A Reflection on Volunteering in Elementary Education

A Reflection on Volunteering in Elementary Education

Throughout my high school career, I have volunteered in the area of elementary
school education at Leila G. Davis Elementary School. Over the past
three years, I have collectively volunteered around thirty-eight
hours per year. I spent the majority of my time volunteering at the
elementary school as a classroom volunteer, responsible for various
roles including: grading students’ work, helping the students in
their academics through their classwork, and assisting with classroom
projects.

My biggest challenge as a volunteer was ensuring the children truly
understood what I was teaching them. In the beginning of my tenure at
the elementary school, a child would simply respond “yes”
after I asked them if they understood the lesson, due to the lack of
a strong bond between myself and the child. But as time went on, I
created lasting relationships with the children, and have obtained
their trust and respect to the extent that they will be truthful with
me about their education. This has helped them become stronger
academically, and I have learned how to become a stronger teacher.

From my volunteer position, I have learned that patience really is a
virtue. Children and adults alike, sometimes we are difficult to deal
with, thus promoting a culture of patience in this elementary school
and within myself. I’ve watched kids get very frustrated over
things such as math problems, but I have learned to give them space,
look at the problem from a different angle, and reattempt.

After working three years as a classroom volunteer, I can comfortably say that I
gain the most satisfaction after helping students one-on-one. When
the children approach me with their academic challenges, we work
through them together and come out the other side ready to face the
next challenge. It’s in that moment when the child feels most
invincible that I can also learn from them. They have taught me to be
brave and to work hard without giving up.

Looking towards my future, I see myself finding another volunteer opportunity in the
area where I attend college, so I can continue to grow relationships
and make a difference in children’s lives. To me the phrase “forward
looking” means what I will do in the future to continue the work I
have done in the past. I seek to foster the change of making sure our
youth have a strong academic foundation to thrive off of throughout
the higher education in which they pursue. I believe that no matter
how far back in history I went with my volunteer activities that they
would have “made a difference” because a strong academic
foundation is important for all children to have, regardless of the
decade.