Training teens to take on their own troubles

Advocacy often appears to be a parent’s job. It seems to fall under the category of protection-protecting one’s young from harm, from failure. Indeed, for the primary school youngster, the parent is his or her most important and passionate advocate. But once a child reaches junior high or high school, most parents are automatically disqualified from advocacy. The fact that they are parents (and are, therefore, inherently “uncool” and, quite possibly, incapable in their teenager’s eyes) is the element that dismisses them from this role.

Who then becomes a youngster’s champion? The youngster her or himself. The very ones who, in the end, must understand and accept their disability, and, who must act proactively to seek solutions that make a difference. That is why, as parents and caring professionals, one of our most important goals should be to help the child with ADD and/or Learning Disabilities develop into an informed and effective self-advocate.

Student self-advocacy can begin successfully by grades four/five. Indeed, many youngsters with ADD and/or LD possess an incredible verbal fluency and social sophistication that are invaluable assets in negotiation. Those words “overly social” and “gregarious”, which heretofore have appeared on report cards as negatives, now can be recognized as strengths and brought to bear for the student’s own benefit.

The steps in training youngsters as self-advocates are identical to those used in training their parents.

1. Identify the student’s individual strengths as a learner.

2. Identify what his or her liabilities are and how these affect classroom performance.

3. Identify and request reasonable accommodations in testing and instruction.

Students who engage in this advocacy training must be mature and secure enough to accept their differences, as well as believe in and maximize their strengths. The development of a student “Self-Advocacy Worksheet” must be done utilizing the student’s own words, words which he or she will be comfortable using-ultimately by him or her self- in negotiation. Advocacy worksheets differ in length and sophistication depending on the age of the child. The single most important element in successful student self-advocacy is that the student can self-examine, self-accept and (through support and practice) become self-sufficient in this process.

A student who is developing advocacy skills must learn the concrete preparatory steps to negotiation:

1. Don’t go up and try to advocate before or after class.

2. Make an appointment with the teacher.

3. Write the date and time on your worksheet.

4. Have copies of your worksheet for everyone who will be there.

5. Review your worksheet before your meeting.

6. Arrive on time.

Attitude check-negotiation NOT confrontation:

The training of a student as a self-advocate must include role-playing and rehearsal. At Educational Tutoring and Consulting, we develop the worksheet as an exercise in self-realization, self-acceptance and self-empowerment. We utilize the worksheet as a guide-a game plan-for the student to follow in advocacy meetings with his or her teacher(s). We recommend that the worksheet be put in the teacher’s mailbox prior to the first meeting.

The coordinator working with the student role-plays advocacy sessions prior to meeting with the teacher and accompanies the student in the first in-school advocacy session. She acts as an initiator, the one who models the first step (that critical step that so eludes our youngsters): “Mr. Jamieson, Brett has developed a thoughtful plan for participating successfully in your classroom. He would like to present it to you and work with you in developing some solutions for him as a student. Brett-”.

Sample Advocacy Worksheet
6th. Grade Student

Strengths:

1. I am good at expressing myself verbally.

2. I am very artistic (with watercolours).

3. I have good computer skills.

Learning Differences:

1. Attention Deficit Disorder

2. Language: Phonetic Memory (spelling)

3. Written expression (on demand)

What Happens to Me in the Classroom:

1. I have a hard time with the organization and pacing of long-term assignments.

2. I cannot screen out environmental stimuli like outside movement or a ticking clock.

3. I sometimes have a short fuse, and I often react impulsively.

4. I have a difficult time taking notes.

What Would Help Me in the Classroom:

1. Chunk long-term assignments. Ask for these “chunks” on a daily/weekly basis.

2. Balance lectures with visual delivery: charts, timelines, mind maps etc.

3. Give me an outline of the lecture in advance.

4. Give me a reading guide before I start.

5. Let me demonstrate my knowledge.

6. Modify my testing procedures (more time/oral tests).

7. Allow someone to take notes for me (using carbonless paper).

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