9. Action Points - How to Advocate for Your Student
There are many ways to be an effective education advocate. Use your concern and care for your student to make an impact where it will really count—helping your student get the education they deserve.
If you feel that you are stuck trying to get help for your student, read this list for ideas about possible steps you can take to move things forward. Remember, you can be a strong advocate for your student!
- Ask questions.
- Remember the importance of your tone of voice and body language.
- Choose your words: promote communication, do not turn up the heat.
- Remember the four steps to getting across your ideas:
- Simplify your message.
- Give examples.
- Repeat your point.
- Ask questions to make sure you are understood.
- Try the five Ws to help form questions: who, what, where, when, and why.
- Remember the five steps to help move past disagreement:
- Clarify where you both stand
- Make sure you have the other person’s perspective
- Seek common ground
- Add information to help the others change their minds
- Take a break.
- Know your goals before you compromise.
- Seek help from other parents, families, community groups, or lawyers.
- Keep copies of everything you get about your student’s education.
- Put things in writing (requests, letters, thoughts, notes of phone calls).
- Keep a log of what is happening.
- Request records.
- Take notes during meetings.
- Follow-up with phone calls. Make sure people are doing what they said they would.
- Going to a hearing? Make a hearing notebook.
- Do not give up. Try another route. There is more than one way to every destination.