Self-Esteem for Educators

Course Description

Self-Esteem For Educators is the first program ever designed to assist teachers in integrating self-esteem principles and methods into curriculum content areas.

This course was written in collaboration with members of the National Council for Self-esteem, by Ken Miller, author of the highly successful Teacher Effectiveness Training curriculum.

The purpose of Self-esteem For Educators is for teachers to increase content area learning of students by first learning and applying a model for enhancing self-esteem and then integrating that model into the curriculum they are currently teaching.

In Self-esteem For Educators, teachers learn specific techniques and skills for assessing and improving their own self-concepts, then collaboratively develop strategies and lesson plans to incorporate these concepts into their daily activities with students.

Objectives

• Develop an operational definition of self-esteem
• Apply Maslow's theory of human need
• Compare and contrast Maslow's theory and Branden's definition of self esteem
• Compare and contrast intention and self-esteem
• Assess individual strengths and weaknesses
• Assess the impact of strengths and weaknesses on teaching and learning
• Distinguish between cognition and emotion
• Create a lesson plan relating to self esteem
• Compare techniques for effective communication
• Evaluate the outcomes of practicing effective listening
• Evaluate the relationship between negative communication and self-esteem
• Practice effective self-disclosure and analyze the results
• Use self-disclosure to acknowledge and motivate students
• Assess the role of nurturance in the enhancement of self-esteem
• Hypothesize key sources of support and nurturance
• Evaluate personal relationships
• Assess the quality of relationship networks, personally and for students in the classroom
• Create specific intentions for improving the quality of networks and relationships
• Implement and judge strategies for maintaining self-esteem
• Create strategies for maintaining student self-esteem
• Design and apply a new model for integrating self-esteem into instruction

Curriculum Design & Time Requirements

Self-esteem For Educators utilizes a four-step experiential learning model called SIPA. In addition, there are instructor presentations, discussions, role-plays, exercises, demonstrations and written assignments. Homework assignments require participants to do outside reading and preparation of class reports, audio tape projects and specific one-to-one and group self-esteem interactions on the job or at home.

Self-esteem For Educators is a 3 credit graduate level or forty-five hour professional development course taught on weekends or over five full days.

Course Materials

The required text for this course is Enhancing Self-esteem by Diane Frey, Ph.D. and Jesse Carlock, Ph.D., 3rd Edition. In addition to the course text, students will receive supplemental material.

Session Outline

Session 1: Assessing Personal Styles
Contents:

1. Purpose Statement
2. Self-esteem Introductions
3. Course Objectives and Session Outline
4. Forward and Preface to Enhancing Self-esteem
5. The Name Game
6. Goals and Expectations
7. Assignments
8. Self-esteem Is...

Session 2: Identity-Phase I
Contents:

1. Self-esteem Norms
2. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Self-esteem
3. Four Phases of Intervention: A Developmental Model of Self-esteem
4. Identity
5. Who Are You, Really?
6. Self-esteem Materials Assignment
7. The Importance of Self-esteem for Content Area Learning

Session 3: Strengths & Weaknesses Phase II
Contents:

1. Opening: What I Was Like in High School
2. Homework Discussion: Chapter 3
3. Phase II-Strengths and Weaknesses
4. Characteristics of Healthy Adults
5. Story Exchange
6. Typical Self-Talk
7. Resistance to Change

Session 4: Communication
Contents:

1. Affirmations and Visualizations
2. Communication and Self-esteem
3. Hidden Messages and Self-esteem
4. Criteria for Self-esteem Communication
5. Experiencing Negative Communication
6. A Model for Effective Communication
7. Feelings Versus Thoughts
8. Self-esteem Dyads
9. Listening to a Student: Role Play

Session 5: Forgiveness & Anger
Contents:

1. Listening to Another
2. Wish List
3. Asking for What You Want Dyads
4. Satir's Communication Stances
5. Exploring Issues of Anger
6. Forgiveness
7. Homework and Study Time

Session 6: Feedback
Contents:

1. Observing What Is
2. Giving Positive Feedback
3. Taking Positive Feedback
4. Practicing Visualizations and Affirmations
5. Homework

Session 7: Nurturance - Phase III
Contents:

1. Homework Review
2. Nurturance-Phase III
3. Assessing Your Relationship Network
4. Helping Students Think
5. Significant Others
6. Life Stories

Session 8: Instruction
Contents:

1. Speech: My Three Best Traits
2. Recalling a Nurturer
3. Content Area Criteria Brainstorm
4. Content Area Curriculum Review
5. Content Area Lesson Plan Design

Session 9: Content Area
Contents:

1. Opening: Something I Noticed About You
2. Lesson Plan Presentations
3. What Teachers Can D
4. Ideas for Improving Content Area Instruction
5. Final Exam Preparation
6. Telling Jokes

Session 10: Maintenance - Phase IV
Contents:

1. Final Exam
2. Presentations on Audio Programs and Book Reports
3. Self-esteem Action Plan
4. The "Real" Final Exam
5. Overview of Self-esteem for Educators: Part II

Grading

To receive a "B" in the course:

1. Attendance: No more than two hours of class time can be missed.
2. Participation: Participate in all class activities, small group work and structured exercises.
3. Assignments: Read the following pages in the text:
• Chapters 1 & 2, pages 3-86
• Chapter 3, pages 87-144
• Chapter 6, pages 251-286
4. Write a brief letter to your instructor (approximately one page) sharing insights about you and your self-esteem or other awareness'. One letter is due on Sunday of the first weekend and one on Saturday and Sunday for the second weekend (a total of three).
5. Lesson Plans: Design a lesson plan for your students in your content area. It should incorporate principles, skills and methods you have learned for enhancing students' self-esteem. Share your plan with your content group during the second weekend (the time to be determined). A copy goes to your instructor.
6. Self-esteem Techniques or Exercises: Develop at least ten techniques or exercises you can use to enhance student self-esteem. Be prepared to share three of your ten with the whole class on the last day (time to be determined).
7. Book/Audio Tape/Curriculum Report: Select a book, curriculum guide or audio tape from the resource library. Review it and give an oral report to your content group later in the course.
8. Final Exam: An exam will be given on the last day of class and will cover material presented.

To receive an "A" in the course:

1. Complete all of the above requirements.
2. In addition, choose one of your behaviors that may not serve you well, one that relates to your self-esteem; examine it to determine its disadvantages for you. Make your intention to change the hindering behavior for one week; and write about the results (maximum of two pages).

Example: You consistently avoid confrontation. Examine this behavior and determine whether this serves you well in the area of self-esteem enhancement. Make it your intention to confront and get your needs met for one week and write about the same. How did it effect your self-esteem, etc.

Student Requirements

	1.	Attend all class sessions for the requisite number of hours (45) and actively participate in all class activities.
	2.	Assignments as noted in the Grading section above.

Student Academic Integrity

Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.

Register

To register to take TEI's Self-Esteem for Educators course, go to the Course Registration page.