Children in day care and early childhood programs are becoming more at-risk in the development of appropriate self-esteem. This is evidenced by a number of inappropriate practices in some programs. These practices include a heavy emphasis on testing, homogeneous grouping, the use of a large number of worksheets, heavy drill, and long periods of sitting and listening (Manning & Manning, 1981). Teachers and day care providers can have a great impact on a child's self-esteem. This article is concerned with helping teachers by answering the following questions: What is self-esteem? What are the requirements for high self-esteem? What can a teacher do to encourage appropriate self-esteem? © 1989 Human Sciences Press.
