Developing Self-esteem: A Search for the Missing Element

Educators have long known the impact a child’s self-esteem, or self-concept, has upon his or her ability to perform in the classroom. This paper explores the variables involved in developing self-concept both in theory and the research. The roles of teacher feedback, student failure and success, and difficulty of task are examined and their impact upon student self-esteem assessed. Learning theories such as constructivism and the use of teams in the classroom are also presented and discussed. Self-esteem does not come about simply as a result of prior success. It develops 1) as a child experiences success at tasks he or she deems important, 2) as that child feels that he or she is comparing positively to others, and 3) as the child consistently sees his or her accomplishments in a positive light as compared to what the child feels he or she can do. The present study examined the effect of student charting and teacher discussion of those charts on student self-concept. The results showed that after the treatment phase, neither of the two experimental groups showed significant differences in self esteem when compared to the control group