Parental Involvement Parenting Networking and Advocacy
Parent advocacy can take place at the classroom level with the teacher, at the school level with the principal, the district level with the curriculum specialist(s) or with the gifted coordinator (if available), the state level with the legislature, or at the national level with the United States Congress. All levels of advocacy are needed. Bu, generally, advocacy begins when a parent realizes that their child’s educational needs are not being met and this usually starts in the classroom. For advocacy to be effective and for it to achieve results, certain things must take place:
Effective advocates must
- have information that supports their goals (for parents it is often the experiences with their child)
- be persistent (not annoying but persistent)
- do their homework to understand the issue(s)
- be sincere
- be respectful of other points of view and the obstacles they face
- have imaginative ideas and be willing to try new ways to achieve the outcome
- be tactful
- be enthusiastic
Advocacy can be hard. You may and probably will meet with some resistance. There is power in numbers so networking with other parents is essential if you want your school or district to implement an ongoing solution for educating high- ability students. You can start by finding one other parent in your child’s class that may have similar needs. You may find parents in the local PTA or on the Community Councils of schools that also desire to meet the needs of high-ability children. Or there may be a local gifted association at the district or state level that can introduce you to other parents and teachers who support meeting the needs of high-ability learners. (see slide shows - Advocacy for Gifted Children, Parents as Advocates, and Making Connections-Making a Difference)
For support and more information, contact the Utah Association for Gifted Children
Other information can be found at:
Knowledge is Key: Advocating for your gifted child (Duke Newsletter, Fall 2006)
Communicating Effectively With Your Gifted Child’s School
Although advocacy can be challenging, and patience is needed, it is worth it. As Dr. Robin Schrader says in Parenting for High Potential, a NAGC parent publication:
"While well-prepared parents can be catalysts for positive transformation in their local schools, changes are rarely quick and straightforward... Parents of grown gifted children know from experience that there is no perfect recipe, nor are there universally appropriate solutions. You will find "what works" in flexible combinations of options. Intrepid parents, those willing to so some thoughtful homework, will find it possible to pull together a number of resources and opportunities. Take heart in Goethe: "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."