Promoting Self Confidence among Middle School Students By Dina Durnin, School Counselor Hoech Middle School

1. Promoting Self Confidence among Middle School Students By Dina Durnin, School Counselor Hoech Middle School

2. Self-Esteem Issues in Middle School • The importance of self-esteem • Training your own thoughts • Striving for perfection • How to view mistakes • Goal setting

3. The Importance of Self-Esteem • The importance of self-esteem is a direct reflection on one’s influence on their lives. Self-esteem affects relationships, academic achievement, and living life to it’s fullest. • The developmental growth stage that pre-teens and young teens encounter during Middle School are especially challenging when trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in.

4. Training Your Own Thoughts • When trying to change low self-esteem students should focus on retraining their negative thoughts into positive self-talk. • Steps to use, identify negative self-talk, stop, think of a strength, and use positive self-talk.

5. Striving for Perfection • Striving for perfection is impossible in life and could be damaging to one’s self-esteem. A shift in thinking to setting attainable goals and reaching them is a healthier way to reach higher levels of self-confidence.

6. How to view mistakes • Changing the way a student views mistakes impacts their self-esteem, retraining the thought process to view mistakes as challenges or opportunities to learn, are more effective when attaining higher levels of self-esteem.

7. Goal Setting • Setting attainable goals for oneself is important when reflecting on successes. Many small goal successes lead to larger goal setting and belief that you can accomplish them.

8. Description of Self-Esteem Groups • Two Separate Groups Consisted of: • One group of 10 eighth grade female students • Second group of 8 eighth grade male students Settings Small group in a classroom Once a week for 45-55 minutes Six weeks Time of day varied within school day

9. Interventions & Measurements • Weekly self-esteem lessons/activities facilitated by the counselor and school social worker. • Counselor generated pre and post survey

10. Measuring Student Change • Pre and post survey comparison results • Teacher Observation Feedback • Parent Conference

11. Data Results—Girls Group Pre-test

12. Data Results—Girls Group Post-test

13. Data Results—Boys Group Pre-test

14. Data Results—Boys Group Post-test

15. Data Analysis • Graphed results from the pre and post tests completed by group participants • Interviews from teachers with direct observation/contact of group participants • Interview from parents/peers with direct interactions of group participants

16. Summary of Self-Esteem Groups • According to self reported data by group participants students gained: • A better understanding of self-esteem • A positive outlook on their future and current situations • Knowledge/skills they can use to retrain their thought process and setting goals

17. Summary of Self-Esteem Groups • Teacher observations and reports indicate: • Students contributed more to classroom discussions • Students self advocacy increased • Students made positive decisions in classroom/peer interactions

18. Summary of Self-Esteem Groups • Parents reported: • Students gained insight to importance of decision-making • Students understand the importance of goal setting • Students learned how their actions impact their self image and how others view them

19. Implications for Future • Understanding that self-esteem in the Middle School is a continuous problem and future small groups are needed to assist students in recognizing their true potential in life.

20. Quotes • “Confidence comes from not always being right, but learning to be wrong.” ~Peter T. McIntyre • “Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.” ~Unknown

21. Resources/Contact Information • How Can I Improve My Self Esteem? Reviewed by: D’Arcy Lyness, PhD, March 2009, http://kidshealth.org/teen/ • Dina Durnin, School Counselor Hoech Middle School 3312 Ashby Rd. St. Ann, MO 63074 (314) 493-6217 durnind@ritenour.k12.mo.us