Self-Esteem

Jeffrey R. Marshall, MSUM Intern 2000-2001 Burnsville High School Burnsville, Minnesota

Marlys Thom, Leadership Coordinator

Judy Haugen, Professional School Counselor, retired Burnsville High School Burnsville, Minnesota

Description of the Lesson(s) or Program

Self-Esteem, Communication, and Sexual Harassment are three developmental guidance lessons developed at Burnsville High School by Judy Haugen to assist sophomores in learning to transition better between junior high and high school and what is expected of them as they are growing up to become young adults.  The lessons are taught by the counselor with members of the LIFE group leading the small group discussions.  The LIFE group is a student leadership group comprised of seniors who go through extensive training in the summer to become facilitators and teachers of these classes.  LIFE stands for Leading, Involving, Facilitating, and Educating.  It is the belief of the department and school that the sophomores will actually learn the material better and have a greater respect for the material if led by peers.  Each lesson is designed to be delivered within a 50-minute period.

Purpose:

  1. To gain awareness of our responses and interactions with others and how people are affected as a result.
  2. To get in touch with the feelings that result from our interactions and communication.
  3. To understand the link between labeling, communication, and our self-concept.

Materials:

PRAISE ME

AGREE WITH ME

JUST SMILE AT ME

INTERRUPT ME

IGNORE ME

PUT ME DOWN

STARE AT ME

LAUGH AT ME

ASK ME TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING

DISAGREE WITH ME

TELL ME I’M WRONG

TELL ME MY IDEAS ARE DUMB

Procedure:

  1. Introduce your group and topic.
  2. Show John Foppe video in the large group setting.
  3. Break up into your assigned small groups and discuss the video using the following questions:
    1. What was John able to do that surprised you?
    2. If you had a physical handicap (difference) like John, how would you react?
    3. What helped John Foppe have such a positive outlook?
    4. Describe how a person with high self esteem acts.
    5. What symptoms of low self-esteem do you see in others?
    6. Who determines a person’s self-esteem?
    7. If it’s someone besides you, then who gave that person power over your self-esteem?
    8. John Foppe improved his self-esteem by helping others in Haiti.  How do you reach out to others and how does that improve your self-esteem?
    9. What are some ways that people can improve their self-esteem? (i.e. attitude, being healthy, take some risks, help others, believe in yourself, talk out problems and fears, try to live up to your ideals, believe that you are ok, realize you have power to feel good about yourself now)
  4. The first activity the group is going to do is to carry on a discussion about labeling people, what they think of it, the problems and feelings it causes, why people do it, what can be done about it, etc.
  5. Before the discussion starts, place one label under the chin on the shirt of each participant.  Although the others may see each other’s labels, the wearer does not know what his/her label reads.
  6. Each member is to discuss an issue with whomever they can get to listen.  Each group member is to be treated according to the label instructions he/she is wearing.  I.E., PRAISE ME receives nothing but praise for everything they say; INTERRUPT ME doesn’t get an opportunity to finish a sentence, etc.  (Choose a topic that is non-threatening and appropriate such as open campus, lunch hours, block classes, etc.)
  7. Carry on a discussion for about five to seven minutes.  After that time, call a halt.  DO NOT LET THEM REMOVE THEIR LABELS YET.
  8. Give the questions sheets to each member.  Have them answer the questions.  WHEN THEY ARE THROUGH, HAVE THEM REMOVE THEIR LABEL.  Discuss the experience in the groups, using their answers to the questions.
  9. Talk about experiences they have had being labeled or knowing someone who was.  (How about in elementary school?)  (Have some of your own personal experiences ready to share.)
  1.  Process the entire activity.  Relate the video to the activity.  What did they learn out of today’s activity?  What will they now change?  What were the benefits of discussing these topics?
  2. Points that should be made some time during the discussion include:

Connections to Related Standards, Competencies, and Domains

The self-esteem lesson directly relates to the personal/social domain.  Many students, upon entering high school from junior high, experience low self-esteem and do not realize that they can control how others’ affect them.  This is an issue that needs to be addressed to help prevent student depression and hopefully encourage acceptance, open mindedness, and tolerance of others.

For Further Information

Marlys Thom

Leadership Coordinator

Burnsville High School

Burnsville, Minnesota

Phone  (952) 707-2100

Fax  (952) 707-2102

E-mail  mthom@burnsville.k12.mn.us