Self-Esteem Classes
Self-esteem class activities will include social time, developmental tasks and discussions. Activities such as art and craft projects, games, and structured playtime will give children an opportunity to express themselves. By observing or participating in a non-threatening way, TLC therapists will obtain valuable information about each child. Through seemingly casual conversation, while playing or working alongside a child, therapists will be able to determine a child’s opinion of himself/herself, a child’s opinion of his/her parents, the child’s social skill level and degree of anger. The therapists will ascertain the necessary information on each child and a therapeutic plan will be developed and implemented.
Children will be encouraged to develop and test new skills through interactive games, experiential exercises and role-plays. Students will practice communication, self-assertion and interpersonal relationship skills. They will test alternative behaviors for handling conflict and making decisions, and learn effective ways for handling stress and anger. Developmental task building will be reinforced during the day’s discussion time. With the assurance that what they say will be kept confidential, children will share their feelings with a therapist. Group discussions will be used to set goals, present new ideas for relating to other people, and help children discover sources of negative feelings, especially anger, and ways to understand and deal with those feelings. The children will learn that they have a choice about their own feelings and behavior.
All interactions will be designed to build self-esteem because every single thing that builds true self-esteem also serves to reduce anger, the seed of violence. As self-esteem increases, attitudes and behaviors improve. Appreciating each child’s unique qualities and strengths and providing a safe place in which to express feelings and thoughts, will encourage children to communicate and to test and develop adaptive skills. Children will learn to identify and appropriately express negative feelings such as anger, shame, blame and guilt. With the assistance of trained therapists, they will discover the reasons for those feelings and develop new skills for problem solving, negotiating and relating to parents, teachers and peers. These accomplishments tremendously build their self-esteem.
TLC staff will act as advocates, challengers, nurturers and role models, developing relationships with the children characterized by mutual caring, commitment and trust. As children begin to see themselves through the therapists’ eyes, their self-image improves and they are empowered to make positive life changes.
As children develop a higher self-concept and more positive self-image, problem behaviors will decrease. They will increase their commitment to school and increase pro-social behavior. These behavioral changes will strengthen their resiliency to the numerous factors that put them at risk for violent behavior and school disciplinary problems.
