As we like to say on our team, “The only limit is your imagination!” Community Partners can do everything from giving one-time guest lectures, to hosting full-day field trips, to helping with semester-long and years-plus-long projects. The best activities are hands-on, start with your students’ needs, and build from there. The key is often finding the right partner to match the needs of your students.

If you need inspiration, we have some ideas that have worked in the past…

There’s no standard time commitment required for activities organized through CommunityShare. It’s really all about what fits your needs as a teacher and the needs of your students. We do find the most meaningful experiences are the result of good planning. Start by thinking about how you might incorporate a community partner into your current lesson plans. It doesn’t hurt to start small and build from there.

We’re committed to helping you find ways to reduce costs and other barriers. When a community partner signs up on CommunityShare, we ask that they donate their time, if possible. Some might need to receive a fee or stipend. It’s better to ask early so you can find the right fit for your budget. In general, most partners are happy to donate their time. We know cost is at the top of every educator’s mind. That’s why sometimes we are able to offer seed grants to teachers, and we are always on the look-out for other grant opportunities to share with you.

Bringing diverse community partners into your classroom can support several of the Common Core anchor standards, such as “participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners,” “evaluate a speaker’s point of view,” or “gather, evaluate and integrate diverse information sources from multiple points of view.” These are just a few examples!

Glad you asked! Here are some suggested questions to start your conversation. Remember, you are co-planning this interaction together. You can – and should – voice your own ideas and expectations to make sure that the volunteer understands how to make your visit most worthwhile. A community partner probably won’t know education acronyms and may not have been in a school since they attended one. Anything you can do to help your partner know what to expect in your classroom will help.

Experience

• How have you interacted with children or youth in the past? What ages were they?
• Do you have any questions or concerns about working with the students in my class?

Goals

• What are your goals? Why are you interested in this activity? My goals for our experience working together are….
• What do you want my students to learn and experience?

Activity

• Do you have some initial ideas about how you might share your expertise or experiences?
• How can you help the students interact with your topic? Were you thinking of a talk, interactive exercise, field trip, small group work, etc.?

Student Preparation

• What preparation would you like me to have the students do before your visit? I can encourage them to read something, watch a YouTube video, prepare questions for you, etc.

Scheduling

• When would be the best time to schedule a visit to your class? Offering your typical schedule can be helpful, such as “This class meets every day during third period, which is from 10:30-11:25 a.m. I have allotted three weeks in October for this subject.” 

Collaboration

• How best can I support your experience in my classroom?
• What do you need in terms of classroom set-up and support?
• Do you need internet access?
• Do you need any specific equipment (e.g. projector, whiteboard, speakers etc…)?
• Will you have handouts that need to be printed?
• Other needs?

Logistics

• My school’s policies regarding visitors are….
• You can park at….and check-in and get a badge at….
• You will be able to get to my class by……
• Would you like a picture of my classroom to help you visualize the setup?
• Do you need desks or chairs in any certain configuration?
• Would you like the students to wear name tags?
• What other information or preparation will help you feel ready for a visit?

Teacher Role

• What support will you offer during the visit? “I will introduce you and be engaged throughout, will actively support you and guide the conversation as needed.”
• How will you assist with disciplinary action that is needed? “I will keep my students on task as best as I can and address any disciplinary issues.”
• What happens if you have to cancel? “I will reschedule our visit if I have a substitute teacher that day or, if you agree and feel comfortable after your first visit, we can move forward as planned with the substitute supporting you.”
• What can I do to help you feel confident about your visit?

TIPS FOR PREPARING FOR A ‘SHARE’:

Experience
Many visitors may be nervous and may have never spoken to a group of students, so be sure to welcome them and make them feel comfortable when they arrive.

Prepare Students

• Give students enough background information about the topic so they can actively engage with the visitor.
• Consider having students prepare questions beforehand.
• Students could potentially research the visitor online if the visitor is a public figure.

Gather Resources
Double check to make sure whatever technology or other needs requested by the visitor are available and working.

So, you’ve found an opportunity that fits for you, the community partner, and your students. What do you need to know and do to prepare for it? We put together some basic tips to help you prepare to host a community partner in your classroom or for an activity with your students. 

Experience

Many visitors may be nervous and may have never spoken to a group of students, so be sure to welcome them and make them feel comfortable when they arrive.

Prepare Students

• Give students enough background information about the topic so they can actively engage with the visitor.
• Consider having students prepare questions beforehand.
• Students could potentially research the visitor online if the visitor is a public figure.

Gather Resources

Double check to make sure whatever technology or other needs requested by the visitor are available and working.