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Increasing Students' Self-Esteem
by Elizabeth Galan-Vega
Summer 2002

High self-esteem implies that we value ourselves and our own worth as individuals (Counseling To Enhance Self-Esteem, 1991, 3P). It means that we evaluate ourselves in a positive light, are aware and confident in our own abilities, and see ourselves as fully competent and in control of our lives. Moreover, we compare ourselves favorably with other people. Nathaniel Branden provides an even more compelling view of self-esteem. He describes self-esteem as a combination of two interrelated aspects: a sense of personal efficacy (self-efficacy) or confidence on our own ability to think and act; and a sense of personal worth (self-respect) or an positive attitude towards our right to live and be happy (1990). In other words, self-esteem is the disposition to perceive oneself as competent to cope with life challenges and be deserving of happiness.

Research has shown that adolescents with high self-esteem are more likely to believe in themselves and have a sense of importance and self-respect. Self-esteem affects how children will approach new tasks or challenges and how they interact with others. Children with high self-esteem understand their own self-worth, have self-control and are willing to take on challenging or difficult tasks. Teenage children with low self-esteem, on the other hand, may avoid challenging activities or may give up quickly, quit, or cheat when things aren't going their way. A child with low self-esteem may also be a bully, bossy, controlling, have a low level of self-control, and have difficulty making friends (see Waltz, 1991, Branden, 1990).

Adolescent problems that correlate with low self-esteem include depression, unsafe sex, criminal activity and drug abuse (Lamarine, 1995), and depression has also been reported to result in lower academic achievement among students. The National Association for Self-Esteem reports that the teen suicide rate has doubled since 1968. Ten (10) percent of adolescent boys and 18 percent of girls have attempted suicide and approximately 30% contemplated it. In 1985, some 5,399 young people between ages 5 and 24 took their own lives in suicide (Review of Self-Esteem Research, 2000, 1P).

Having a good knowledge and understanding of self-esteem should be a priority for school counselors. To specifically impact upon a counselee's self-esteem requires a great focus and effort upon the part of the counselor. Waltz suggests six different steps for how a counselor can intervene to assist clients in enhancing their own self-esteem (Counseling To Enhance Self-Esteem, 1991, 20P).

The focus of the following intervention (large group) is to help adolescents in middle school (grades 6-12) identify patterns of low self-esteem and find ways to change them. These students are targeted by their counselor, who acts upon teacher recommendations. The teachers and counselor should look for indicators of low self-esteem. These indicators may include any of the following: lack of participation in class, suspected drug or alcohol use, pregnancies, lack of interest in school subjects, suspected gang members, and other at-risk students (At-Risk Students).

Long, et al. has found that adolescents with low self-esteem are more likely to seek out groups in order to find a collective self-esteem than those with high self-esteem (1995). This accounts for some students' participation in gangs and other groups that provide an identity, as they depend on the collective self-esteem of their group to compensate for their own weaknesses. Perhaps then group counseling could be a positive step in helping these students with low self-esteem.

Group Counseling

Session 1: Getting to know you
Session 2: Learning the game
Session 3: Who am I
Session 4: I Am Me
Session 5: Accepting Myself
Session 6: Looking Ahead and
Reflecting

Session 1: Getting to know you

Objectives:
The purpose of this session is to have students get to know one another. It is important when you begin the sessions for students to feel comfortable with each other. These activities are icebreakers so students will learn to understand and respect each other as individuals.

Activity 1
Materials needed: None
General Procedure: Counselor introduces himself/herself to the group, explains the purpose of the group, activities, procedures, ground rules, etc. Then asks for general question from the rest of the group.

Step 1: Students are numbered off from 1 – 5, counselor says all 1’s will work together, all 2’s will work together, etc.

Step 2: Students are then asked to interview each other for 5 minutes. Students will ask general question of each other, but they must learn one thing about the person that would surprise everyone.

Step 3: Students will than come together in a large circle and will take turns introducing their partners to the rest of the group. At the end of the activity the counselor will share one thing about himself/herself that would surprise the group.

Hints: It is sometimes important to remind students that in this group everyone’s opinions and ideas will be respected.

Activity 2

Step 1: In this activity students will have the opportunity to talk with people they don’t know by forming an outer circle with 5 people and an inner circle with 5 people.

Step 2: The counselor explains to the group that they will have two minutes to talk to each other about the topics given to them by the counselor. Example: What is your favorite movie.

