Society has begun to place value on self-esteem as people believe that there are benefits associated with high self-esteem. People who have higher self-esteem report that they are happier, less anxious, more optimistic, and more satisfied. People have begun to relate low self-esteem with aggression, poor health, teenage pregnancy, and low achievement in school (Crocker and Wolfe, 2001, 593). Students who have academic contingencies tend to have better exam scores, standardized test scores, and course grades (Grand and Dweck, 2003, 541).
However, recently there has been a debate of whether or not low self-esteem is a cause or symptom of societal problems. Those who think that self-esteem is simply a symptom argue that while self-esteem does an excellent job in providing people with positive emotion, which can influence mental health, promoting self-esteem among students does not effectively increase academic achievement (Crocker and Wolfe, 2001, 593). Evidence to support this include findings that high self-esteem does not cause high academic achievement or good job performance. This same study also argues that low self-esteem is not associated with many societal problems such as smoking and drugs. Even in this debate though, there is general consensus that self-esteem based in an academic contingency is correlated with more motivation in school work (Crocker and Park, 2004, 392-393). Perhaps a middle ground in this debate is that there should be more research on specific aspects of self-esteems and schools in order to better understand its relationship to learning. Additionally, teachers should not be teaching students that they are "fabulous" or that only some self-esteem is warranted. Instead, teachers should focus on teaching self-worth and self-respect (Crocker and Wolfe, 2001, 617).
Others have echoed that there is value in teaching a student about self-worth and self-respect instead of self-esteem. By having a teacher affirm a student, it may awaken that student to the sense that they have a self, something to be affirmed and something worth caring about. This sense of self can then instill in them curiosity, empathy, and a desire for the truth. Therefore perhaps teachers should not so much seek to help students build up their self-esteem, but aspire to assist students in realizing that they have a valuable self (Cottle, 2004, 270-271).
However, recently there has been a debate of whether or not low self-esteem is a cause or symptom of societal problems. Those who think that self-esteem is simply a symptom argue that while self-esteem does an excellent job in providing people with positive emotion, which can influence mental health, promoting self-esteem among students does not effectively increase academic achievement (Crocker and Wolfe, 2001, 593). Evidence to support this include findings that high self-esteem does not cause high academic achievement or good job performance. This same study also argues that low self-esteem is not associated with many societal problems such as smoking and drugs. Even in this debate though, there is general consensus that self-esteem based in an academic contingency is correlated with more motivation in school work (Crocker and Park, 2004, 392-393). Perhaps a middle ground in this debate is that there should be more research on specific aspects of self-esteems and schools in order to better understand its relationship to learning. Additionally, teachers should not be teaching students that they are "fabulous" or that only some self-esteem is warranted. Instead, teachers should focus on teaching self-worth and self-respect (Crocker and Wolfe, 2001, 617).
Others have echoed that there is value in teaching a student about self-worth and self-respect instead of self-esteem. By having a teacher affirm a student, it may awaken that student to the sense that they have a self, something to be affirmed and something worth caring about. This sense of self can then instill in them curiosity, empathy, and a desire for the truth. Therefore perhaps teachers should not so much seek to help students build up their self-esteem, but aspire to assist students in realizing that they have a valuable self (Cottle, 2004, 270-271).