Establishing, Maintaining, and Enhancing Children’s Self-Esteem

(2-4 hour presentation)

Truly teaching a child is not possible unless and until that child believes him/herself to be valuable, capable, and competent.  The primary responsibility for establishing self-esteem in a child belongs to the parents/primary caregivers.  However, the role of the educator in maintaining and enhancing that self-concept is crucial.  Even more, the role of the educator in repairing bruised and broken self-esteem in the life of a child is critically important, exceedingly challenging, but completely possible.  The educator must be armed with the knowledge of what normative self-esteem development is, and how to re-create it appropriately in the school-context, even when there is a good chance the child will return to the same home environment that threatens to undo that work.  The educator must understand the importance of creating a holding environment marked by stability, continuity, and reliability in order to foster the child’s inherent capacities of optimism, resilience, and tendency towards growth.