of the moment! Title: Create a title with a few words. Keep it descriptive and catchy. Theme: This is a short description of the core of the lesson. Objectives: What are the two most important points of the lesson? Curriculum connections: What part of the curriculum are you addressing? Student Profile: How many students? Who are they? Which grade and content area? Procedure / Activities: A step-by-step description of how you will carry out activities, and how much time each activity will take. Materials and Equipment Required: List each thing required, and the quantity. Resource Material: List resources you will use, such as books, videos, posters, etc. Evaluation: What evaluation techniques will you use?

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Steps to a Successful Program Research the grade level, students’ background understanding of subject area, and amount of time available for program Arrive early to prepare for the program. Talking to kids before the program will help you become aware of special interests. Take the time to build rapport with the students. During the program, try to actively involve each student. When asking questions, listen and reflect upon the answers. Pace the program. Vary between sharing information, involving the students in discussion and activities. Be sensitive to the needs of the students. If they’re getting restless, present an option for activity. Save time to present a quick evaluative tool, such as a student sharing circle, where each student finishes a sentence, such as: “The most interesting thing I learned was…” This will shed some light on student learning. Finish the program on time.

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Structure and Flexibility Remind your trainees to be prepared with a plan, and be prepared to change your plan as required. Sometimes, what worked like a charm on the group the week before isn’t sparking any light bulbs with this week’s class. It’s always wise to have a Plan B. Build your lesson plans so that some components can be substituted with others, or activities can be omitted or adapted. You should intentionally over-plan each lesson. Designing and Attaining Outcomes Learning outcomes need to cover the breadth of what the students are taught. Include outcomes at the awareness, knowledge, attitude, skills, ability, evaluation and participation levels. Practice writing learner outcomes so each one identifies who will learn what - and how you will know that they’ve learned it. If necessary, add an element of quantity and time into the outcome. Eg: ‘By the end of the class, 12 of the 15 students will tie two different types of knots without using the instruction sheet. Off-Site Guided Field Trips Humans can learn everywhere and we can learn with and without books. Don’t underestimate the power of learning by doing. And in particular, don’t neglect every chance you get to do the learning outdoors. Taking a class outside means to take learning and apply it to the playground, or forest, or stream, or community. It provides endless opportunities to cultivate in children the powers of accurate observation and to build understanding that has context for the child. The out of doors provides a myriad of opportunities for students to make their own discoveries. Hands-on learning experiences for both students and teachers, offering an intensive and memorable experience that teachers can refer to in the classroom for months afterwards. Remember, when you teach out of doors, safety comes first. Given concerns about liability, make doubly sure that you have adequately prepared and trained your volunteers, obtained liability waiver forms, etc. For more information, see Planning Successful Field Studies, a guide available at no cost at http://www.gov.ab.ca/env/parks/prov_parks/kananaskis/eepubs.html

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For the volunteer teacher…

Steps to a Successful Outdoor Program Planning the Trip - A successful field trip is related directly to the time spent preparing for the trip. - Create an outline of the objectives of the field study. Is the study to be theme centred, or student inquiry centred? - Ensure concrete connections to the curriculum. - Consider available resources, such as extra volunteers, materials, available sites, and guest speakers. - Determine general program logistics. - Seek approval from supervisors. - Prepare the students both mentally and physically. Prior to the trip, introduce required skills, and work together with the teacher to ensure any pre-study activities are completed. Resources -

Research who can be of assistance from within the school, and outside the school, such as local school board outdoor specialist team, local hands-on learning centres, etc.

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Determine the best time of year for teaching topic. Scout out possible trip locations by actually visiting each site, including trails. After determining the cost of the total field trip, book a site and transportation. Obtain a site map. Acquire permits if required. When determining length of field study, consider the students’ age, the group size, grade, and previous field experience. For students in grades K-4, a half-day trip is usually most successful. Provide trip participants with a list of suggested attire and other items they may wish to bring in their daypacks.

Logistics

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Liability -

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You are responsible for planning a safe trip. Student safety is of primary concern. Be sure to carry a working first aid kit, and be aware of emergency evacuation options, and the location of the nearest emergency resource personnel. Ensure student medical forms and waivers are signed and returned.