Step 3: After two minutes the counselor will tell the outer circle two move one step to the left than inner circle two steps to the right, etc. so students will have an opportunity to speak with someone new. A new question is posed. Example: What type of music do you listen? Questions get more personal as activity continues. Counselor continues moving the circles for at least 6-8 questions.

Step 4: Next, students will come together in a large circle, and counselor will point out and have a discussion about how we all have similarities and differences, and that this is what makes us unique individuals. This activity will help set the stage for exploring some of those unique qualities that we all possess.

Step 5: After discussion, students will be given 5 minutes to write in a journal and reflect about the session.

Hints: It is important for students to listen carefully as you are giving instruction asking them to move either left or right, if they are not listening and paying attention, this activity can become chaotic.

Session 2 – Learning the Game

Objectives: The goal of this session is to get students to learn and understand the “counseling game” (Myrick , 2003). This will be accomplished through activities that will emphasize pleasant and unpleasant words.

Materials: Slips of paper
Procedures: counselor will reflect on what happened in the previous session, and will explain the goal of session 2 and some of the activities planned

Activity 1

Step 1: Have students pair up, students will work with someone they haven’t worked with before.
Step 2: Give students different scenarios about issues that go on in school. Example: Tell students about a girl who is always the last one picked in PE class. Ask students to think about how this girl might be feeling. Students will write down these feelings on slips of paper given by the counselor.
Step 3: Another scenario is given, think about how a student might feel about getting an A in class, write down the words that come to mind.
Step 4: Next, the group will come together and a list of pleasant and unpleasant words is created and explained by the counselor.
Step 5: A discussion is held about these words and why they think the people in the two scenarios felt these feelings.

Pleasant	Words	Unpleasant	Words
Enjoyment Pleased Proud Cheerful Hopeful Stimulated Accepted Refreshed Bright Trusting Peaceful Confident	Calm Satisfied Warm Excited close Loved Strong Happy Optimistic Contented Joyful Delighted	Defeated cramped Suspicious worried Doubtful troubled Threatened shocked Offended depressed Disgusted disappointed	Guarded discouraged Angry pained Hateful abused Rejected uneasy Unhappy uncomfortable Sore sad

Myrick (2003)

Activity Two

Step 1: Students will work in pairs, working with someone they haven’t worked with before. Each pair will be given three slips of paper with a pleasant or unpleasant word from the previous activity.
Step 2: Students will be given about 1 minute to talk about the words they have been given, than they will act out the word on their slip of paper. The rest of the class will have to guess what the feeling word is.
Step 3: After all pairs have had a turn, the counselor will ask members if they’ve experienced any of these feelings and in what context, the counselor will link some of the responses given by the students. At this point the counselor will begin to prepare the group for the next meeting, where they will start to address some of the issues of low self-esteem.
Step 4: Students are given 5 minutes to reflect and write in their journal.

Session 3-Who Am I

Objectives: In this session the group will start to do some self exploration and looking at themselves and their positive qualities. This will be accomplished through activities that will help them realize that we all have unique qualities about ourselves.

Materials Needed: Construction paper, crayon, colored pencils, magazines, glue, scissors
General Procedures: The counselor will review the list of pleasant and unpleasant words and explain that we will be exploring our own unique qualities through activities.

Activity One

Step 1: Students will be creating a collage that represents who they are, working individually, they will gather the materials they need for the activity.
Step 2: Students will cut out pictures and words or phrases that represent their abilities and interests, students are encouraged to ask question or talk to peers about their collages.
Step 3: The words and pictures will be glued to an 8X11 piece of construction paper.
Step 4: Students will be given an opportunity to talk about their collages and the symbols that represent who they are.
Step 5: Students display their collages and remain displayed for the remainder of the sessions, students of this age level enjoy seeing their work displayed, and these collages will be a reminder of the qualities that make them unique.(Bauck)
Hint: Counselor should also make a collage and share it with the class.

Activity Two

Step 1: Have students write down three words that could be used to describe themselves on a slip of paper.
Step 2: Pool the papers and draw them randomly.
Step 3: Group members try to guess the person who wrote it or who it might be. Students can start discussion by saying “I think It’s you,. ….., because (Myrick, Group Counseling Activities)
Step 4: Students will be asked to write in their journal about their feelings when making the collages.
Hints: have students use pleasant words when describing themselves, or someone else.

