advocate

Advocate: one that pleads the cause of another

Today, I worked hard. I mean, I usually work hard, but today, I worked extra hard.

Today, my job as a school psychologist was more of what I'd like it to be. I didn't do any testing today. I didn't write any reports today (despite the fact that I needed to do much of both of those things) Today, other things took priority.

Mainly, a kid.

Obviously, I can't go into details, but this kid has a severe disability and they need a lot of support. I attended a meeting yesterday to help develop a good plan for them for the upcoming year. But, until the new plan is put into place, they still needs help now - in their current setting - in my school.

The problem is, despite their disability - which is legit and severe - they present very well. They do not appear to have anything wrong with them. They are articulate, and very smart. The teachers, therefore, have a hard time understanding how the kid's disability manifests itself...because, frankly, they don't see it.

So, when I'm asking them to make accommodations above and beyond what they would do for another student - they don't understand why. They feel that they've been misled and manipulated by this student. They didn't have the information they need to understand the extent of the disability.

But, I did. So, I spent the day being the translator between teachers and student and parent and therapist and school staff etc. I spent the day explaining and advocating for this student. Advocating for the services they truly need - even if it's hard to see that they need them. Explaining that a student shouldn't be punished for things that are a manifestation of a legit disability...even if it's hard to understand.

And, much to my surprise actually, I was able to provide a new point of view to these teachers. They were (eventually) receptive and seemed to understand things in a way that had not understood them before. The other people who work with this student said they were thankful for my help.....and it's always nice to be thanked.

But I was exhausted by the end of the day. And then, guess what happened? I left the building to go to another building I needed to visit. And while I was gone, this student's mother comes to the school because she thinks she has a meeting with me. The short story is that there was a simple miscommunication. I felt bad. I also felt bad that the mother, who was then upset, yelled at some of my co-workers.

It's not really my fault - she got the days mixed up for the meetings - but still. I wish she could know how much everyone is working for her child - not against them. Of course, she has a pretty hard job too, and it must be stressful.

Anyway, it was a good day in that I felt useful. I felt like I was doing a good thing, the right thing, and made a difference for a kid today. Part of me wishes every day could be spent in consultation and working directly with kids instead of doing mostly testing. But, as I can plainly see from today, there is simply not time to do both. Hopefully, in the future, the pendulum will swing and consultation and collaboration will outweigh the time spent testing. But, until then, I guess we just do what we can.