Self-concept is like a puzzle; it has many pieces! In this SEL lesson, kindergartners learn that there are influential factors that affect the way they think and feel about themselves. To help them understand, this lesson provides three short stories demonstrating how family, friends, and themselves can influence how they understand themselves.
The first story is about a boy who feels good about himself because he has his ever-supportive family on his side as he trains and plays baseball.
The second story is about a girl who transfers to a new school and feels bad for getting ignored and picked on by some of her schoolmates. Her feelings then improve when her new classmates get to know her better and play with her. Having new friends helps her to feel more positive about herself.
"Self-concept is like a puzzle; it has many pieces! In this SEL lesson, kindergartners learn that there are influential factors that affect the way they think and feel about themselves."
The last story describes a girl who likes to draw above anything else, causing her to neglect her other responsibilities. After realizing that falling behind in her schoolwork makes her view herself negatively, she decides to make positive changes in her habits. Improving her actions and making positive commitments enable her to gain a better sense of self.
The stories that complete this lesson show that self-concept can be transformed, no matter how it was created. Through these narratives, kindergartners better understand the influence that their family, friends, and themselves have on the way they think and feel about themselves. As a reinforcement, the lesson ends with an SEL activity that reminds the students of the concepts.
With this lesson, kindergartners can learn to control their thoughts and actions as they become aware of why they think and feel about themselves the way they do. Understanding these factors allows them to intentionally take positive actions that can help them improve their feelings about themselves.
Finally, it helps them develop a level of self-awareness, which is one of the five social-emotional learning core competencies. This is the ability to assess and understand one’s thoughts, emotions, values, and experiences that influence one’s choice of behavior. It is crucial for student success, providing direction for self-improvement and responsible decision-making.
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