Move Mountains

Decades ago, hardworking Americans fought for many of the rights we take for granted today: safer working conditions, an eight-hour work day, a 40-hour workweek, and more. The efforts of workers so many years ago continue to make a difference today. 

To advocate for oneself means to speak up and seek support for whatever one might need. Unfortunately, learning how to advocate for oneself doesn’t come naturally for many students.  In fact, many students don’t know how to do it or even which words to use. Adults can help students learn this valuable executive function skill by modeling how to advocate effectively. Some examples:  

• Draft an email to your child’s teacher together with your child. 
• Brainstorm sentence starters for an in-person conversation with their teacher and do a practice run. 
• Identify opportunities to model advocacy in your own life and call attention to it.

Self-advocacy can move mountains, be it workers speaking out for their rights or your child overcoming obstacles to their own success.