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They promised to look, but neither Ms. Perry nor the other teachers were able to find more than a couple of worksheets, although they all remembered having received quite a few materials. Mary wanted her own complete set of materials. She asked Ms. Perry where she could get some.

"The office should have some on file," Ms. Perry suggested.

Mary asked Sue, the office secretary, but she could not locate any. Mary asked Sue, "Who else may be able to help me?"

"The principal," Sue answered, "but she's not in just now."

"Can I leave a note in her mailbox?"

"She'll get it quicker if you tape it to her office door."

The next day, Mary received a complete set of materials.

Mary told me that shortly after receiving the material, a student had asked for her help with an assignment involving FCAs. She was delighted to have been able to respond to student's request.

Mary might have ignored Ms. Perry's reference to FCAs or waited until she actually took over a class and had to plan a lesson, but she decided to be proactive --- to ask.

Who did she ask? Her cooperating teacher, other teachers, the secretary, and the principal.

Where did she ask? She asked where she supposed the answer would be most readily available, in the teacher's room, then the school office.

How did she ask? Assertively through the use of direct questions, and, at the suggestion of the secretary, with a note taped to a door.

What did she ask for? She asked for what she thought she would need in the not-too-distant future. She asked for information (what is an FCA?) and action (please provide me with materials).

Why did she ask? Because she felt a need to know, to have, and to learn.

In summary, you will get helpful responses to your requests when you do the following.

• Understand that you have the right to ask for help, as long as you do not infringe on the rights of others by doing so.
• Respect the right of others to deny your request.
• Look for a variety of ways and places to ask for help.
• When you ask for help, decide whether are you asking for action, information or emotional support.
• Limit your questions and requests to what you really want or need.

* Focus Correction Areas (FCA) is a set of criteria, developed by John Collins in 1982, for assigning and evaluating student writing.