Steps to Self-Advocacy
What is the first step of self-advocacy?
State the problem - you can say "I struggle..." "It is difficult..." "I don't know..." "It's hard for me..."
You are at internship and have a bad headache.
Who can you talk to about the problem?
If you are sick, you should say how you are feeling to a job coach or the supervisor.
You need help with a math problem on a worksheet that you do not understand.
What should you do?
-Try to solve it yourself first.
-If you still need help, raise your hand.
-Ask the teacher for help.
-Show them which problem you are working on.
True or false: You should never tell a teacher when you are having a problem.
FALSE
At Harkness, you always feel nervous when starting a new task. How can you cope with this?
-Remind yourself that you aren't alone. There are lots of people to help you.
-Take a deep breath.
-If you are still nervous, ask the teacher or aids for help.
You want to take your test in a quiet environment away from your peers to help you concentrate.
When you talk to your teacher, how might you state the problem?
When I take tests, it is difficult for me to focus because I am easily distracted by other people, even if they are not talking to me.
True or false: Before talking to someone about a problem you are having, you should take time to think about what you are going to say to them.
True - it is important to have an idea of what you are going to say, so that you make sure the appropriate person knows exactly what is going on.
You think you left your Chromebook at Harkness, even though you weren't supposed to bring it there in the first place.
True or False: You shouldn't tell anyone because you might get in trouble.
FALSE! The problem won't get better if you don't tell anyone. You need to let a teacher know so that you can get your Chromebook back for when you need it at school.
The person next to you is always loud and is distracting you. It's hard for you to listen to the teacher.
What can you do?
-Explain that you are distracted.
-Ask to switch seats.
True or false: If you are having trouble with something, you should try to solve it yourself, then ask for help.
True!
It's important to try to figure it out on your own. But it's always okay to ask for help if you still need it.
You are learning how to make drinks at Starbucks, but you have a hard time remembering all the steps. You need the tasks broken down into smaller steps.
When talking with your supervisor, how can you self-advocate?
-I can't remember all the steps to make the drinks.
-Could I have the steps written down or with pictures?
You would like to have additional time to turn in an assignment, because the project has a lot of writing and writing is hard for you.
When talking with your teacher, how might you self-advocate?
I really struggle with writing - it takes me a lot of time to get my ideas down on paper. I have tried giving myself deadlines to pace myself so I don't feel like I need to rush, but it's still really difficult for me. Because this project has more writing than usual, could I have a few additional days to complete it?