Self-Advocacy is a term originally with people with special needs in mind but the philosophies of self-advocacy apply to anyone who wants to make changes in their life, who wantes to stand up for what they believe in, or stand up for who they believe in.
I have been a self-advocate for years. Along the way I had many obstacles to overcome and did so with ingenuity and hard work.
When I was student teaching in a classroom I was always aware of the students that struggled with literacy or listening skills. I designed little codes that they could use with me so that I would know when they needed me to repeat a phrase or help them understand a question. We did this so as to not draw attention from the other students that this student needed extra attention.
That was my way of advocating for a student in my class.
Now I'm working from home and my passion is now to adovate for myself and for children.
Overall, I'm advocating for education, for mothers, for families.
I'm moving forward conscious of the "Butterfly Effect"...the philosophy that we are all connected and that our positive actions can have a ripple effect on others. The idea is that a butterfly in the East flapping its wings can cause a windstorm in the West.
On days when I feel discouraged or feel small in such a big world this idea helps keep me focused.
Every little step we take has great effect, even though we cannot see it.
1 comment:
This reminds me of a quote by Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith: "If the offering be but a single grain it is regarded as the crowning glory of all the harvests of the world."
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