Lesson plans on self-esteemLesson plans on self-esteem should be a part of every curriculum. Within any classroom, there are one or more children who are suffering self-doubt and a sense of not fitting in. They may think they are not as good as their peers in physical attractiveness, academics or ability to compete in sports. Those coming from financially disadvantaged homes may feel uncomfortable about that. A large number of children don’t get the emotional support at home that they need, and lesson plans on self-esteem may be a lifeline for these children. Every child has positive qualities, and it’s important to find strengths in all children.
One example of a self-esteem exercise is to give each student a turn, and ask each student to rate how positive or negative they are feeling that day. Any child who is feeling more than 50% sad should be encouraged to share what is causing the sadness. All children should be instructed to respond with only positive feedback (such as compliments) and suggestions of what changes might be made to feel better. This type of lesson encourages listening skills, and shows the power of affirmations both for the child receiving positive feedback and for the child offering positive feedback. Another example would be to offer a writing assignment where each student would be required to write down 5 positive character traits about themselves or talents that they possess. A variation on this exercise is to have students write down 10 words or phrases that describe them. They should then be instructed to rearrange their lists from what they like the most about themselves to what they like the least about themselves. It’s human nature to not think about our positive qualities; and an exercise like this one help students to be aware that they do have strengths and positive qualities that they have a right to be proud of. One of the most powerful lesson plans on self-esteem is to have each student give at least one positive quality about each of their classmates. No putdowns are allowed, only positive comments. This teaches children to look for positive qualities in each other, and it also raises the self-esteem of each child as they hear about the positive qualities they possess that are noticeable to others. Each child comes into the world completely unique. They each possess a unique set of genes; grow up in a unique family, with unique circumstances, such as being the only oldest, middle or youngest child in their family or the only girl or the only oldest boy. Lesson plans on self-esteem help cultivate what is special in each child, and aim to help them to become the person they are meant to be. Learn more about self-esteem
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