Self-advocacy

If your child doesn’t understand class material, encourage him to take responsibility for his own success and self-advocate. Self-advocacy means that your child determines what information he is lacking, speaks up for and develops a plan to get what he needs, and seeks out help where and when he needs it. That might mean attending after-school help sessions, scheduling a teacher meeting, consulting mom and dad or a friend, or simply looking for resources in his school library or online. Whatever form your child’s self-advocacy takes, by taking charge, he learns to actively engage in and own his personal learning process. He’ll build confidence, performance, and skills he can use for the rest of his life.