Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy Issues - Essay Example

Self-esteem has been a research issue for many educators for a long time. One cannot deny a fact that self-esteem level of an adult forms in childhood. Therefore it is extremely important to stimulate the development of a realistic perspective of oneself as early as possible. This paper stands as an advocate for self-esteem education, which emphasizes that the development of self-esteem in students is as important as giving them academic knowledge. But before discussing the benefits of self-esteem education we need to clarify what do we mean by self-esteem and why is it so important to foster self-efficacy of children What do we usually mean when we pronounce the word 'self-esteem' In the context of usual life normal level of person's self-esteem implies that a person has good feelings about himself or herself. That is, if given more explicitly, self-esteem deals with our ability to evaluate our potential in a realistic way, with out over- or understatements. However, when talking about young children self-esteem gets a more detailed meaning: "With young children, self-esteem refers to the extent to which they expect to be accepted and valued by the adults and peers who are important to them" (Katz 1995). That means children's self-esteem is hugely dependent on their parents and other adults that have close relationship with a child. As the kid grows, opinion of his friends and equals in age becomes more and more important to him or her; nevertheless adults continue to influence greatly on kid's level of self-esteem. Why is it crucial to improve self-esteem for successful living Low level of self-esteem means for a child that he/she is not accepted with those who are important to her/him. Additionally to important people in child's life it was found by Brookover (1965) that there is a strong link between self-esteem concept and academic achievements. Normally it causes a lot of pain; that is why low self-esteem is often perceived as the underlying reason of many social problems. The research held by Reasoner (2004) shows that the condition of youth has significantly deteriorated during recent years in the US. One-fifth of all 8th graders are considered to be at high risk of school failure. Approximately 30% of youth drop out and fail to complete high school. The teen suicide rate has doubled since 1968. Ten percent of adolescent boys and 18 percent of girls have attempted suicide and approximately 30% contemplated it. In 1985, some 5,399 young people between ages 5 and 24 took their own lives in suicide. All those indicators are related to low-level of self-esteem, which has become a disaster for contemporary schools. The same research (Reasoner 2004) has given more evidences that most schools are not conducive to self-esteem since the level of self-esteem declines for most students the longer they are in school. Although self-esteem is mainly considered to be the result rather than the cause of academic achievements (Holly 1987), researchers admit that a certain level of self-esteem is required in order for a student to achieve academic success and that self-esteem and achievement go hand in hand. For this reasons many schools have adopted educational programs enhancing the children's level of self-esteem. Teachers of those schools help children to build healthy relationships with their peers treat them with respect and give them a realistic feedback. It is a cornerstone of self-esteem programs that praising child's talents and emphasizing constant successes and triumphs is less useful than helping them to cope with his/her defeats in fostering the normal level of self-esteem. "Engaging children in valuable and challenging tasks allows both children and teachers to work together, increasing a child's overall self-esteem" (Donley and Keen 2000). Thus self-esteem programs focus on cooperative joint work of teachers and students during the educational activities rather than simply 'giving knowledge' to children. What practical means of increasing self-esteem are used within those schools All of them concentrate on developing in children the realistic view of themselves. It can be drawing self-portraits, writing a letter to yourself, creating commercials about themselves, accentuating the positive qualities, or designing self-collages - self-esteem education offers children to look on themselves from the external perspective, separated from internal fears or beliefs. Additionally it helps kids to maintain their personality. "A student enters school as a unique individual, molded by genes, environment, and a certain spark within himself. However, as he winds his way through the curriculum, frequently a desire to fit in grows" (Chaika 1998). Activities within self-esteem education help children to sustain the pressure of their peers. It is often perceived that parents play a major role in forming normal level of child's self-esteem. That is why schools focusing on enhancing self-esteem work closely together with parents to make sure a child is treated properly with the most important adults to him/her. When children develop stronger ties with their peers in school or around the neighborhood, they may begin to evaluate themselves differently from the way they were taught at home. Parents are advised to help their child by being clear about their own values and keeping the lines of communication open about experiences outside the home. It is also a common knowledge that children do not receive their self-esteem at once. "A child may feel self-confident and accepted at home but not around the neighborhood as children interact with their peers they may feel accepted and liked one moment and feel different the next." (Katz 1995). Therefore parents should show their support and acceptance regardless of opinion of others. Meanwhile parents themselves often need support and they find it in educational self-esteem programs in schools. "When building self-esteem, families and schools are natural partners. Working together closely with teachers can significantly increase a child's sense of confidence" (Chaika 1998). The significance of self-esteem and its links to many social problems, which youth faces today, can hardly be underestimated or ignored. Educational programs to foster self-esteem can serve as a 'social vaccine' in reducing the incidence of many such problems. First of all they can help to create a healthy environment for school students helping them to increase their academic performance and developing their individuality. Secondly, self-esteem education helps parents to develop the 'can-do' attitude in their children when they are at home or outdoors. The individual soul of each student needs proper guidance during school years to develop into physically and mentally healthy personalities in future. Self-esteem education offers that guidance not only to children but also to their parents in achieving healthy society. The world a child lives in is largely dependant on how to look at it. Education must not only give students the knowledge about the world but also the knowledge about themselves and their place in this world. References Brookover, W.B. (1965). Self-Concept of Ability and School Achievement. East Lansing, Michigan State University. Chaika, G. (1998). Ten Activities to Improve Students' Self-Concepts. Education World. Published on October, 19. Retrieved July 21, 2005 from http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson085.shtml Donley, A. Keen, B. (2000). Self-Esteem and Children: Facts and Strategies for Parents. Notmykid.org. Retrieved July 21, 2005 from http://www.notmykid.org/parentArticles/SelfEsteem/default.asp Holly, W. (1987). Self-Esteem: Does It Contribute to Students' Academic Success Eugene, University of Oregon. Katz, L. (1995). How Can We Strengthen Children's Self-Esteem ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Summer 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2005 from http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/Strengthen_Children_Self.html Reasoner, R.W. (2004). Review of Self-Esteem Research. National Association for Self-Esteem, Fulton. Read More