Teaching Advocacy in Your Classroom

I recently volunteered on a career panel for first generation college-bound high schoolers. I have volunteered in this capacity with various non-profits organizations before and always have been categorized as "lawyer" or "teacher" depending on what the needed more of on the day in question. What struck me about this particular career panel was that this panel and subsequent sectioning had me labeled as "advocate." When I inquired about this title, wondering if the kids would even know what an ubiquitously labeled advocate does, I was shocked by the response by the facilitator. She said, "Yes, of course they know what an advocate is, half of them want to be advocates."

With a growing desire to be advocates and the growing need for students to become and be their own advocates, how do we effectively teach mindful advocacy in the classroom? How do we allow students to thrive through graceful and respectful argument and persuasion? Here are a few ways I have seen students develop amazing "advocacy" and rhetoric skills in the classroom.