One of our community members shared something that got me thinking.

She's a Reading Interventionist and former Special Education teacher. A parent recently told her that another student sometimes makes comments that make her child feel "stupid" for getting reading help.

Oof.

First, that parent's response was exactly right. She had great advice for him, reminding him that we all have things we are good at and things we need more work on. That's true for kids and adults.

But it got us wondering...

What can we teach kids to say in these moments?

Not every child is ready to ignore it and walk away. Some kids feel more confident when they have a few phrases prepared ahead of time.

So let's crowdsource some ideas.

If another student says something like:

• Why do you leave for reading?
• Are you in the dumb group?
• Why do you need extra help?

What are some responses a student could use?

Examples:

✔ Everyone learns differently.
✔ I'm working on my reading skills.
✔ Lots of people get extra help with things.
✔ This is what helps me learn.

Parents, teachers, and students, what would you add to the list?

Let's build a resource together that helps kids respond with confidence instead of feeling ashamed for getting the support they need.

This can also be a sign of school climate & culture.  In other words, it can be a sign that the adults in the building see student who need extra help as 'less than'.  I think it's a great idea to teach self-advocacy and a quick comeback works great.

The truth is that adults need help too.  Most people don't DIY everything.  They have people who cut their grass, fix their plumbing, repair/maintain their car...

I'd want to know how pervasive things like this are in a building.  I know my daughter was bullied for going to pull-outs in elementary school.  Hers were for gifted enrichment and cello lessons.  I found this out too late to offer advice on how to deal with it.