The ABCs of Advocacy

This is a continuing series of columns on effective advocacy.
We thank Dr. Julia Link Roberts, Past Chair of the NAGC
legislative committee, and Tracy Ford Inman, Chair of PHP
Editorial Advisory Board, both of Western Kentucky University,
for preparing this series.

Are you new to advocating on behalf of children who are gifted
and talented? Or, do you have experience but need a refresher?
If either is the case, mastering the ABCs of Advocacy will help
you! Preparation for advocating is essential, so take time to
know the ABCs of Advocacy before getting started. Then, stick
with your role as an advocate because children who are gifted
and talented need you!

A is for Be Aware!
An effective advocate is aware of issues in general education as
well as in gifted education. For example, consider the importance
of the STEM areas (science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics) in today’s global village. In Rising Above the
Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter
Economic Future (2007), the National Academies argue:

This nation must prepare with great urgency to preserve its
strategic and economic security. …the United States must
compete by optimizing its knowledge-based resources, particularly
in science and technology, and by sustaining the
most fertile environment for new and revitalized industries
and the well-paying jobs they bring.

In a world that has been flattened by technology, remaining
competitive in STEM areas is paramount. By linking gifted
education to the STEM areas, more ears will be open to what
you have to say. After all, preparing gifted mathematicians,
gifted scientists, gifted engineers, and gifted experts in technology
provides the starting point for a bright economic future.

Advocates also must be aware of people who are key to the
advocacy effort. Who are the decision-makers? Consider
principals, superintendents, and school board members at
the district level. Don’t neglect statewide educational leaders,
which include state board of education members and the
commissioner or superintendent of education. Think outside
the local education arena to state decisionmakers.

Target legislators, especially those
on the education and appropriations
committees. Leaders, such as Speaker of
the House, Senate President, and Governor
definitely make things happen.

Also consider national decision-makers
such as your senators and congressmen.
National issues in gifted education
demand their attention. They need to hear
that providing for optimal learning opportunities
for children who are gifted and talented is
important to you. Just look at the Legislative Update
on the NAGC Web site (http://www.nagc.org/index.
aspx?id=585&al) for issues facing gifted education. By being
aware of the decision-makers, you’re a better advocate.

Effective advocates also are aware of another group of people
— kindred spirits. Know that numbers speak loudly to
decision-makers, so be sure to flock together with others who
share your concerns. Seek out parents of your child’s friends
and classmates. Join your local, state, and national advocacy
groups for gifted education. For a listing of state organization
Web sites, see http://www.nagc.org/CMS400Min/index.
aspx?id=609.The more numerous the voices, the better the
message is heard. The way for an advocate’s message to be loud
is to have many people saying the same thing.

This leads to another critical area — be aware of the importance
of shaping your advocacy message. Once you’ve found
cohorts, you must share a unified message. Be positive and
make the message clear and easy to remember. Shaping the
message around a school or district’s mission statement can be
very effective when targeting the school or district. (See the
June 2006 of PHP for the column “Effective Advocates: Craft
Your Message” for more information and tips.) What you say is
just as important as to whom you say it.

Awareness in the ABCs of Advocacy is the first step as an effective
advocate.


B is for Know the Basics!
An effective advocate is well-informed, one who knows the
basics. That means that an advocate understands the needs
and characteristics of gifted children. He or she can debunk
the myths so often believed about gifted children. (See Barbara
Clark’s Growing Up Gifted for information on myths and
characteristics.) Advocates also fully understand the rights of a
gifted and talented child. NAGC President Del Siegle has written
a Bill of Rights, which you can download from the NAGC
Web site in English or Spanish. This list provides a strong
foundation to any advocacy message.


Effective advocates also know the basic laws, regulations, and
policies governing gifted education in their districts and states.
Not only does this include all legislation and policy with the
word gifted in them, but it also includes those that affect
young people who are gifted and talented. For example, the
http://www.nagc.org/ 29 March 2008 PARENTING FOR HIGH POTENTIAL
policy concerning the age to begin kindergarten has significant
impact on gifted young people who may be ready to begin
school at an earlier age than their age-mates. (See “Effective
Advocates: Always on the Alert” in the September 2007 PHP
for other issues facing gifted learners.) Because of their familiarity
with the laws, regulations, and policies, advocates are able
to discuss them with confidence and in terms that all decisionmakers
understand. Without this basic knowledge, advocates
cannot be effective.

