Get involved as a PK-12 Educator

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THE BENEFIT
Gain access to a library of human books

How might your students be transformed if they could tap into the wealth of experience and wisdom living in their community? What kinds of real-world connections and learning would they discover? How might this shift their perception of their own potential and future?

CommunityShare connects you with members of your community who have the knowledge, skills, and experience to help your students thrive and reach their full potential.

Have questions?

HOW IT WORKS
Start making connections in 3 easy steps

Join our platform and start making connections with like-minded professionals in your community.

Step 1: Create a profile

Join our community as a PK-12 educator in minutes by sharing a bit about your background and goals.

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Step 2: Imagine the possibilities

Based on your learning goals think about how a partner could bring real-world relevance to your students as a project collaborator, guest speaker, course advisor, field trip host, mentor and more.

Need a spark?

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Step 3: Engage with a Partner

Once you have some partner ideas in mind, you can easily search for and message partners on our platform and co-plan their visit.

Not sure what to expect of a partner?

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequent questions asked by Educators
Wondering how to connect with community partners? Not sure how to integrate partners into your curriculum and schedule? This section is for you!
What activities would I do with a community partner?

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…

How much of a commitment does this require?

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.

How much does this cost?

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.

How can CommunityShare help me meet my Common Core or state requirements?

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!

What should I ask a Partner as we plan an activity?

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.

How do I prepare for my first interaction with a community partner?

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.

  • "The energy and creativity of the first graders was contagious at Borton Elementary School. I had a blast sharing my knowledge and illustration projects with the students...I am still smiling!"

    Julie B. Illustrator & Designer, Tucson
  • "CommunityShare provides opportunities for students to meet, interact and collaborate with experts in different occupations. These interactions help students create visions for themselves and their futures."

    Kathy L. Teacher, Tucson
  • "This project helped students to express their concerns, learn coping mechanisms, and integrate what they learned through creating an art piece."

    Jackie Schuld Teacher
  • "I learned the importance of my social media appearance when I apply for jobs."

    11th Grade Student
  • "I felt very honored that I was a part of the experience. I learned a lot about Mexico, art, and how to contribute to our community."

    Student
  • "Students who have struggled all year to complete lesson projects were engaged, creative, and thinking about how to solve problems in their community."

    Rebeka Densen Teacher
  • "The students who won first place on the project because of their unique design, attention to detail, and motivation to test their model struggled to complete projects in the past..."

    Rebeka Densen Teacher
  • "[I learned] ways to make our city a better place."

    8th Grade Student
  • "I never knew how cool glass blowing could be. It was amazing to be able to be open to what the glass was doing. I also loved learning how to write a business plan for my own studio one day. I know what I want to do when I get older."

    Student
  • "I was so amazed to see how proud students were to show their parents and families what they’d created."

    Charlene Mendoza Teacher