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For success, it’s important for the teacher to be flexible. You may have to adapt activities, or change the schedule to best meet everyone’s needs and expectations. It’s important to keep a fun, light-hearted attitude, as things will seem too stressful otherwise. And, it’s essential that you plan for opportunities to slow down, observe, and reflect. Spend time during volunteer training to discuss the following points about field trips. The following is a suggested flow of events for a full day field study: Steps to a Successful Outdoor Program Planning the Trip A successful field trip is related directly to the time spent preparing for the trip Create an outline of the objectives of the field study. Is the study to be theme centred, or student inquiry centred? Ensure concrete connections to the curriculum. Consider available resources, such as extra volunteers, materials, available sites, and guest speakers. Determine general program logistics Seek approval from supervisors Prepare the student both mentally and physically. Prior to the trip, introduce required skills, and work together with the teacher to ensure any pre-study activities are completed. Prepare a plan B if the weather doesn't cooperate Find out about any medical conditions or disabilities that any of the students may have beforehand. Determine the best time of year for teaching topic. Scout out possible trip locations by actually visiting each site, including trails. After determining the cost of the total field trip, book a stie and transportation. Obtain a site map. Acquire permits if required. When determining length of field study, consider the student's age, the group size, grade, and previous field experience. For students in grades K-4, a half-day trip is usually most successful. Provide trip participants with a list of suggested attire and other items they may wish to bring in their daypacks. Resources

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-

-

Research who can be of assistance from within the school, and outside the school, such as local school board outdoor specialist team, local hands-on learning centres, etc. Decide which props you will carry with you and ensure that they can be carried (in other words, don't try to carry a stuffed full size beaver.)

Logistics -

-

-

Ensure that you bring any props you want with you (ie. bird books, binoculars, etc.) Be aware of where washrooms are and how you will handle washrooms in the great outdoors. Bring along a gathering device (a duck call or whistle that will gather the children to you when you need to talk to all of the group.) With younger children it is advisable to have each child assigned to a parent helper so you will have one parent helper with a group of 4-5 children. When you speak to the children, have the children in front of the adults, wait until they are all assembled before you speak, and face the sun so that they children can see you instead of squinting into the sun. Be flexible. Even if your topic is insects; if a moose walks by, don't ignore it. (Talk about ticks.) Set up the rules, first thing. Make sure the children know what they can and cannot do.

Liability -

-

You are responsible for planning a safe trip. Student safety is of primary concern. Be sure to carry a working first aid kit and be aware of emergency evacuation options, and the location of the nearest emergency resource personnel. Also ensure that you carry some way of communicating should you get into problems (ie. cell phone or walkie talkie). Ensure student medical forms and waivers are signed and returned.

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Sample Outline for A Full Day Field Study free exploration orientation to the purpose of field study and flow of the day student expectations cooperative games and initiative tasks to encourage team work activities, wide game lunch activities reflections wrap-up and evaluation

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TRAINING THE VOLUNTEERS – TIPS FOR VOLUNTEER TEACHERS
For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips on What Makes a Good Teacher
For the Volunteer Teacher – Principles of Learning
For the Volunteer Teacher - Young People and Learning
For the Volunteer Teacher - Tips on Activity-Based Learning
For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips on Generating Discussion
For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips for Asking Questions
For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips for Giving Lectures & Demonstrations
For the Volunteer Teacher - Slide Shows and Multi-Media Presentations For the Volunteer Teacher – Small Group Discussions
For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips on Tours or Guided Events
For the Volunteer Teacher – Tips on Giving Directions

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips on What Makes A Good Teacher What makes a good teacher? Characteristics of good teaching include:


enthusiasm and passion for the subject;




rapport between a teacher and student(s) during discussions;




treating all students with respect;




offering intellectual challenges to students;




clarity and organization in presenting ideas;




actively involving students in their own learning;




helping students develop a framework for their learning, as well as to develop problem solving skills;




the ability to engage students in discussion and group activities




frequently checking for student understanding during the learning process.




A word of advice: be yourself.




Remove jargon, or if you slip it in, pause to explain it in terms that your students can understand.




Start where the kids are at. Effective teachers construct a framework of understanding, by relating new information to student’s prior knowledge




Don’t change your tone with young kids to a ‘kindergarten’ tone. Their brains can interpret language faster than you could ever speak!




Try not to slow your speech down when you think you’re teaching something that will be hard to understand. Speak with confidence, and then pause. Give time for information to be digested.

