Normally, children who aren't homeschooled spend 30 to 35 hours a week in school under the guidance and authority of teachers. Consequently, teachers have a unique opportunity to have a positive influence on the emotional and mental well-being of children who are helped to develop good self-esteem stand a stronger chance of thriving as adults. Children do not develop self-esteem solely within the classroom, of course. Self-esteem is an extremely complex human dimension tied most tightly to the relationship between parent (or surrogate) and child. The parent/child relationship cannot be substituted for, or replaced, within a classroom environment; there it can only be supported and complemented.
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Accordingly, the classroom teacher can only help to enhance and build upon the self-esteem a child has developed in the home. This does not diminish the role of classroom teachers. Enhancing a child’s self-worth is a major contribution to that child’s well-being. Children who have suffered neglect or abuse with obvious damage to their personality development are beyond the purview of the classroom teacher. These problems require psychotherapy for the child and the child’s family. The child, however, can be helped by the teacher. These children need the extra attention, care, and guidance of healthy adults. People who have survived an emotionally or physically deprived childhood and have gone to productive and satisfying adulthood usually can name a mentor or significant adult who made a difference in their lives. This mentor - whether a health educator, teacher, member of the clergy, relative, or friend - provided the emotional support and guidance that sent a message that the person mattered, that he or she had self-worth.
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Mental health is intrinsic to overall health and to students’ learning in school. Its opposite, mental illness, is defined as problems or disorders related to the psychological processes or organic functions of the brain. Personality attributes that contribute to mental health are autonomy, emotional separateness, meaning in life, self-worth, self-love, authenticity, self-consciousness, values, and social skills. Among the relevant theories is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy or needs.
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At the bottom of his pyramid are the needs related to basic survival, then safety and security, followed by love and belonging, identity and self-esteem, and finally, self-actualization. These needs are met first by the parents, then the school, expanding eventually to the broader community.
Another theorist. Erik Erikson, proposed eight stages of human development and outlined the conflicts at each stage.
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Teachers are involved mainly with individuals in stages III (initiative versus guilt),IV(industry versus inferiority) and Stage V (identity versus role confusion). These are preceded by stages in which the family has set the stage for trust versus mistrust and autonomy versus self-doubt both of which the student carries into school.
Although teachers usually are not the primary influences in children’s lives, they can do much to foster mental health by affirming students self-worth giving praise for achievements, supporting values, and promoting social skills.
Resources & Extra reading:
http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/self-esteem.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_disorder
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_health
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erikson%27s_stages_of_psychosocial_development
