By Antionette Meeks of Cairn Guidance, a Dove Self-Esteem Project Partner
It’s a new school year!
After overcoming the fact they must rise early once again, many students will jump out of bed excited for the drive, bike, walk or bus ride to school. Ready for the first day of school! Many will have on new or new to them clothing and come armed with supplies provided by caring adults. There is excitement as they think of the classmates they have not seen since school ended and special educators they wish to greet.
Educators will have begun their year several days before their students. They, too, are often excited to see colleagues and prepare for the new school year. They will participate in school-level and district meetings, as well as other professional development activities. They will prepare their spaces, readying them for their students. There is also the thrill of meeting and greeting students and parents prior to the first day of school.
Educators are amazing professionals tasked with a major responsibility. They, in many ways, are the keepers of society, preparing students for adulthood. Educators support parents in teaching students how to do basic things, such as reading, writing, and “learning” numbers. They teach subject matter, responsibility, kindness, manners, citizenship, communication, empathy, and decision-making skills. They teach right from wrong and respect of self and others, etc.
Educators connect with their students and watch them grow through instruction and interactions. They hear about students and their social media behavior. They see how students compare themselves to one another; not always in constructive ways. Students may want the perfect selfie and may take several snapshots before posting a picture and look forward to achieving a lot of likes and followers. They may also experience cyberbullying from classmates and even people they do not know as they venture into the different social media platforms. The result may be poor self-esteem and a lack of body confidence.
Students experiencing poor self-esteem and a lack of body confidence tend to have their academic performance impacted and demonstrate less of a willingness to actively participate in discussions. They may also decline to participate in sports, clubs, or other activities. It is not because they do not have the interest or skill – they may be held back by appearance anxiety.
A new school year can and should be an exciting new beginning and not an extension of the potential body confidence issues some may have experienced over the summer or the last school year. A part of making this new school year a great experience for students is building their self-esteem through no-cost tools like those provided by the Dove Self-Esteem Project. The Dove Self-Esteem Project Confident Me! workshop lessons will help all students recognize and navigate the daily experiences that may have a negative impact on their self-esteem and body confidence, such as social media and media messages appearance ideals, comparison culture, negative body talk, and common forms of appearance discrimination (ableism, sizeism, colorism/shadeism, sexism, hair discrimination, racism).
Educators are charged with graduating students who can function as successful, responsible, contributing, and productive members of society. Students’ intellectual health is as important as their mental and emotional health. The Dove Self-Esteem Project’s no-cost resources, especially the popular ‘Confident Me!’ six lessons and one lesson curricula, can support educators in their efforts to help students thrive as they grow into their best selves. Each school year represents the opportunity to educate students with an eye toward a well-rounded education that provides more than just subject matter instruction.
Have an outstanding school year!
To learn more about the Dove Self-Esteem Project or to download the free resources, email us at info@cairnguidance.com.
Leave a Reply