Educators are asked to volunteer for countless efforts. How do you decide where to give your time and where not to give your time?
In general, I like to support inclusive, positive endeavor--endeavor that targets the entire community in positive ways. I don't like to volunteer for activities where I'm used but not respected--activities where people expect a lot of me, but don't include me as a full member of the activity or event.
For example, in some situations I am asked to volunteer, but past experience has demonstrated to me that my activity in those events is ornamental at best. My voice, ideas, interests, and experience are not valued, regarded, respected, or responded to in those venues. I've stopped volunteering for those events--I'm only a body there with little true worth. I leave those events diminished and demoralized.
On the other hand, there are other activities and events that I volunteer for that are positively challenging, growth producing, respectful, and valuable. In these events I am a valued contributor, and my contribution like the contribution of others creates meaningful impact and change. I look forward to volunteering for events like this.
Now a good volunteer opportunity at one point in your career may not be valuable at another point in your career. Educators change a lot throughout their career and what is revolutionary at one point is redundant at another, that's why we have to continually consult ourselves about what we volunteer for and when.
