October - Use your resources and be an advocate for yourself.

October is Resourcefulness (able to deal skillfully and promptly with new situations, difficulties, etc.).

We expect students to be able to transfer skills to unfamiliar situations but have we taught them how to be resourceful? Students must be able to navigate these unfamiliar situations using critical thinking, advocating and resilience among other skills. Teachers and students will dig deeper into the layers of understanding and uncover areas of strength and needing growth.

How many of the below can you check off? (https://teachingselfadvocacy.wordpress.com/teaching-self-advocacy-skills/)

• Awareness of personal preferences, interests, strengths, and limitations.
• Ability to differentiate between wants and needs.
• Ability to make choices based on preferences, interests, wants, and needs.
• Ability to consider multiple options and to anticipate consequences for decisions.
• Ability to initiate and take action when needed.
• Ability to evaluate decisions based on the outcomes of previous decisions and to revise future decisions accordingly.
• Ability to set and work toward goals.
• Problem-solving skills.
• A striving for independence while recognizing interdependence with others.
• Ability to self-regulate behavior.
• Self-evaluation skills
• Independent performance and adjustment skills.
• Persistence.
• Ability to use communication skills such as negotiation, compromise, and persuasion to reach goals.
• Ability to assume responsibility for actions and decisions.
• Self-confidence.
• Pride.
• Creativity (such as creating other accommodations that help support the need of the students)