It’s important to select activities you are comfortable handing over to an assistant. Check out my book , Actively Igniting Your Classroom with 101 Strategies for Adult Assistants, for extensive details on using adult assistants. Then decide: do you see any actitivities as a small group task? a mini-course? a procurement function? a classroom housekeeping task? Also, have you selected tasks that your potential volunteers have interest in? Use an inventory to gather that information (book, p.159).
Next, organize your initial one-hour information-sharing and planning meeting for adults.
1. List your goals, guidelines and rules. Briefly go over these with enough details to make your needs known to the adults.
2. Share the time slots and length of activity you plan to make available to small groups.
3. Demonstrate your organization of materials for the assistants. One easy way is a tub or tote that will hold each activity folder (lesson plan, work sheets, student names, evaluation and comment form) as well as basic supplies (pencils, paper, ruler, scissor, etc.).
Adding adults takes time and planning, but once they are in place, you’ll be able to add enhancements and student support not possible when you work alone. Contact me at Paddy@paddyeger.com for further one-on-one suggestions.