R3 Career Services

Parent Teacher Assistant Toolbox

Elementary & Middle School Tools for Parents Helping Children with Their Virtual Learning at Home

Balancing work or looking for work while helping your children with online schoolwork can be a challenge, so Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s R3 team is here to help!

Our Parent Teacher Assistant Toolbox course was developed specifically for working and job-seeking parents and offers FREE services and resources to help you remain successful at work or obtain employment while also helping your child successfully navigate a virtual learning environment.

The course is available online and features access to many helpful tools, as well as check-ins with your R3 Parent Teacher Assistant (PTA) coach, who can help you find additional ways to build your own skills and balance tasks while creating a beneficial home learning experience for your child. You’ll also have opportunities to network with other local parents.

How to Get Started

You can get started at any time! Just call 704-216-7201 or email r3@rccc.edu. R3 Career Services hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

We’ll listen to your needs and assign a PTA coach to guide you through the registration process and provide you with an invitation to an online meeting where you can meet your fellow class members. The course is extremely flexible, with online access to all of the PTA Toolbox resources and materials available 24/7. Meetings with your PTA coach are available weekly to help guide you to success as a parent teacher assistant.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this all virtual/online?

Yes! You will have access to the R3 team and a PTA coach during specified times, and the complete course content is available to you online 24/7.

What if I don’t know how to use the computer very well?

Do not worry! If you feel you need to learn or brush up on your computer/virtual skills, the R3 team has a specialist available to help you develop the skills you need to use the course materials and help your child.

Will the PTA Toolbox course include tutoring?

No. However, these services and resources are designed to equip you as a parent to assist your student. Course content includes “cheat sheets” and refresher information in areas such as math, reading and writing to help you become an effective parent teacher assistant for your child.

What about parents of high school students?

Many of the topics and resources in the course will apply to parents of high school students, but the math and reading sections are designed for grades K-8.

Is this really free?

It is! This course comes with fee-waiver opportunities and scholarship awards through Better Jobs for Better Lives in Rowan County and other sponsors. This ensures every parent has the opportunity to register.

What type of “tools” will the course cover?

The course is loaded with tools to help you with as a parent teacher assistant. Some of the content includes at-home classroom blueprints, cheat sheet/refresher tools for basic math and reading, tips for how to help a child who doesn’t want to work at home, and how to apply this new experience at work or on a resume.