Self-advocacy means communicating your needs to make sure they are met. Your teachers want to help you, but don't always know exactly what you need. It is sometimes necessary to advocate for yourself to make sure you have the best opportunity to learn.
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need to learn. This might include a new seat, more time on an assignment, a different way of explaining something, or extra help before school.
Use “I” statements. “I don’t understand what this assignment is asking for” is better than “These directions make no sense.”
Realize that you might not always get what you ask for. If that is the case, respectfully thank the teacher for their time.
Here are a few appropriate questions you might ask (in person) when you disagree with a grade. They all focus on understanding expectations or improving your skills, which should help your grade on future assignments if not on the one you're currently discussing.
Could you explain why I got this grade?
Could you explain what you meant by this comment?
Could you explain the criteria for getting credit (or an A, a B, etc.) on this assignment?
Could I redo the assignment for a higher grade?
What should I work on to do better next time?
Go in person (or during video office hours). If your teacher is difficult to find, you can email them to ask when they would be available for a brief conversation.
If your teacher agrees to write the letter, thank them. Make sure they have all the information they need to complete the letter, especially when the deadline is.
Send a thank-you note after the teacher submits the letter. When you find out whether you've been accepted to the program you applied to, follow up to let them know. Thank them again for their help.
Due to circumstances both within our control and outside our control, we sometimes end up not having enough time to complete everything we need to complete on time. When that happens, you may want to ask a teacher for an extension on an assignment. The most important thing to understand is that your teacher is not obligated to give you an extension even if you follow all of the advice below. However, if you choose to ask for an extension, it's a good idea to follow these guidelines.
Take responsibility for what you could have done differently (if applicable) as well as explaining the circumstances that make an extension necessary.
Example: I underestimated how difficult it would be to learn this editing program, and I've needed to start the process over several times.
Don't invent disasters. Even if you did accidentally destroy all your work by dropping your laptop off your roof, honestly, your teacher probably won't believe you. And with cloud-based storage and backups, there just aren't that many disasters that could significantly set you back so much that you can't finish on time unless you also put off your work until the last minute. You'll get more sympathy telling the truth.
Example: I haven't been working on it because I've been feeling overwhelmed, but I finally sat down today and wrote out everything I have left to do.
Show that you've been putting in effort. Teachers want to give extensions to students who have been working hard and want extra time to make sure their efforts fully pay off. We don't want to give extensions to students who left everything until the last minute.
Example: I have the essay written, but I realized my logic could be better in a few parts, so I want to try reworking some of my analysis. Here's the link to my latest version.
State or imply that the purpose of the extension is so you can do your best work.
Example: I can have it finished by the deadline, but I'm worried it won't be my best work. I'd love to be able to add one more scene and do more in-depth final edits.
Offer an idea of how much extra time you'll need, but make it clear that you know it's the teacher's decision whether to give you an extension and how many days to give you if they do.
Example: Even one extra day would be really helpful.
Example: Would it be possible to have a few extra days?
Example: I would love to have until Wednesday, but I'd appreciate any extra time you can give me.