Barbara W. Coles Trader
I strongly agree that building selfesteem is one of the most important parts of a happy life from early childhood through adulthood. An individual that likes and values herself/himself has selfconfidence. The individual sees himself/herself in a positive way and can accept strengths and weaknesses with constructive criticism. A person is not to believe that one is better than others; it merely means that one doesn’t have a need to show off, brag or boast if there is a positive personal image. How does a person with selfesteem see herself/himself in positive ways?
A mentally healthy person understands one’s self and has positive selfesteem (can control emotions). I still agree with a renown Greek philosopher, Socrates, “Know Thyself.” There will be several questions addressed further in the lesson plans of this unit. Do I know and like myself? Do I continually grow to understand myself, relate to others and try to solve realistic life problems without using drugs/alcohol?
On the other hand, Thomas Jefferson had a dream of an American society based on personal merit rather than race/class. During the present, the American dream depends on a high level of universal and mature literacy. What does all of the above information mean to an AfricanAmerican youth and family if one does not view himself/herself as an active participant in one’s community/country? Hence, an individual often does not go to the polls and vote, because one has the feeling of powerlessness. In order for a person to comprehend, one is to focus the attention on background information which includes content-knowledge and positive shared attitudes. A student can learn the above information by being taught reading in the content areas of literature and ethnic history/art.
