>>> DURING THIS TIME OF VIRTUAL
LEARNING AND POSTPONEMENT OF
SPORTS, THERE IS A NEED FOR
SELF ADVOCACY.
>> IT IS A SKILL THAT ENABLES
YOUNG PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
THEY NEED TO SUCCEED, HOW TO
COMMUNICATE THAT.
HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON.
RIGHT?
THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BASIC
EDUCATION.
YOU NEED THIS THROUGHOUT LIFE.
WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A LEARNING
OPPORTUNITY.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY NONE OF US
WANTED TO HAVE.
MICHAEL WALKER IS A STUDENT AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.
A COUPLE SPECIAL GUESTS WITH US
MICHAEL.
INTRODUCE YOUR DAUGHTERS.
>> I HAVE MY DAUGHTER ANA WHO
WHO IS 14 YEARS OLD.
>> YOU ARE IN THE SICK OF THESE
CHALLENGES.
I FOUND WITH MY KIDS WERE IN
THE SAME AGE AS YOURS, MICHAEL,
IT IS CHALLENGING FOR THEM.
THEY HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL OF
SOME OF THE STUFF.
MOM AND DAD CAN'T MANAGE ALL OF
THESE ASSIGNMENTS AND QUESTIONS
AND ALL OF THIS STUFF.
>> YOU ARE EXACTLY CORRECT.
ONE THING WE TALK ABOUT HIS
HAVING BALANCE.
BEING ASSERTIVE BUT BEING
RESPECTABLE. I WILL LET JADA
TELL A STORY .
>> I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME IN
WAS A LOT OF LECTURE GOING ON
AND NOT A LOT OF INTERACTION.
I EMAILED MY TEACHERS AND JUST
TOLD THEM HOW I FELT ABOUT IT
AND THEN STARTED TO MAKE
CHANGES.
>> THEY DID MAKE THE CHANGES?
HAS THAT HELP THEN SINCE THIS
HAPPENED?
>> YES.
>> ANA, HOW ABOUT YOU?
WHAT DO YOU AND DAD TALK ABOUT
IN TERMS OF BEING AWARE OF
HAPPENING AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
ABOUT IT?
>> BASICALLY, WE JUST, LIKE, IF
WE HAVE A PROBLEM WE HAVE TO
EMAIL TEACHERS.
>> THAT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO
>> IS DEFINITELY NOT AN EASY
THING TO DO.
REALLY IT IS ABOUT PRACTICE.
AS ADULTS, WE CAN'T STEP IN
EVERY TIME THEY NEED SUPPORT.
WE NEED TO TEACH THESE SKILLS
EARLY AND OFTEN.
BEFORE I STEP IN, I ALWAYS HAVE
THEM STEP IN FIRST AND TRY TO
ONE KEY COMPONENT OF THAT IS
COMING WITH A SOLUTION.
TOO OFTEN, PEOPLE HAVE A TON OF
COMPLAINTS AND SHARING
ARE FRUSTRATING. THEY DON'T
NECESSARILY COME WITH A
SOLUTION OF WHAT CAN MAKE IT
BETTER.
WE TALK ABOUT PROVIDING THAT
SOLUTION, THAT SUGGESTION, SO
YOU CAN SUPPORT THE TEACHER AS
YOU ARE SELF ADVOCATING FOR
YOURSELF.
>> WE HEAR A LOT, THIS TEACHER
DIDN'T RESPOND TO MY EMAIL.
PARENT, LIKE, I HAVE TO LEAVE.
LIKE, MAYBE THAT IS TRUE.
MAYBE IT'S NOT TRUE.
AS A PARENT, YOU CAN
ENCOURAGEMENT SOMETIMES YOU
HAVE TO LOWER THE BOOM AND SAY,
ALL RIGHT, SHOW ME THE EMAIL
YOU SENT.
AND THEN THE BACKPEDALING
STARTS FAST.
>> FOR SURE.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING, STUDENTS
ARE GROWING AND LEARNING.
REMEMBER, THIS IS A GROWING
OPPORTUNITY.
THEY MAY FACE OBSTACLES AS
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THIS
PROCESS.
THERE MAY NOT BE A RESPONSE
RIGHT AWAY SO HOW DO YOU ACCESS
THE ADULTS WHO CAN SUPPORT AND
HELP YOU ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF.
>> WITH JADA'S STORY, I THINK
IT IS INTERESTING THAT YOU HAVE
THE KIDS TRY IT FIRST.
HOW DO YOU FIND THAT BALANCE OF
WHEN THE PARENT SHOULD TRY TO
STEP IN.
>> I THINK IT IS SITUATIONAL,
OBVIOUSLY.
TRYING TO HAVE THE
CONVERSATIONS ON THE FRONT END
AN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH YOUNG
PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT ARE THEIR
STRENGTHS AND THE AREAS THEY
WATERWAYS THEY CAN COMPLETE
TASKS IN A BENEFICIAL WAY.
A COUPLE THINGS WE CAN DO IS
NOT STEPPING IN RIGHT AWAY.
ALSO PRAISE THEM WHEN THEY DO
THEMSELVES.
IT MAY NOT GO AS PLANNED,
ALWAYS PRAISE AND SAY, I
THIS IS A GOOD SKILL SET TO
HAVE.
YOU WILL NEED THIS AS YOU GO
FORWARD.
>> SELF ADVOCACY DOESN'T ALWAYS
MEAN THAT YOU ARE VICTORIOUS IN
YOUR ADVOCACY.
>> CORRECT.
CORRECT.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW THERE WILL BE
OBSTACLES AND HURDLES. THE
FACT THAT YOU GOT YOUR VOICE
OUT THERE, YOU SPOKE YOUR TRUTH