Advocacy
Students have knowledge of injustices in the world, they have informed opinions about it, and know that their voice and actions have value. They can advocate for themselves and others.
Introduction
“One of the most sacred responsibilities of a Special Education teacher is to advocate for [your] students and their needs. We need to be voices for the voiceless” (Lavoie, R., 2008).
As a kindergarten special education teacher, my young scholars are experiencing many things for the first time. While they are encountering many wonderful things, they are also beginning to face injustices and see that there are inequities in opportunities. When faced with these situations, it is important that they are able to navigate and challenge these injustices and know that their voice and actions have value.
To build my students’ understanding of the power their voices and actions have, I have created opportunities for them to utilize their voice and take action when they encounter challenging situations. The opportunities are created to empower students to engage in the advocacy activities and take the lead. To ensure that this is upheld, each activity rooted in advocacy is based on the framework of the Cycle of Youth Engagement.
The Cycle of Youth Engagement “can be used to plan, evaluate, or challenge any activity that seeks to engage young people in social change” (Fletcher, A. & Vavrus, J., 2006). The parts of the framework include listening, validating, authorizing, acting, and reflecting. The process ensures that students are engaged in every part of the activity. Engagement is important because “engaging [students] can build a strong sense of community, a commitment to civic action, and a passion for active learning” (Fletcher, A., 2006). Thus, the framework of the Cycle of Youth Engagement was an important tool to use in developing student voice and action.
Click the link above to learn the actions my students took to navigate and challenge systemic injustices and inequity of opportunities.
Click the link above to learn how students developed one of the most powerful tools they need to advocate for themselves, their voice.
Conclusion
As I considered how to educate my students on advocacy, I thought about the problems that were most prevalent in my classroom and also what would mean the most to my students. I also considered how I could create roles for my students where they can use their voice, rather than listen to or rely on adults. I believe that at the young age of five- and six-years-old, it is essential to build foundational skills that will help students feel comfortable expressing their wants, needs, and feelings. As they practice expressing themselves, they will develop the skills and confidence they need to engage, lead, and challenge systemic injustices, inequity of opportunities, and real-world problems when encountered.
REFERENCES
Fletcher, A. (2010). Intro to Youth Voice. Retrieved from https://freechild.org/intro-to-youth-voice/
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Fletcher, A. & Vavrus, J. (2006). The guide to social change led by and with young people. CommonAction. Retrieved from https://adamfletcher.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/SocialChangeGuide.pdf
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Lavoie, R. (2008). Fighting the good fight: How to advocate for your students without losing your job. Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/article/22720/
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