One of the most difficult tasks for any teacher, whether beginner or experienced is building self-esteem in students who clearly show low level of confidence. The older the student, the more teachers should struggle to build his self-esteem since we have to overcome several years of low personal opinion. The factors which cause low self-esteem are numerous and probably known to all of us: negative family atmosphere, absence of role models, taunting of peers, and lack of opportunities to demonstrate one’s skills.
The components of self-esteem are four: what he/she thinks of their personal value, the kind of work they do and consequences, the personal achievement or lack thereof, and most importantly what they believe other people think of them. Simply talking to the students with positive words will never be sufficient. The task requires the following from the teachers:
OBSERVE AND EVALUATE – Pay attention to each child’s demeanor. Their non-verbal language almost always reveals their attitude towards themselves. Are they slouching, keeping their heads down, not looking at you in the eyes, isolated, very few friends or are they defiant, strutting with an apparent superstar attitude.
The defiant child has not learned to trust adults sometimes with good reasons. The isolated child may have been abused or severely taunted as inferior, as dumb, as unskilled.
REGAINING TRUST – Your task as a teacher is to gain their trust, an arduous task indeed . The teacher has to be patient and tactful in helping to gain the trust of the child. Once you are able to regain his trust, the child will surely develop self-esteem and confidence.
Remember, once a teacher has successfully regained the trust of the student, it will be a surprise that he will excel in all his academic subjects and even in the extra-curricular activities.
Indeed, building self-esteem of a student is really vital in his learning.
By: Mrs. Richelle P. Siasat | Teacher 1 | The School of Creative Minds and Arts, Inc.
