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Speak into the Solution
Introduction
Defining Problem Solving and Self Advocacy
Have you ever found yourself in a sticky situation? Perhaps there was a misunderstanding, or something happened that was out of your control. During this session you will watch video clips about an issue and think about what the characters are experiencing. You will get to come up with a solution by problem solving, and you will be able to recognize the importance self-advocacy has when trying to solve problems while having your needs met.
Ankita will share a little bit about this session and help us define what we mean when we say "problem solving" or "self-advocacy".
Self-Advocacy
The skills necessary to speak up and/or defend a cause or a person
Problem Solving
The skill of finding solutions to difficult or complex issues
Icebreaker
Discussion with a parent
Ask your parent....
What is one way that you have self-advocated or problem solved in the last several weeks?
Share with a parent...
One way you have self-advocated or problem solved in the last weeks.
Content
Here are some steps to guide your learning
1) Watch a video case study. There is a problem that occurs in this story and the goal of this session is to understand that our ability to speak up is important to solving problems. There are 4 small videos entitled:
The Beginning of the Problem
The Problem Gets Worse
The Courage to Seek Advice
Advocating Towards Solutions
2) Observe how characters play a role in problem solving and in advocating for change. Sometimes characters help find solutions, yet other times characters make the problem worse.
3) After each clip there will be an opportunity to hear from our Youth Leaders who will "act" as if they are the characters in the video. They will give you insight into what the characters may be thinking, feeling, and/or experiencing.
As you watch, ask yourself:
What problem(s) exist?
Which characters are impacted by this problem?
Who is responsible to assist in problem solving?
What solutions are possible to help meet people's needs?
What examples of advocacy are present in this video?
First, Meet the Characters
Madison
Takes pride in doing well at school
Well liked by her peers
Lives with parents (Brian & Heather)
Introverted, independent
Madison's connections include: Brian & Heather, Mr. Keller, Holly, and Ms. Raymore
Holly
Friends and social connections are a big part of her life
Well liked by her peers
Lives with mom (Kim)
Social media presence is a priority for how
she identifies herself to othersHolly's connections include: Jake, Madison, Mr. Keller, and Ms. Raymore
Brian & Heather
Upper-middle class, college-educated
Both take pride in Madison’s achievements
Involved in local community
Brian loves dad jokes and grilling
Heather battles her desire to be a
helicopter momBrian & Heather's connections include: Madison
Mr. Keller
4th-year History teacher
Skilled story-teller
Considers himself as someone who easily
relates to studentsFaculty adviser to multiple school clubs
Mr. Keller's connections include: Madison, Holly, Ms. Raymore, Jake
Ms. Raymore
Professional school counselor with 15 years of experience
Trained in restorative justice
Has worked hard with administration to
develop a school-wide approach to problem-solvingMs. Raymore's connections include: Madison, Holly, Mr. Keller
Jake
Identified as gifted in 3rd grade
Mom is assistant superintendent for the
school divisionFeels unchallenged in school and often
takes on the persona of the class clownJake's connections include: Madison, Holly, Mr. Keller
Now, Watch the Clips
Clip 1: Synopsis (this is a brief overview of the clip)
Madison works at her desk at home
Mr. Keller teaches about Alexander Hamilton. Holly and Madison are in the class
Holly rolls her eyes at Madison for answering all of Mr. Keller's questions
Jake laughs at Holly's phone in the library
Clip 1: Questions & Thoughts
Clip 2: Synopsis (this is a brief overview of the clip)
Jake pushes the SEND button on Holly's phone, posting something Holly created about Madison
Madison sees Holly's comment "Looking For Losers" on social media
Holly wakes up from barn party after she posted comment about Madison
Brian talks to Heather, not noticing that Madison is sad and upset at the breakfast table
Clip 2: Questions & Thoughts
Clip 3: Synopsis (this is a brief overview of the clip)
Jake laughs at Holly for getting caught with her phone
Heather looks concerned when dropping Madison off at school
Madison refuses to answer the question in Mr. Keller's class
Mr. Keller talks to Madison after class. Madison agrees to talk with Ms. Raymore, the school counselor
Clip 3: Questions & Thoughts
Clip 4: Synopsis (this is a brief overview of the clip)
Madison self-advocates by telling her story and how Holly's post hurt her.
Holly reads Madison's story and trys to talk to her mom about how to handle the situation
Madison and Holly are called into a meeting to have a discussion about creating new solutions
Madison self-advocates and creates a conversation that moves the problem towards a solution that meets her needs
Call to Action
Here's a strategy to help you solve problems while self-advocating
You have watched the the video case study and heard from our youth leaders. Now its your turn!!!
Here is what we want you to try:
1) Learn the acronym P.S.S.
