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Course Description
The aim of Self-Esteem for Educators is for teachers to utilize the Internet to access course activities that will allow them to learn skills and principles for integrating a model to enhance student self-esteem and performance in the classroom.
Online Delivery
Participants will access professional literature and research at the course Web site. In addition, students will use a bulletin board system, called the Forum, to receive and report on assignments; participate in group activities and dialogues; and receive personal feedback from the instructor. The Forum is an asynchronous bulletin board system. Students will be posting and dialoging in individual threads specific to each module. Teachers will experience the power of the Internet to connect and network teachers from across the country, and they will enjoy the benefits that connection and support can bring.
Course Objectives
Curriculum Design
Self-Esteem for Educators utilizes a four-step experiential learning model called SIPA. In addition, there are online small and large group discussions in the Forum, exercises, and written assignments. Homework assignments require participants to do outside reading and preparation of group reports, and specific one-to-one and group self-esteem interactions on the job or at home.
Course Materials
The required textbook for this course is Enhancing Self-Esteem by C. Jesse Carlock, Ph.D. (ISBN 1-56032-396-5). The textbook, course materials, and an extensive Recommended Reading List will be provided for all students. In addition, online readings and Web site reviews (including journal articles and best practices from the body of educational research) will be assigned during the course to enhance learning. These readings will be presented as annotated Web sites within the course content.
Time Requirements
Self-Esteem for Educators is a 3-credit graduate level course offered over a period of 13 weeks. Modules 1, 2, 4-6, 8, and 9 will be completed over a one-week period each. Modules 3, 7, and 10 will be completed over a two-week period each.
Skill and Hardware Requirements
Students are expected to have a very basic knowledge of how to use an Internet browser such as Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, or America Online (AOL). Students should also be familiar with e-mail and have an active e-mail account and Internet access. In addition, students should possess basic word processing skills.
Students may use either a Macintosh computer or a PC with Windows 95 or higher. Teachers may use either Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer, or the latest version of AOL as their browser. Teachers may download Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer at no cost.
Module 1: Introduction and Overview
Objectives: Students will understand the purpose, objectives, and requirements of Self-Esteem for Educators. Students will clarify personal expectations and goals. Students will learn an operational definition of "self-esteem." Students will begin to get to know each other and begin the process of building group identity in the Forum. Students will demonstrate the ability to use the Forum by posting a paragraph in the correct Forum as outlined in the assignment.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Students will post an introduction paragraph in the Forum: Introductions and reply to another posting. Students will read Chapter 1 and write a reflection on the chapter. In addition, students will gather information from assigned Web sites, research articles or best practices.
Module 2: A Four-Phase Model for Enhancing Self-Esteem
Objectives: Students will learn norms, or standards, for enhancing self-esteem by building critical thinking, responsibility and self-acceptance. Students will learn Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs, a theory predicting and explaining self-esteem. Students will also learn a four-phase development model for enhancing self-esteem. Students will learn a definition of "identity." Students will explore personal identity issues and clarify the importance of self-esteem for content area learning.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Students will post their responses to questions about the assigned readings, Web sites, and research articles or best practices in the Forum and dialog with their colleagues. Students will read Chapter 2 in the textbook and write a reflection on the reading.
Module 3: Intention and Self-Esteem
Objectives: Students will define and understand the nature of intention and its relationship to self-esteem. Students will identify typical barriers to realizing intention.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Students will complete, reflect on the Wants vs. Intention activity, and post their answers to questions presented in the module in the Forum and dialog with their colleagues. Students will read Chapter 3 in the textbook and write a reflection on the reading.
Module 4: Strengths and Weaknesses
Objectives: Students will learn a definition of identity and identity crisis. Students will understand the role of identity in the development of healthy self-esteem. Students will also raise their awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Students will complete, reflect and post their reflection on the Identity exercise in the Forum and dialog with their colleagues. Students will read Chapter 4 and write a reflection on the assigned reading, Web sites, and research articles or best practices.
Module 5: Internal Dialogue and Self-Esteem
Objectives: Students will distinguish between cognition and emotion. Students will raise their awareness of conscious and unconscious thought. Students will identify and change the effect of negative thought patterns. In addition, students will identify strategies for integrating self-esteem into instruction.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Students will complete and reflect on the Killer Statements and Affirmations exercises. They will post their reflection in the Forum and dialog with their colleagues. Students will also read Chapter 5 and write a reflection on the assigned readings, Web sites, and research articles or best practices.
Module 6: Communication and Self-Esteem
Objectives: Students will identify techniques for effective communication and practice effective listening.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Students will complete the Listening Exercise, reflect on the experience, post their reflection in the Forum and dialog with their colleagues. Students will also read Chapter 6 and write a reflection on the assigned readings, Web sites, and research articles or best practices.
Module 7: Communication and Self-Esteem Continued
Objectives: Students will examine the relationship between negative communication and self-esteem; learn and practice effective disclosure; use self-disclosure to acknowledge and motivate students.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Students will implement the Disclosure Exercise, reflect on the implementation, post their reflection and dialog with their colleagues. Students will also read Chapter 7 and write a reflection on the assigned readings, Web sites, and research articles or best practices.
Module 8: Phase Three: Nurturance
Objectives: Students will understand the role of nurturance in the enhancement of self-esteem; identify key sources of support and nurturance; reflect upon and evaluate personal relationships; assess the quality of relationship networks, personally and for students in the classroom; create specific intentions for improving the quality of networks and relationships.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Students will complete the Strokes Exercise exercise. They will reflect on the topic of Nurturance and how it applies to themselves and their students based on their experiences with this exercises. Students will post their reflection in the Forum and dialog with their colleagues. Students will also reflect on their relationship network and the ideas presented in the module. Students will write a reflection on their relationship network, the assigned readings, Web sites, and research articles or best practices.
Module 9: Phase Four: Maintenance
Objectives: Students will identify and implement strategies for maintaining self-esteem; learn from mistakes; identify risk and reward; set and publicize new personal goals.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Students will complete the Accomplishment/Achievement activity, develop three new goals and write intention statements for those goals, and complete the taking risks activity. Students will reflect on the results of these activities, post their reflection in the Forum, and dialog with their colleagues. Students will also write a paper on the results of the Self-Esteem Enhancement activity. Students will begin working on their research reports and the final integration project.
Module 10: Final Integration Project
Objectives: Students will identify strategies for maintaining student self-esteem; design and apply a new model for integrating self-esteem into instruction; complete the final exam.
Content:
Culminating Assignment: Based upon sound educational research principles and best practices that you have learned in this course, create a unit consisting of five lesson plans to demonstrate your knowledge on how to integrate self-esteem principles into a subject specific curriculum area. The lesson plans must reference research articles and best practices related to self-esteem. Students will also submit their research report and complete the final exam.
Grading Criteria
| Forum Discussions | 27 |
| Reflections | 24 |
| Research Report | 11 |
| Integration Project: Five Lesson Plans | 25 |
| Self-Esteem Enhancement | 3 |
| Final Exam | 10 |
| Total Points | 100 |
Grading Scale
| 100 - 93 | A |
| 92 - 85 | B |
| 84 - 77 | C |
Student Requirements
Example: You consistently avoid confrontation. Examine this behavior and determine whether this serves you well in the area of self-esteem enhancement. Make it your intention to confront and get your needs met for one week and write about the same. How did it effect your self-esteem, etc.