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Principles of Learning

1. Learning is Developmental Studies indicate that the stages of learning are developmental. Most learners progress from simple to complex, from concrete to abstract. Developmental learning refers to social and physical learning as well as to cognitive learning. Sensitivity to student’s developmental stages is critical to effective teaching and learning. 2. We Learn in Different Ways We are capable of learning in many different ways. We perceive through our senses and intuition. We process information through our preferred mode of perceiving, together with our preferred strategies of thinking, problem solving and remembering. These strategies include the ways we order our world (random/sequential; field dependent/field independent; global/analytical, etc.) our tolerance for ambiguity, and our personality. Learning is also affected by our emotional state. What does this mean for a teacher? Some kids learn by seeing, some by hearing, some by doing, some by watching. Shake it up in the class. Don’t just teach to visual learners, with notes on the board. A mix of activities, songs, posters, hands-on demonstrations, etc. will ensure you meet all learners’ styles. 3. We Learn at Different Rates Human development is a continuous, sequential and interactive process. Students learn at their own rates by: doing; role-playing; trying out and initiating tasks; etc.

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Principles of Learning cont… 4. We Learn Through Interacting with Others We learn from one another. Group interaction is essential in developing language, thinking and social skills. By interacting with others, we learn to define, clarify, qualify, elaborate, analyse, and organize our experiences, concepts, opinions and ideas. 5. We Learn Through Observation Consider for a moment how much observational learning occurs by watching television. Students emulate the roles of television heroes. In later life, when students become parents or teachers, they exhibit behaviour that has neither been taught, nor practiced. Students aspire to be like the models who are significant in their lives. 6. Student Motivation Increases With Student Input True input into their learning can directly affect what learning takes place. Give students choice, responsibility for preparation, input into program objectives and design. 7. Learning Should Have Meaning, Relevance and Practical Application All learning should begin from where the student is, and take into consideration the student’s past experiences and context. 8. Structure for Success The more frequently a student demonstrates success, the more efficiently he or she learns, and the more likely that the student has an enjoyable time. The more often a student is correct in responding to a teacher’s question, the higher the student’s achievement. This is why it is so important to structure for students to succeed. Try to maintain high, but realistic standards. 8. We learn by doing We tend to learn by doing. Teachers can test a student’ s understanding by their actions: if the action makes sense, we can tell that the knowledge has been integrated by the learner.

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Young People and Learning An awareness of how children grow and develop helps the teacher share in the learning process. It’s important to remember that every child is different and develops at his or her own pace. Share the following handout with your volunteer teachers as you discuss the characteristics of young people, and discuss the implications of program design for these age classes. Children aged 3-5 (K-1)
are usually curious, active and eager to try new things
learn through the use of their senses: seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling
like repetition
learn by imitation
learn through playing with real objects
enjoy sorting items according to different categories
learn by trial and error
believe that they are the centre of the world
believe that other people see the world the same way they do
focus on here and now
confuse real and imaginary
like to try an accomplish tasks for themselves
like to role play
do not always differentiate self from outside world Children aged 6-8 (Grades 1-3)
are curious, active and eager to try new things
are beginning to use logic for problem solving
can apply past discoveries to new problems
learn by trial and error
can measure time, length, amount, and weight
use information from books to build on their own experience
become aware that other people have different views

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Young People and Learning, continued… Children aged 6-8 (Grades 1-3) cont’d
can develop and follow a simple plan
usually enjoy discussion as a means of learning
can use tools such as hammers, needles, scissors, etc. Children aged 9-13 (Grades 4-8)
are more selective about what they care about, so can be easily ‘bored’
can ponder and solve problems on their own
learn the best through hands-on experience
can begin to evaluate their own thought process or approach when solving problems
can begin to understand cause and effect
can use math and the scientific method to solve problems
can see relationships between ideas
can research a problem
will often practice a skill until it is learned
begin to develop personal ethics
can use equipment such as ovens, scales, thermometers Children aged 14-18 (Grades 9-12)
like to be treated as adults
are capable of making decisions about what they want to learn and when they want to learn it
like to know the expectations and standards before participating
are very social and often stressed by peer pressure
learn best with hands-on activities
tend to be intrigued with the bizarre, the morbid and the fantastic
can develop and understand abstractions
want to be included as a part of the group

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips on Activity-Based Learning Humans can learn everywhere and we can learn with and without books. Don’t underestimate the power of learning by doing. And in particular, don’t neglect every chance you get to do the learning outdoors. Taking a class outside means to take learning and apply it to the playground, or forest, or stream, or community. It provides endless opportunities to cultivate in children the powers of accurate observation and to build understanding that has context for the child. The out of doors, provides millions of opportunities for students to make their own discoveries. Remember, when you teach out of doors, safety comes first.

