The importance of building self-esteem and confidence in our children

Prioritizing students' sense of self-worth is a core principle at our school.

Recently, fifth-grade students did a special project called "I Love Myself", to help them feel confident, happy, and, most importantly, loved for who they are.

They drew self-portraits and wrote descriptive texts about themselves, reflecting on what makes them unique and irreplaceable. By integrating artistic expression, reflective writing, and peer engagement, the project exemplified effective pedagogy aligned, especially with Competence 2 of our pedagogical model: "I value and take care of myself."

The project consisted of three main steps: first, they drew a self-portrait with a special technique learned during art class; second, they wrote a text about what makes each of them special, and third, they presented it to their classmates as well as to 4th and 6th graders. The project mixed art and writing, which are important forms of expression.This activity helped students learn about each other.

Ada A., stated, "During this activity, I learned many things about my classmates, for example, their likes, the way they describe themselves, and also about their dreams and goals. I learned that none of us are the same, but we are all special because God thought of each and every one of us."

This project helped students feel closer to each other and understand that everyone is different but special, fostering self-love.

Some students found the project challenging. Gabriel G., expressed, "This activity was a bit hard because I had never really stopped and thought about my qualities, but I liked discovering my talents, putting them on paper, and being able to present them to others."

On the other hand, Alessandra R., found it fairly easy. She stated, "Describing myself was easy because I consider I know myself pretty well. I enjoyed this assignment since I felt it was like an interview with myself, and that was fun!"

These thoughts show that the project made students reflect on themselves in new ways and enjoy the process. At the end of the project, students presented their drawings and stories to their classmates and also to 4th and 6th graders who were invited to listen to the presentations. This helped them get better at speaking in front of others and feel more confident about sharing their ideas.This 5th-grade art and English project proved to be a multifaceted educational initiative with significant implications for self-esteem development and holistic growth. It was a great way to learn and have fun at the same time, showing that everyone is unique and special in their own way.

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Miss Gaby Bondanza

5th grade teacher