Session 4 - I am me

Objectives: To continue to reflect on the idea that everyone is special and has a unique quality that makes them special, students will continue to identify some of these qualities, and will begin the process of self-acceptance.

Materials Needed: Slips of paper, markers crayons, colored pencils, posters, glue, etc.
General Procedures: Counselor will review some of the topics discussed in the last session and will outline what they will be doing in this next session.

Activity One

Step 1: Divide a paper in your journal by drawing a vertical line down the center
Step 2: Title the left column “Accomplishments” Title the right column “Action”
Step 3: Now, in order, list the following in the accomplishments column;

A. One thing you accomplished in elementary school
B. One thing you accomplished in junior high or middle school
C. One thing you have accomplished recently
D. One thing you hope to accomplish in the near future

Step 4: Write the behaviors or actions that helped you achieve your accomplishments.
Step 5: In a go around discuss the activity with the students.(Myrick and Erney, 2000)
Hint: Some topics for discussion might be, What general themes did they hear? Were some of the actions the same? Are your past accomplishments related tow hat you hope to accomplish in the future?

Activity Two

Step 1: Students will work in two groups of 5, and they will be creating a “ME” commercial
Step 2: This commercial can be about anyone in the group, the topic will be why should someone hire me?
Step 3: Students will be given 10 minutes to create their commercial, commercials will be presented in front of class and the other group has to guess who the commercial is about.
Step 4: Students write in their journals about their experience with the commercial. (Chaika)
Hint: counselor should ask group what special qualities each have that would want to make an employer hire them.

Session 5 – Accepting Myself

Objectives: this session will focus on getting the student to accept themselves for who they are including their strengths and weaknesses.

Materials Needed: Song, strips of paper, journals

Activity One

Step 1: counselor will play a song about a young man who doesn’t seem to like himself very much. Students will listen to the lyrics, a copy of the lyrics will be given to each student.
Step 2: After students listen to the lyrics, students will discuss the lyrics in groups and come up with some ways in which the young man could change his thinking to reflect a more positive attitude.
Step 3: Students will than come together, and in a go around will give their opinions about the song, and the feeling portrayed in the song.
Hint: Counselor should ask students if they’ve every felt that way or know someone who has.

Activity Two

Step 1: Students will rip a piece of paper into 10 strips on each slip they will write things they like about themselves.
Step 2: Then the student arranges the traits in order from what he most likes about himself to what he least likes.
Step 3: When done, I say, "Do you like what you see? Do you want to keep it? Now give up one trait. How does the lack of that affect you? Now give up another. Give up three. Now what kind of person are you?"
Step 4: After giving up six of the qualities, I have students regain the traits one by one.
Step 5: In pairs of students discuss how they felt when they gave up their traits and what they felt when they regained them. The class than comes together and discusses these feelings. (Chaika)
Hint: Students can discuss what the kept and what they gave up and why?

Session 6 - Looking Ahead and Reflecting

Objective: Preparing students for closure by having them reflect on the past sessions and have them look ahead at how they can use what they learned in the group and apply it to their everyday lives.

Materials Needed: Journals

Activity One

Step 1: In their journals students are asked two write down 5 things they learned about themselves and 5 things they would like to change.

Step 2: Students are encouraged to discuss what they learned with a partner, and are than invited to share 1 thing they learned about themselves, and one thing they would like to change.

Step 3: The counselor shares some of the things she learned about the group and one thing she witnessed change.

Hint: Praise students for all their hard work.

Activity Two

Step 1: Participants form a semicircle with an empty chair in front of the group.
Step 2: Someone volunteers to take turns in the chair. The rest of the group calls out the person’s positive strengths.
Step 3: The counselor calls “time” and the person in the chair tells what the experience was like than returns to the semicircle. Than a new volunteer sits in the chair and another “bombardment” takes place, until all have gone.
Step 4: The group than talks about the experience. (Myrick and Erney, 2000)
Hint: Be sure there are no put downs, when the “bombarding” is taking place.

Concluding:

Have each student fill out a questionnaire about their experience in the group.
Have students keep their journals and collages they made in class encourage them to use these things to reflect on what they learned in the group, and thank them for participating.

Conclusions and Recommendations

To effectively target students’ lack of self-esteem, schools need to provide an environment in which students’ lives improve. These students need to have the opportunity for belonging. A collective self-esteem through group counseling can be the first step for children who otherwise lack the acceptance and support necessary for healthy self-esteem.