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips for Generating Discussion Focused discussion is a great way for students to develop their understanding and to learn problem solving skills as they try out their own ideas. It’s a chance to explain in their own words what they are thinking and doing. Prior to a guided discussion, remember to be flexible enough to adjust your strategies to fit your students’ needs. Decide on the goals of your class discussion. Ask: “What is it that I want the students to get from this discussion?” Explain how the discussion will flow. Eg: Will the students work in small groups or as a class? If necessary, help the students to form groups. Try to be sure that all students participate, by having everyone’s input required. Your role is more as a facilitator than a ‘force’ in the conversation. Here are some hints for encouraging students to participate in the conversation by responding to questions:


Create an unhurried atmosphere. Try to convey calmness to encourage student answers. If questions aren’t perceived as ‘rapid-fire’, students will be more likely to participate in the discussion.




Make the questions clear. Begin with a question word (who, what, where, when, why, how).




Scan the entire class as the question is delivered.




Build in wait-time.




Maintain eye contact with the person responding to your question. Turn the upper body toward the speaker and stand free of crossed arms (a ‘closed’ position) to encourage further conversation. Nodding the head and smiling encourages student response.




Praise the students with comments like: “That’s a perceptive comment.”

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips for Asking Questions Questioning is an important part of guiding students’ learning, by developing critical thinking skills. The kinds of questions we ask should not be rigidly determined by any one hierarchy, but should be varied and appropriate to the subject matter and to student interests. Questions that start with the words what, where, when, and how are open-ended questions that require more detailed answering than questions that can be answered with a yes or no. Here are some tips for the effective use of questions:


Remember, questions can be threatening to students. Tell students you think they know the answer.




Build in wait time, to indicate that you expect students to think before answering. When we ask questions, we should give students time to think about the answers, and not bombard them with further questions. Strive to have moments of silence and meditation punctuate the discussion.




Determine the student’s confidence level as you listen to the answer. If appropriate, solicit additional responses from the same student with a leading question or a follow-up observation.




Seek alternative answers or elaboration to provide material for comparison, contrast and assessment.




Be honest with students when they respond to a question with an incorrect answer.

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips on Giving Lectures When working with student audiences, remember, 20 minutes is a VERY LONG time to sit without activity. Slip mini lectures between games, activities, group work, and discussions. Vary the pace and scope of whatever activities you string together to make each program. Other tips include:


Use paradoxes, puzzles and apparent contradictions to engage learners.




Make connections to current events and everyday phenomena. Relate the content to the learner.




Begin with a ‘hook’ – something cool, or important to the learner.




Maintain eye contact with students in all parts of the setting.




Move around, and talk to the students, not the white board, or slide screen.




Try to shift the mood and intensity.

Tips for Demonstrations Demonstrations can be very engaging for students. They are especially useful if they offer a surprise, challenge an assumption, or illustrate an abstract concept. Try to use everyday objects for more impact. Eg: 45 Big Mac cartons taped together is the amount of protein required by a grizzly bear each day prior to hibernation. Some tips on demonstrations, include:




Be sure that the concepts you want to demonstrate will be well illustrated.




Encourage the students to predict possible outcomes.




Before the demonstration, ask yourself: “What design will be best, given the available resources and my audience? What questions will be best to motivate and direct student observation and thought process before, during and after the demonstration?

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips for Slide Shows and Multi-Media Presentations


After ensuring the carousel safety lock is fastened, run through your slides before every program. Test your slide projector, and bring a spare bulb. Save at least 10 minutes for slide set-up. Considering using only your own equipment or equipment supplied by employer, to reduce likelihood of slide show ‘issues’, such as incompatible slide carousels, missing pieces, no extension cord, etc…. Need we say more? It’s a hassle when your slides don’t work.




If you’re presenting at a new venue, ensure the room can be darkened. Remember, students cannot take notes in darkened rooms.




If there is text, assure it is large enough to read from the back of the room.




