Classroom teachers use parent helpers all the time for reading, individual work, copies, for events, and more. But music teachers tend to be reluctant. Why? If you are in a K-5 school those parents’ students are your students for SIX years. And while we only see them a limited amount of time a week, the relationship over six years is a long one where you can and SHOULD have relationships with those parents. Let’s talk about parent help in the music room.

First off, let me say that parents are the key to support for your program. If you build relationships with parents, you will find a person who will want to support your program. Get to know the parents, chat with them, send home communications that aren’t negative. I know that’s hard to do when you have 500+ or MORE students, but pre-printed communications that are easy for you to fill out go a LONG way!

Some kids don’t get positive communication from teachers. It’s always something about behavior, or that they are struggling. Every kid DESERVES to hear something good about themselves!!! Here are some free templates for Student Praise Notes home that will make positive parent communication a quick and simple task.

After you’ve established a relationship with parents, ask for help! Parents will support your program, feel invested, and at the very least, maybe not complain about ordering a recorder.

So what can parents do in the music room? Besides supporting your program, there’s a big list of things you can sign parents up for help!

• First up, the big three: Copy, Cut, Laminate. These are things they can do on their own time if they take it home! This can cover SO many things. Class sets of rhythm manipulatives, center activities, composing activities, or anything else that you want to have in your classroom!
• Type concert programs
• Spell check concert programs
• Booster groups or start one!
• File work, pass back work
• Help manage students during performances
• Set up centers, materials
• Sets for musicals
• Costumes for musicals
• Sets for musicals
• Props for musicals
• Really ANYTHING for musicals 
• Sharpen pencils
• Wipe down materials when they need a cleaning
• Check supplies – crayons, glue, markers
• Clean instruments
• Wash recorders
• Distribute uniforms or shirts
• Organize equipment or instruments
• Tune ukuleles
• Extra help when running music centers for behavior, and instructions
• Photos/Videos of concerts
• Publicity help
• Collecting materials and sorting (especially if you pass out sheet music – band directors I’m looking at you!)
• Stuff handouts for things like field trips
• Read a music book (those 5 minutes still give you 5 minutes)
• Bulletin boards
• Be another adult during written work (write the rooms, worksheets, composing)
• Chaperone 
• Librarian
• Organize fundraisers
• Folder pass outs

I hope this has given you some ideas to take a little off your plate!