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 need help with a math problem on a worksheet that you do not understand.
When talking with your teacher, how might you self-advocate?
I'm having difficulty figuring out this math problem. Can I get a little help with it?
True or false: You don't have to state what you have tried to do on your own to solve the problem - the person you're talking to doesn't need to know that!
FALSE - you should always state what you have tried to do on your own to solve the problem so that the person you are talking to knows what you have already tried to do.
You get to school and you realized that you forgot your lunch at home and you do not like the school lunch. How can you self advocate?
I forgot my lunch at home. Can you call my mom to bring me one or can I make something here?
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.
True or false: If you are having trouble with something, you should immediately ask for help without trying to solve it yourself.
False - unless it's a safety issue, you should try to solve the problem on your own.
True or False: If you do not like the advice you received for solving your problem, you should just give up!
False: Even if you do not like the advice you got, there is usually a solution. You have a choice. You can either try it out or get another opinion!