Students need time to summarize their observations and to discuss concepts. Try not to merely ‘put on a show’, without engaging students, or they get drowsy when the lights are dimmed.

Tips for Small Group Discussions and Cooperative Learning Give students opportunities to discuss a question in small groups of four or five. Asking the students to number-off (1,2,3,4,5,1,2,3,4,5…), is a quick way for random groups to be formed. This changes the pace of learning, and allows the group to offer an answer, removing the spotlight from any one student. With cooperative learning strategies, students work in groups to achieve a common goal. Each student must participate. One format is for five teams of five students to become experts in one different area of content about a topic. After an appropriate time spent with resources (books, pamphlets, videos, etc.), each expert group joins with members of each of the other expert groups to form five new teams. The individual expert teaches his or her content area to the new team.

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips for Tours or Guided Hikes


Be prepared. Walk the route you want to take beforehand.




Have your ‘hook’ sentences ready. Practice with the teacher-training group. A good hook makes people want to hear more.




After people have stopped talking, introduce yourself.




Take field guides and props or other aids for hands-on learning. Ask the group to help you care for your teaching aids.




Ensure the students can see the teacher at all times during the guided walk.




Story telling works really well on walks.




Teach the teachable moment. When the raven calls, answer.




Don’t be shy about stepping outside the box. Teach through game, and activity. E.g. blindfolds can change the world instantly.




Use group experts as resources, not threats.




Find sensory activities for students to engage in between stops.




Keep the ‘stop ‘n talks’ short and to the point.

Tips for Giving Directions Kids aged 2-9 years of age need to hear directions one at a time. E.g.: “Please stand up. Now put your coats on. Please find your backpacks and then line up by the door.” Kids aged 9-14 can handle more complicated instructions but they need time to implement them. Don’t forget, they live to socialize at this age, and it may mean some kids learn by watching what the others are doing. Give students a sense of your expectations when they receive instructions from you. Eg: “I have a long list of directions to give you regarding this activity. When I’m through, I’ll take your questions. We’re pressed for time, so you have only got 15 minutes to form groups and complete this activity.”

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AFTER THE TRAINING – COORDINATION AND MANAGING CONTACTS
Managing the School Contacts
Sample School Database
Managing the Volunteers
Encourage Continual Learning

Managing the School Contacts Set up a database with all of the contact information you’ll require: contact name, contact teacher, principal name, school phone, fax and email addresses, mailing address, brief description of previous projects undertaken with the school. If you work with the same school often enough, it’s a good idea to keep a file of all correspondence and a record of lesson plans.

Sample School Database Contact Name

Contact Phone

School Name

School Board

Principal

School Address

City

Postal Code

Phone

Fax

E-Mail

Preferred method of contact: Previous projects:

If you’ve worked with just a few schools, but want to widen your sphere, connect with your provincial teaching association to discuss means of marketing and likely targets with the professional development coordinator. Personal phone calls and appearances at professional development conferences and workshops are a great way to get into the circle. Determine the schedule of specialty council conferences, regional conventions and other events and market your programs to the professional chairs of these organizations six to eight months ahead of time. Stay persistent when trying to connect with teachers and other educators (volunteer teachers can teach girl guides, etc). Their schedules often make it challenging to reach them by phone, but most teachers use either e-mail or fax.

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When setting up a program, ensure your calendar is handy, as the date you had in mind might conflict with the school’s schedule. If you need to meet with teachers, it’s usually easier to meet with staff on their turf during school hours, such as lunch. Managing the Volunteers Keeping volunteer teachers engaged and fulfilled is both an art and a science. Practically speaking, plan on keeping volunteer contacts and individual file folders in a central office to assist with organization. Set up a central bulletin board or means of communicating via email, so that you and the volunteers can share regular updates. Consider a volunteer-created newsletter (electronic or otherwise) with personal and business up-dates. As volunteer coordinator, provide related articles, trivia and quick facts on relevant issues, and ensure the newsletter producers have what they need to produce the product. Ensure the volunteers know how to contact you, particularly in case a program snag arises, and they can’t attend, etc. Ensure there is always an open door to your office for volunteers to express whatever is on their mind. Perhaps there has been a change to the organization that is affecting how volunteers perceive their role, or perhaps a volunteer wants to challenge you, as coordinator on your performance. Whatever it is, talk it out. Make a point of asking, on a regular basis, what your volunteers’ needs are. Treat any volunteer as you expect to be treated as an employee. Also, be sure to follow through on any requests made of you as supervisor. Encourage Continual Learning Consider organizing daylong training workshops on an occasional basis once the bulk of the initial training is complete. Part of the reason why people volunteer is to have their own needs met. Perhaps they’ve always wanted to be a wolf biologist, for instance, but instead they became a lawyer. Now they are a teacher who discusses wolves and their role in the ecosystem. As the coordinator, provide the volunteer with an opportunity to go wolf tracking with a field biologist. The information they’ll acquire will enthuse them, while only enhancing their teaching.

