Notes to the Instructor
In teaching ways to enhance students’ self-esteem, you need to convey the separateness of self from others, give permission to make choices, and stress the worthiness of each person.
Developing a sense of self-worth is a primary force behind the development of social/sexual skills. It needs to be established prior to developing assertiveness and self-protection skills. People with disabilities have often experienced a number of assaults to their self-esteem. Quite likely those assaults have been cruel labels associated with their disability. Self-esteem can be enhanced by helping students appreciate their own experiences. What they think, feel, like, and dislike is a Purple Private matter and has value for them, even when it differs from what other people value.
A sense of self-worth affects behavior in private as well as in public. The students need to understand that each individual is important and therefore commands respect as well as shows respect.
Interpretation
- Purple Private Circle/Space
- You need always remember that you are the most important person in your world.
- You have good qualities and can reveal them to others if you wish.
- Liking yourself makes it easier for others to like you
- Blue Big Hug Circle
- Once you start to show good self-esteem, you will be better able to have a close relationship with someone.
- It’s easier to care for and about a sweetheart or a family member when you also care for yourself.
- Green Far Away Hug Circle
- When you show good self-esteem, it tells your friends that you expect them to treat you just as well as you treat them.
- Yellow Handshake Circle
- Your acquaintances will recognize your self-esteem and will know that you expect respectful treatment from them.
- New acquaintances will be glad to meet you
- Orange Wave Circle
- When you know you are important, you will also know that children are important too, but you do not need to touch them.
- When you wave to people who you recognize but are not close to, they will recognize you too.
- Red Stranger Circle (Community Helpers/Health Workers)
- Community helpers will help you to the best of their ability.
- Red Total Stranger Space (Total Strangers)
- Be polite and respectful, then don’t give a thought about what strangers think about you.
Activities
- Review the Purple Private Circle. Use the CIRCLES graph to personalize each individual’s set of CIRCLES. Take, and centrally place a photo of each student on the graph. (A camera is most helpful. If not available, use icons, sketches, or names.)
- Have students create a personal CIRCLES graph with an oversized Purple Private Space (use purple construction paper). Take photos of individuals doing activities that demonstrate personal accomplishments, such as washing hair, artwork, reading, writing, sports, etc.
- Use a decorated craft box or shoe box with a mirror glued in the inside bottom to build a “Magic Box”. Put a purple border around the mirror. When the student opens the box, they will see the most important person in the world... themselves, in the Purple Private Circle.
- Practice saying compliments to the face in the mirror. Only truthful ones!
- Use questioning techniques to show how each person has strengths that are different from the others and valued. Individuality and mutual respect are key issues here. Appreciation of diversity can help students understand that they are defined by so much more than their disability.
- Have students use magazines to make a collage of particular likes and preferences in a category, such as foods, clothes, activities, animals, beliefs, etc. These preferences help define the students at a particular moment in time.
- Hand out an outline of a person without any specific characteristics: no eyes, hair, clothes, etc. Have students personalize the figures to look like themselves, dressing them as they are dressed and making hair, eyes, and skin also match their own.
- Record and play a conversation between the students about how the students spent the past weekend or what the students liked and disliked about a TV show that they recently watched. Have students notice that although everyone’s experience is different, all are equally valuable.
- Do strength bombardment with a small group of students. Each student has a chance to be in the center of a circle. Those surrounding him/her take turns saying things that they appreciate about that person.
- Discuss the parts of the body (e.g., eyes, ears, arms, legs, etc.) and what they are used for.
- Have students create their own decorations for their own miniature “Magic Box” which they can keep.
- Have each student personalize a folder to keep the papers they complete in class and/or scrap book like Sofia’s.
- Teach students to replace slang terms with adult language for body parts (i.e., their genitals).