Do Our Students Advocate For Themselves?

Here is a question that I ask myself everyday. “Do our students advocate for themselves?”

The best I can offer is that we need to be the instigator in asking our child or student to be sure they understand what the word ‘advocacy’ means and how to best do it. It seems that students understand the process of ‘advocating for themselves’ less and less.  In this time of navigating ‘different waters’, why not set the tone for what student advocacy looks like.  My best place to begin the ‘advocate’ process and to build a great skill for our children/students is to begin with me! That’s right, I need to begin the wheels moving. I can do this by a few simple things.

1. Give your child/student an encouragement on what you see them doing well and even not so well. They need to know that they are achieving in areas that they are a bit shaky on.

2. Sit with your child and have them write a note to a teacher and make a comment or question. Have them do this periodically so they are building communication with the ‘key’ adults in their life.

3. Ask “what do you think you need?” We will be pleasantly surprised to hear some of the wonderful, eye-opening things our children/students will voice.Let’s start there and see what it may build to.

4. Take time to ‘role play’ a situation that your child may use to express their wants and need while in an education situation.

As an educator, I welcome communciation and the beautiful questions that will come my way. It is imperative to encourage our children/students to step into the world of self-advocacy.