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___________________________________________________________ EVALUATION
Feedback from your Volunteers
Examining Attrition Rates
Sample Evaluation Forms Interview Evaluation Form Teacher in Training Five-Minute Presentation Evaluation Form Workshop Evaluation Form
Feedback from the Students Elementary School Evaluation Form High School Evaluation Form
Classroom Teacher Evaluation Form
Manager Conducted Evaluations
Improving Your Program
Volunteer Evaluation
For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Self-Evaluation
For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Watching Yourself on Video
For the Volunteer Teacher: Tips on Student Evaluations ______________________________________________________________ Effective teachers assess what they do in each class to answer the question, “Did the students learn what I intended?” To assess student learning, good teachers ask open-ended questions during class. Feedback from your Volunteers Effective adult education requires give and take. It is a dynamic process between you, the teacher-trainer and the volunteer teacher(s). As a team with similar goals, you need to determine what works and what doesn’t. It is critical that the trainees have input into the program and its effectiveness. It is useful after each training session to save ten or fifteen minutes to evaluate the training, ask for unanswered questions, and model the practice of building evaluation into each lesson.


A good activity to end class with is a sharing circle. Choose one of the following topics, and ask each person to complete the sentence with a response: My favourite thing about this session was…

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The coolest thing that happened today was… I got to know more about my own teaching when… Three words that describe how I feel about the session are…


Another evaluation activity is to ask the volunteer teachers to record three or four key concepts and three of four realclassroom teaching connections. Initiate a discussion by having the trainees compare their lists.




Learning journals are also helpful methods of receiving trainee feedback.




After the training sessions are over, book fifteen-minute interviews with each trainee to request feedback. Set a six-month probation period for new volunteers, whereby they are required to spend xxx hours teaching. After six months, spend time interviewing/evaluating volunteer teachers. (Please see relevant sample evaluation forms below.)

Examining Attrition Rates Sometimes it will seem like you’ve just finished training a volunteer when you get a phone call saying, “Sorry, can’t meet the commitment.” Don’t be discouraged. Remember, volunteers have a life too! They’re usually extremely busy people. Be sure to follow-up with the communication. Conduct an informal, not threatening exit interview with each retiree. This is a good time to gauge the gaping holes in your program, as the retiree will often be frank, if allowed. Find out what you could have done differently. Find out how they felt about the program. And be sure to thank the volunteer for his or her gracious contribution. Sample Evaluation Forms The following sample evaluation forms can be used or adapted for your volunteer teachers’ program needs.

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Interview Evaluation Form Name: Rate the interviewee on the following qualities, using this rating system: 1 unacceptable level 3 acceptable level 5 exceptional Rating

Comments professional appearance promptness congeniality confidence interest/enthusiasm poise/ability to think under pressure judgement grammar, clarity, vocabulary ability to communicate eye contact ability to learn work-content, job specific skills creativity 5 minute program organized interesting factual catered to different learning styles

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Teacher-in-Training Five-Minute Program Evaluation Form Name:_____________________ Topic:_____________________ Organization (2) Introduction (2) Language (2) Content (5) Activity (5) Conclusion (2) Ease of Public Speaking (5) Voice Volume Voice Tone Eye Contact Knowledge of Content Appropriateness to Audience Overall Impression (2)

Comments:

TOTAL (25)

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Workshop Evaluation Form Please circle one number per row: 1 – Excellent 2 – Very good 3 – average 4 – poor 5 – very bad Slides Information Provided Quality of Instructor Opportunities for Audience Participation Program Length Program Fee

1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3 3

4 4 4 4 4 4

5 5 5 5 5 5

We would appreciate your suggestions as to how we can make this workshop more worthwhile. Please let us know: What did you like most about this program?

What did you like least about this program?

