Self-Advocacy: The Ultimate Teen Guide (It Happened to Me (the Ultimate Teen Guide))

234 Pages·2007·1.13 MB·English

by  Cheryl Tuttle

I T H A P P E N E D T O M E
JUVENILE NONFICTION • SOCIAL SITUATIONS
SELF ESTEEM & SELF RELIANCE
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IT HAPPENED TO ME, NO. 19
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“Self-advocacy begins with honest self-appraisal and results in a solid appreciation of who you are and what you
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can accomplish. The path to becoming an effective self-advocate is almost always complicated by self-doubt,
misinformation, low expectations, and repeated frustrations and setbacks. There is no question that this guide can
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be a powerful tool for teens (and adult readers) in understanding the importance of self-advocacy, appreciating its
potential benefits in school and other settings, and preparing to take action.”—Dr. Sheldon H. Horowitz, National S
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Center for Learning Disabilities
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Young people face obstacles, both in everyday life and in extraordinary circumstances. They realize, sometimes
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painfully early, that it isn’t always possible to depend on adults to be sure they are treated safely, fairly, and legally.
When teens are faced with unfair, immoral, illegal, and unjust situations, they do not need to be victims—they can
learn to effectively speak up for themselves and improve their own lives, as well as the lives of others.
The skill of self-advocacy rarely comes naturally to teens, so Cheryl Gerson Tuttle and JoAnn Augeri Silva offer a S
set of skills for them to advocate for themselves. This much-needed resource provides both general and specific
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information, starting with basic methods to facilitate the process. The introduction and first three chapters explain
what self-advocacy is; identify when and why it might be necessary for teens to stand up for themselves; provide l
step-by-step guidance for self-advocating; and offer specific, real-world advice about wisely using media to publi- f
cize their cause. Seven issue-specific chapters follow, dealing with the real world, including personal rights, school -
issues, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, sexuality, legalities, and foster care. Throughout the book are the
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voices and experiences of teens who have encountered issues and decided to speak up to get what they needed.
Self-Advocacy: The Ultimate Teen Guide encourages young people to vocalize, perhaps publicly, what is bothering d
them. Drawing attention to themselves is never easy for teens, and speaking out is likely to make them feel vulner-
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able and uncomfortable. This book gives advice for dealing with adults who teens must work with—and in some
cases against—to find a solution to their problems. Teens who learn how to advocate for themselves and then act
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are not only taking steps to right whatever wrong they have been facing but are also preparing themselves for a
successful adult life.
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Cheryl Gerson Tuttle has more than thirty years experience in education, counseling, and advocacy. She is a
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coauthor of five books, including Learning Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide (Scarecrow, 2003), and author of
Medications: The Ultimate Teen Guide (Scarecrow, 2005). c
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JoAnn Augeri Silva is an award-winning writer, editor, public relations professional, and journalism teacher
whose work has appeared in numerous publications. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Connecticut,
an experienced media coach, a certified sexual education teacher, and a former foster parent.
T Advocacy
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For orders and information please contact the publisher
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SCARECROW PRESS, INC. GT
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A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. M
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4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200 DA
ET
Lanham, Maryland 20706 E
1-800-462-6420 • fax [phone]
Cheryl Gerson Tuttle JoAnn Augeri Silva
www.scarecrowpress.com
AND
ISBN-13: 978-0-8108-5646-2
ISBN-10: 0-8108-5646-8
T H E U LT I M A T E T E E N G U I D E
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IT HAPPENED TO ME
Series Editor: Arlene Hirschfelder
Books in the It Happened to Me series are designed for
inquisitive teens digging for answers about certain illnesses,
social issues, or lifestyle interests. Whether you are deep into
your teen years or just entering them, these books are gold
mines of up-to-date information, riveting teen views, and great
visuals to help you figure out stuff. Besides special boxes
highlighting singular facts, each book is enhanced with the
latest reading list, websites, and an index. Perfect for browsing,
there’s loads of expert information by acclaimed writers to help
parents, guardians, and librarians understand teen illness,
tough situations, and lifestyle choices.
1. Learning Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Penny
Hutchins Paquette and Cheryl Gerson Tuttle, 2003.
2. Epilepsy: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay and
Sean McGarrahan, 2002.
3. Stress Relief: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Mark Powell,
2002.
4. Making Sexual Decisions: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by
L. Kris Gowen, Ph.D., 2003.
5. Asthma: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Penny Hutchins
Paquette, 2003.
6. Cultural Diversity: Conflicts and Challenges: The Ultimate
Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2003.
7. Diabetes: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Katherine J.
Moran, 2004.
8. When Will I Stop Hurting? Teens, Loss, and Grief: The
Ultimate Teen Guide, by Edward Myers, 2004.
9. Volunteering: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay,
2004.
10. Organ Transplants: A Survival Guide for the Entire
Family: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Tina P. Schwartz,
2005.
11. Medications: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Cheryl Gerson
Tuttle, 2005.
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12. Image and Identity: Becoming the Person You Are: The
Ultimate Teen Guide, by L. Kris Gowen, Ph.D., Ed.M., and
Molly C. McKenna, Ph.D., 2005.
13. Apprenticeship: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Penny
Hutchins Paquette, 2005.
14. Cystic Fibrosis: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Melanie Ann
Apel, 2006.
15. Religion and Spirituality in America: The Ultimate Teen
Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2006.
16. Gender Identity: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Cynthia L.
Winfield, 2007.
17. Physical Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Denise
Thornton, 2007.
18. Money: Getting It, Using It, and Avoiding the Traps: The
Ultimate Teen Guide, by Robin F. Brancato, 2007.
19. Self-Advocacy: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Cheryl
Gerson Tuttle and JoAnn Augeri Silva, 2007.
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Self-Advocacy
The Ultimate Teen Guide
C G T
HERYL ERSON UTTLE
J A A S
O NN UGERI ILVA
It Happened to Me, No. 19
The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
Lanham, Maryland • Toronto • Plymouth, UK
2007
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SCARECROW PRESS, INC.
Published in the United States of America
by Scarecrow Press, Inc.
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
www.scarecrowpress.com
Estover Road
Plymouth PL6 7PY
United Kingdom
Copyright © 2007 by Cheryl Gerson Tuttle and JoAnn Augeri Silva
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission
of the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tuttle, Cheryl Gerson.
Self-advocacy : the ultimate teen guide / Cheryl Gerson Tuttle, JoAnn Augeri Silva.
p. cm. — (It happened to me ; no. 19)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8108-5646-2 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8108-5646-8 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Children’s rights—United States. 2. Youth—Legal status, laws, etc.—United States.
3. Teenagers—United States—Life skills guides. 4. Self-help techniques—United States.
I. Silva, JoAnn Augeri, 1944– II. Title.
HV741.T88 2007
646.700835—dc22
2007002221
(cid:2)™
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
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For Penny Paquette, who kept me going.—CGT
For Anthony.—JAS
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
1 Why You Should Be Your Own Advocate 1
2 How to Self-Advocate 11
3 Dealing with the Media 31
4 Personal Rights 43
5 School Issues 59
6 Learning Disabilities 79
7 Physical Disabilities 103
8 Sexuality 117
9 Legal Issues 145
10 Foster Care 169
Bibliography 195
Index 205
About the Authors 211
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