Establishing a Relationship with Local Schools

School administrators and teachers welcome volunteers who can help with accomplishing academic goals. As a working scientist, you have a lot to offer local schools looking to expand student knowledge and peak their interest in science.

Teachers are outstanding at making connections and building on previous learning and experiences. Your lesson, even if it’s only one visit, will have a long-lasting impact if it ties into the prescribed curriculum. Here you will find tips on establishing a relationship with local elementary and middle schools to volunteer in a classroom.

Initiating Contact

If you already have a personal connection to the school, such as a child, neighbor, or other family member who attends the school, start by contacting the student’s teacher. If not, contact the school administrator or principal to arrange a meeting about volunteering to teach a science lesson.

A meeting will greatly help the principal and/or teacher get to know you, trust you, and start thinking of how much your offer to volunteer will benefit the school.

What to Communicate

• Express your interest in volunteering to teach a developmentally appropriate science lesson that supports the required curriculum. These are key words that will get an educator to not only say “yes,” but ask how soon you can come in to help!
  
• Inquire about curriculum requirements for the grade level of the students you plan to teach. These requirements are often posted online. Teachers and principals can help you find this information.
• If you have experience working with kids, describe what you have done, what the children learned, and how they responded.
• Explain that you will conduct safe demonstrations and hands-on activities using recognizable household materials. You can also bring the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for chemicals the teacher might not recognize and explain what you will do to ensure that the students are safe.
• Be sure to let the educator know that the students will wear safety goggles during the activities. The school may already have a well-fitting set for the students. If not, they may be able to borrow them from another school in the district or you may be able to provide some. Several science suppliers provide child-sized goggles. The American Chemical Society also sells both child- and adult-sized goggles.
• Most importantly, let the educator know that you’d like to help the school meet their science goals for their students. The school administrators, teachers, and students will all appreciate the opportunity to have the help of a real scientist!