Was this workshop suited to the age group? Did the program meet your expectations? Please explain further.

Would you recommend this program to another teacher?

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Feedback from the Students Through frequent assessment and feedback, effective teachers assess whether the students are really learning. An effective method of determining student understanding is to ask students to summarize the main points of the lesson as covered so far.

Elementary School Student Evaluation Form Among the things I liked about this program: Among the things I didn’t like about this program: Among the things I learned from this program: Did the class meet your expectations? Please explain.

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High School Student Evaluation Form Please take a moment to fill out this evaluation form. Your feedback will help make future programs better. Thanks for your time. 1 – True 5 – False Please circle one. The teacher made the objectives clear.

1 2 3 4 5

The teacher used class time well.

1 2 3 4 5

The teacher encouraged students to think for themselves.

1 2 3 4 5

The teacher raised challenging questions for discussion.

1 2 3 4 5

I felt free to ask questions or express my opinion.

1 2 3 4 5

The teacher was open to other viewpoints.

1 2 3 4 5

The teacher used examples/visuals for presenting information. 1 2 3 4 5 The teacher’s rapport with the students was good.

1 2 3 4 5

I learned more about the topic than I knew before.

1 2 3 4 5

If a program on this topic was on TV. I would probably watch it. 1 2 3 4 5 Compared to other teachers, this teacher was one of the most effective. 1 2 3 4 5

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Classroom Teacher Evaluation Form We would greatly appreciate you taking a moment to respond to these questions. Your input will help us develop better programs. Thanks for your time. 1 – least useful 5 – most useful Please circle one. How would you rank the usefulness of the handouts? 1 2 3 4 5 How would you rank the information? 1 2 3 4 5 How would you rank the activities? 1 2 3 4 5 How would you rank the in-class discussion? 1 2 3 4 5 Was the pace of the program appropriate for your class? Please explain.

Did the presentation hold your students’ attention? Please describe.

Which activity was the best? Please explain.

What was the volunteer teacher’s biggest strength?

Did the volunteer teacher seek to actively involve all students? Please comment.

Did the volunteer teacher seem enthusiastic? Please comment.

What could the volunteer teacher improve for next time?

Would you recommend this program to another teacher?

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Manager Conducted Evaluations Show your volunteer teachers that you are keen to help them improve as teachers, by spending the time to conduct planned, formal evaluations. Assure the volunteers that it’s a means of improvement only, not a tool to destroy their confidence! Show them the format you intend to use. Ideally, evaluation has been built into the whole training process, so it’s not a big surprise. Be sure to evaluate at least one program during the six-month training probation period. Then evaluate on an annual basis. Improving your Program Try to think of every program as a dynamic creature. It’s critical to the success of your mission that you incorporate feedback from students, teachers, volunteers and your own experiences into the program. Volunteer Evaluation Evaluation is all part of the learning process. Evaluation should be on going, nonthreatening, and part of the open sharing between volunteers and their coordinators. Some agencies will want to have their volunteers sign a contract with a specific probationary period. During the student teacher’s probation, they should:


Meet and program with an experienced mentor, or do a solo program while being observed by the mentor.




Try teaching one classroom presentation, and one other activity type.




Have completed a full evaluation by peers or other teachers.

During volunteer training, discuss the following two handouts on self-evaluation.

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips on Self-Evaluation We are usually our own worst critics. Reflect on the answers to the following:


Do I really care and let the students know?




Do I talk too much?




Do I have my presentation well planned?




Am I there to make each student feel important, rather than just to make myself feel powerful?




Do I know my subject matter well enough to welcome all questions in class?




Am I enthusiastic?




Am I courteous and considerate?




Do I get my students to think, rather than just repeating what I say?




Do all my students participate?




Can I admit my own mistakes openly?




Can students summarize what I teach them with ease and accuracy?

Tips on Watching Yourself on Videotape Watching yourself teach on video is an excellent way to gauge what’s really taking place. When you watch yourself on video, ask:




What are the specific things I did well?




What are the specific things I could have done better?




What kept the students engaged?




When did the students lose interest?




If I could do this session over again, what things would I change?




How would I go about making those changes?

