DOCUMENT RESUME
            ED 434 753                                                   PS 027 983
            AUTHOR           Rubin, Christa
            TITLE            Self-Esteem in the Classroom.
            PUB DATE         1999-05-00
            NOTE             48p.; Master's Action Research Project, Saint Xavier
                             University and IRI/Skylight.
            PUB TYPE         Dissertations/Theses (040)     Tests/Questionnaires (160)
            EDRS PRICE       MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
            DESCRIPTORS      Action Research; Change Strategies; *Cooperative Learning;
                             *Elementary School Students; Interpersonal Competence; Low
                             Income Groups; Motivation; Multiple Intelligences; Pretests
                             Posttests; Primary Education; Program Effectiveness; Program
                             Evaluation; Questionnaires; *Self Esteem; *Student
                             Attitudes; *Student Improvement; Student Journals; Surveys
            ABSTRACT
                             Identifying low self-esteem as the underlying factor
            contributing to poor school attitudes, negative self feelings, difficulty
            making friends, and difficulty in working independently and completing
            assignments, this action research project evaluated the effectiveness of an
            intervention incorporating cooperative learning and teaching to the multiple
            intelligences in a third grade class. The targeted population consisted of 22
            third graders attending a midwestern elementary school in which almost half
            of the population comes from low income families. The problem of low
            self-esteem was documented through teacher anecdotal records, a teacher
            questionnaire, a student survey, and a parent survey. A survey of the
            literature revealed potential solutions to self-esteem problems, including
            experiencing self-accomplishment through real effort, feeling valued at home
            and school, and learning interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. The 4-month
            intervention was comprised of a program incorporating weekly cooperative
            learning activities and teaching to the multiple intelligences. Weekly
            student journal entries were also included to encourage student reflection.
            Assessment methods of program effectiveness included a modified student
            survey, teacher anecdotal records, and student journal entries.
            Post-intervention data revealed an increase in students' self-esteem, an
            improvement in attitudes about school, more positive feelings about self,
            development of friendship skills, and an improvement in independent work
            completion. (Four appendices include the parent questionnaire, student
            survey, and teacher survey. Contains 16 references.) (Author/KB)
            ********************************************************************************
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                                                                                                                                                             P5
                                                                      U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
                                                                     Office of Educational Research and Improvement
                                                                   EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
                                                                              CENTER (ERIC)
                                                                     This document has been reproduced as
                                                                     received from the person or organization
                                                                     originating it.
     M                                                               Minor changes have been made to
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                                                                     Points of view or opinions stated in this
                                                                     document do not necessarily represent
    1=Z                                                              official OERI position or policy.
                                                     SELF-ESTEEM IN THE CLASSROOM
                                                                                                                 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
                                                                                                                 DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
                                                                                                                       BEEN GRANTED BY
                                                                       Christa Rubin                                                 Rv.rath
                                                                                                                 TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
                                                                                                                   INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
                                                                                                              1
                                   An Action Research Project Submitted to the Graduate Faculty
                                          of the School of Education in Partial Fulfillment of the
                                                          Requirements for the Degree of
                                                   Master of Arts in Teaching and Leadership
                                     Saint Xavier University & Skylight Professional Development
                                                            Field-Based Masters Program
                                                                      Chicago, Illinois
                                                                          May, 1999
                                                                                                  BEST COPY AVAILABLE
                                            SIGNATURE PAGE
                                         This project was approved by
                                                   Advisor
                                                   Advisor
                                           Dean, School viEdutation            172
                                             iii
                        ABSTRACT
       This report describes a program for improving low self-esteem. The targeted
       population consisted of third grade students in an elementary school where
       almost half of the school population is low-income. The school is located in a
       lower to middle class community near a large mid-western city. The problem of
       low self-esteem, as seen in the third grade students, was documented through
       teacher anecdotal records, a teacher questionnaire, a student survey, and a
       parent survey.
       Analysis of probable cause data revealed that students exhibited low
        self-esteem, as exhibited by poor attitudes about school, negative feelings about
       themselves, trouble making friends, trouble working independently, and
        completing assignments. Faculty reports and a review of the research literature
        suggested that low self-esteem was related to a feeling of being unimportant,
        empty praise from parents and teachers, classroom structure, and teachers'
        control orientation.
        A review of solution strategies suggested by researchers in the field of
        education, combined with an analysis of the problem setting, resulted in the
        development of a program for improving self-esteem in the students which
        incorporated cooperative learning and teaching to the multiple intelligences.
        Post intervention data indicated an increase in students' self-esteem, an
        improvement in attitudes about school, more positive feelings about themselves,
        development of friendship skills, and an improvement with independent work
        completion.
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