Other important aspects of the basics are the services, programs,
and opportunities available to young people. Not only
does the advocate need to know what is available at the school
and district level, but the advocate also needs to know what is
possible. For example, acceleration is a viable option that many
districts shy away from. The 2004 landmark study, A Nation
Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America’s Brightest Students,
is a must-read for any advocate wanting to know more about
the research and reasoning behind acceleration. (Free copies are
available at http://www.nationdeceived.org.) The more knowledgeable
a person is about possibilities, the better advocate he
or she can be.

If you Know the Basics, then you’re on your way to becoming
an effective advocate.

C is for Communicate Effectively!
C embodies the all-important concept — communication. Effective
communication is what will make or break an advocacy
plan. Start with the message. It must be clear, concise, and
powerful. It also should fit your purpose. For example, if you’re
trying to persuade someone to establish a new policy, word the
message so that it includes data and information that substantiates
your point. Also remember to be positive in the wording.
Consider, too, the audience. The message for a school may differ
from the message for the Speaker of the House. Include language
fitting to the particular audience. Audience and purpose
are critical in crafting an effective message.


What you are communicating is only half the battle. How you
communicate is equally important. Face-to-face communication
is most effective because you can use active listening to
clarify your point. The give-and-take in face-to-face communication
lets you clarify misunderstandings and answer questions.
You also can read those nonverbals; a person’s gestures and
facial expressions may say more than his or her words! Your
nonverbal communication can emphasize sincerity, knowledge
about the subject, and even camaraderie. Simply maintaining
eye contact establishes rapport.

Communication cannot be just a one-time occurrence. An effective
communicator establishes a relationship with the individual
or individuals. Don’t wait for a crisis to begin the discussion! If
the decision-maker already knows you to be a knowledgeable
and dependable resource, then he or she will listen more intently
when problems arise. The more valid and reliable the communication,
the more the audience will heed the message. (See
the September 2006 PHP for the column “Effective Advocates:
Communicate Effectively” for more ideas.)


The ABCs of Advocacy are formed by being Aware, learning
the Basics, and knowing how to Communicate effectively.
Most of us begin as advocates for our own children by starting
with their classroom teachers and branching out within the
school. Then, when our children graduate, we’re done. But, we
shouldn’t be! Please don’t stop there. All children who are gifted
and talented need you. Expand your advocacy efforts to the
district, state, and then the nation. The goal is advocacy and
appropriate educational opportunities for all children, including
those who are gifted and talented. By knowing your ABCs
of Advocacy, you’re well on your way to making a difference in
the world!


“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the
only thing that has.” ~ Margaret Mead

Resources
Clark, B. (2008). Growing up gifted: Developing the potential of
children at home and at school (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Colangelo, N., Assouline, S. G., & Gross, M. U. M. (2004).
A nation decevied: How schools hold back America’s brightest students
(Vol. 1). Iowa City, IA: The Connie Belin & Jacqueline
N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent
Development.
Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st
Century. (2007). Rising above the gathering storm: Energizing
and employing America for a brighter economic future. Washington,
DC: National Academies Press.
Roberts, J. L., & Inman, T. F. (2006, June). Effective advocates:
Crafting your message. Parenting for High Potential, p. 24-25.
Roberts, J. L., & Inman, T. F. (2006, September). Effective
advocates: Communicate effectively. Parenting for High Potential,
p. 8-9.
Roberts, J. L., & Inman, T. F. (2007, September). Effective
advocates: Always on the alert. Parenting for High Potential,
p. 14-15.
National Association for Gifted Education: Advocacy Toolkit
http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=36
National Association for Gifted Education: Bill of Rights by
President Del Siegle
http://www.nagc.org/uploadedFiles/PHP/Bill%20of%20Rights.pdf
Your state department of education Web site: Search for gifted
and talented or high ability students. Know the laws, regulations,
and policies of your state.

"Mile Marker Series Copyright 2009 NAGC. Reprinted with permission of the National Association for Gifted Children. No further reprints or redistribution is permitted without the consent of NAGC."