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For the Volunteer Teacher…

Tips on Student Evaluation Effective teachers assess what they do in each class to answer the question, “Did the students learn what I intended?” To assess student learning, good teachers ask questions during class. By asking the open question, “What questions do you have?” you imply that you expect questions, and encourage students to ask them. Give short quizzes or written assignments during each class. Ask students to write a minute paper before the end of class, to answer questions like, “What is an example of a model?” or “What is the most significant thing you learned today?” End class with a sharing circle. Choose one of the following topics, and ask students to complete the sentence with a response: y favourite thing about the lesson was… The coolest thing that happened today was… I got to know more about myself when… Three words that describe how I feel about the topic are:

Ask students to jot down three key concepts or three real-world connections about the topic you’ve explored. Initiate a class discussion by having students compare lists.

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Appendix I Sample Curriculum Connections What follows an example of how to link your specific program theme to the local curricula. These are the relevant curricular tie-ins and obvious program themes for a school planning an ‘environmental schoolyard’ project, for the principal Alberta Grade One and Two Program of Studies.

CURRICULUM

PROGRAM THEME

Grade One Science: Creating Colour Season Changes Senses Needs of Animals & Plants Plant Identification

Colour map of site Weather chart; monitoring; plant phenology Animal senses Create a worm compost bin Schoolyard map

Grade One Social Studies: My School My Family Communities

Grade Two Science: Small Crawling & Flying Animals

Grade Two Social Studies: People Nearby Communities

Create habitat as a way of showing Pride and respect Work together: responsibility & cooperation Explore local ecological communities & community needs

Explore bats, pollinators, invertebrates & worms

Explore how local cultures used the native flora and fauna Examine local wild communities; homes, needs of living creatures

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Appendix II Coordinating a Volunteer Committee for a Multi-Task Project Sometimes you’ll want volunteers to work on a large project, such as a public workshop or community presentation or school project or field trip requiring detailed coordination.

Setting General Goals for the Committee The committee needs to establish a consistent meeting schedule. Once a month may be sufficient for some groups while others may require on a week. Set a schedule that meets your needs and be consistent. Also take the time to decide on the overall decision-making process for the committee. Some groups succeed by taking minimal input from others and then presenting multiple acceptable options to the other interested parties to vote on. Other committees involve all interested parties at virtually all decision-making stages. The former is more streamlined and simple for the committee, while the latter encourages buy-in from all groups, and of course, involves the students more. The following is a suggested committee structure: Project Coordinator
Lead visioning activities: ~Circulate a questionnaire to students, staff, community members, administrators, custodial staff, and experts.
Organize meetings: ~ Includes outlining topics to be discussed, participants, location, time, information to go out with agenda, special equipment, refreshments, child care provision considered. ~ Network with community groups and technical assistants. ~ Together with staff and administration, develop goals, work plan & time line. ~ Coordinate work days, clean-ups Human Resource Coordinator ~ Coordinate volunteer recruitment for specific task, track hours and ensure volunteers are recognized.

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Outreach Coordinator ~ Where possible, use student assistance with public communications, ie: surveys, notices, volunteer recruitment notices, notices sent home with students. ~ Put information flyers in staff and neighbourhood mailboxes, and post in prominent places. ~ Submit regular notices in the community newsletter. ~ Ensure word-of-mouth is functioning. ~ Develop a petition if required. ~ Media: Press releases: provide media with a fact sheet outlining aims, objectives and history of project. ~ Ensure media coordination: when media arrive, highlight children participating. Resource Coordinator ~ Research other successful local projects. ~ Fund-raising: Collect, evaluate and summarize published materials and videos Locate and develop funding sources, including foundations, corporate, public and local options. Plan school or community based fund raising activities: gift wrap, birdhouse auctions, etc. Write and submit grant proposals. Arrange to provide tax receipts to donors. Accounting functions: write checks, retain receipts, keep accurate books, keep track of gifts-in-kind, etc. Monitor grants and ensure grant reporting requirements are fulfilled. Graphics Coordinator ~ Document project’s progress on slide or print film, video or web site. ~ Research types and costs of permanent educational signs for the project. ~ Work with education coordinator to develop self guided interpretive walk of the project site. ~ Begin a photography club and focus their attention on documenting the project. Education Coordinator ~ Encourage staff and administration to incorporate project into long term school vision. ~ Collect, evaluate and purchase curriculum support materials for all aspects of the project (multiple copies of field guides, research edukits, guest speakers, etc.) ~ Work with naturalization committee to determine best curriculum links through various phases of the process.

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