Problem solve the issue
Seek Advice
Self-advocate toward new solutions
2) Share ways YOU may have solved the problem and advocated if you were in Madison's shoes
Step 1 - Watch the Presentation
P.S.S. Presentation
Narrated by Dillon
Prezi Transcript
00:01 - 00:05
Hello there, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, my name is Dillon McGrail.00:05 - 00:10
And today I am going to call you to action on how to solve problems in your daily life.00:11 - 00:14
Let's be honest; we're not all perfect.00:15 - 00:17
We can't do everything on the first try.00:18 - 00:19
I certainly can't.00:20 - 00:22
Sometimes we need a little help every now and then.00:24 - 00:29
You might be asking yourself, though, "But Dillon, how do I get the help I want or need?"00:30 - 00:37
Oh, my friend, if you're in a sticky place and need help, remember: P.S.S: Problem-solve the issue,00:37 - 00:41
seek advice, and self-advocate toward new solutions.00:42 - 00:43
Let's dive into them.00:43 - 00:46
The 1st one being problem- solved the issue.00:47 - 00:51
As I mentioned at the beginning, no one's perfect right from the get go.00:52 - 00:54
We all have strengths, and we all have weaknesses.00:55 - 01:01
For example, I'm good with accounting, like math, but I am terrible with writing essays.01:02 - 01:04
That doesn't mean I can't fix the problem.01:05 - 01:06
It's just something that needs work.01:07 - 01:11
If you work towards making that weakness better then that negative will turn to a positive.01:12 - 01:17
Working toward a common ground, especially with your weakness, will make you better at dealing with them over time.01:18 - 01:21
Just because I can't write essays perfectly,01:21 - 01:23
doesn't mean I can't get the help I need to write them.01:25 - 01:27
This, of course, leads to the next step.01:28 - 01:29
Seek advice.01:31 - 01:33
This is the part where it all comes together.01:33 - 01:41
Seek advice in this context can be a lot of things. You can tell a teacher, a parent, or even a friend01:41 - 01:45
you trust about your problem, whoever that person is,01:46 - 01:49
if you think they can help you, tell them about your problem.01:49 - 01:50
No shame.01:50 - 01:51
in asking for help.01:52 - 01:55
Then see if you can make a plan. Write01:55 - 01:57
what needs to be done and work on what you have to do?01:57 - 02:01
The final step in our acronym,02:01 - 02:05
Of course, it's self- advocating toward new solutions.02:06 - 02:08
This is the most crucial part of it.02:09 - 02:12
What you have done is basically made a house.02:12 - 02:15
You have made the foundation by accepting who you are.02:15 - 02:20
You have made the structure of the house by asking for help and making a plan.02:21 - 02:28
Now it was time to put the bricks down, meaning you sticking to the plan you have, and solving other problems along the way.02:29 - 02:34
With each brick you put down, that house will get strong, and so will you.02:35 - 02:38
Make sure to support the ideals of your plan.02:38 - 02:41
Tell others what you need and make a presence known.02:42 - 02:46
You may be a speck of dust in the vast universe, but you can still leave a mark on it.02:49 - 02:52
I'm gonna be real with you. I am not a perfect person.02:53 - 02:54
Never have never will.02:55 - 03:01
I'm a six foot eight mountain with autism, diabetes, with a track record of procrastinating every now and then.03:02 - 03:13
I wanted to have a life like all the other kids when I was growing up, But I always felt short sometimes. Even in the simplest of tasks.03:14 - 03:19
I wanted that dream so badly. To be like the other kids.03:20 - 03:25
So I decided if I couldn't live that dream, I'd worked for it.03:26 - 03:32
I'd talked to my parents, my teachers, even the principal on what I wanted and needed in my classes.03:33 - 03:35
Each time I had a problem in my life.03:35 - 03:40
I had to adapt to the change, make plans to work alongside me.03:41 - 03:46
I paved a road toward or that dream, and it came true.03:46 - 03:56
I'm into my second year of college now at UMW, working hard to become an accountant. Your dreams can become reality.03:56 - 03:59
You could do bigger things than anyone imagined.04:00 - 04:04
It all starts with a plan.04:04 - 04:05
As Edision once said "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up".04:06 - 04:13
Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to succeed when life when they gave up.04:16 - 04:21
Before I leave, I'd like to thank my colleagues who shaped and made this idea possible:04:21 - 04:23
Reeve, Thomas and Jocelyn Liu.04:24 - 04:30
These are the ones that made all this possible and worked hard in this section, especially.
Thank you for your time, Stay awesome.
Step 2 - Share Your Thoughts
Questions to Answer
If you were Madison, how would you describe the problem?
If you were Madison, who would you seek advice from?
If you were Madison, what would you say to advocate for new solutions to the problem?
Choose 1 option below to answer the questions.
This is an opportunity to share what you would do if you were in Madison's shoes. Let us know how you would problem solve and self advocate if you were in this situation.
Wrap-up
You have practiced P.S.S. using the video case study. The next step is to apply P.S.S. to your own life. We all know that every day has its challenges. We think Dillon's advice is worth remembering. He says,
"Each time I had a problem in my life I had to adapt to the change and make plans to work alongside me. I paved a road towards that dream, and it came true."
The video case study is a reminder that in order to make positive change we all must respectfully speak into solutions that meet the needs of ourselves and others. Practicing self-advocacy and problem solving in your own life can be difficult. But you can begin to develop new skills by practicing P.S.S.
When you have a problem use the infographic below to guide you. It will assist you as you work to become a self-determined individual.
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