Topic: Building Confidence and Self-Esteem in Children
January 11, 2012
Presenter: Emily Rentas LMHC
This workshop focused on helping school professionals develop the opportunities to foster self-esteem in students within the school setting, in order to assist in achievements and their overall feelings toward education and their emotional development. Because self-esteem is critical in a child and adolescents view of themselves emotionally and physically, it is important to pay attention to how a child responds to others and internalizes the messages received.
Children are in school almost 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and 10 months out of the year. Therefore, school professionals are adults and authority figures who are in contact the most during this time. Because of the large amount of time spent, they play a critical role in the emotional development of children. School professionals involved in a child’s life are one of the representations of how adults respond to them outside their home. Sometimes adults are quick to show frustration or disappointment towards children. Unfortunately they might be less engaging to express appreciation and praise towards them. Fostering self-confidence in children means school professionals should be aware their style of relating towards children, making any changes and improvements in order to help aid children to grow up feeling loved, appreciated and wanted.
What one thinks about oneself determines how he feels about them.
We have control over our own thoughts feelings and behaviors even if some they don’t know it or believe it.
Thoughts ~ Feelings ~ Behaviors
Feelings emulate directly from ones thoughts. Behaviors and actions reflect those feelings, whether positive or negative.
Creating a safe, accepting, validating, and comfortable environment where each student is free to experiment and take risks in order to grow and change, can aid in the development of a healthy and adaptable sense of self. This can include some of the following
• Focus on the positive.
• Give children the opportunity to tell you 3 things they like about themselves.
• Avoiding criticism.
• Expectations should be realistic.
• Allow learning in errors or mistakes.
• Understanding exactly where the student is academically as well as emotionally.
• Praise and recognize efforts and attempts at improving.
• Provide opportunities for peer contact to aid social skill development
• Encourage independence and provide positive feedback when the student is working well independently.
• Focus on the student's abilities not their disabilities.
• Provide opportunities for the child to take risks in new learning situations
