Student self-esteem and academic achievement

Abstract

There is a growing belief that academic achievement is the product of a complex network of teacher-student relations, where the identity of successful and unsuccessful student is developing with high, moderate or low self-esteem level. Self-esteem is most often defined as a conscious cognitive-affective expression of self-evaluation which is one of the most immediate indicators of self-concept integration degree. A number of authors view high self-esteem level as an important prerequisite for high academic achievement. In contrast, academic achievement and other experiences related to teaching and learning are considered to exert significant influence on self-esteem and a student should be successful at school first so as to develop a positive self-image and his academic abilities. The debate on what comes first - self-esteem or academic achievement - is in its character more academic than practical. This claim is supported by an increasing number of studies indicating the dynamism and reciprocity of correlation between academic achievement and self-esteem. The paper gives recommendations for educational practice to promote self-esteem and development of personal and social responsibility, which contributes to better student academic achievement. It is pointed out that teacher education in the field is necessary and that self-esteem and responsibility must become essential segments of curricula. Teacher is expected to become sensitive to the needs of students who are at risk to be unsuccessful and to largely apply cooperative learning methods. Findings demonstrate that cooperative learning either sustain or increase student self-esteem, whereas traditional teaching methods, in general, lead to its decline. Cooperative relations improve student self-image in respect of academic abilities and social interactions. Positive feedback, peer support, more frequent experience of learning achievement leads mainly to general increase in self-esteem and feeling of competence.

Sve je prisutnije stanovište da je školsko postignuće proizvod složene mreže odnosa između nastavnika i učenika u kojoj se formira identitet uspešnog i neuspešnog učenika s visokim, umerenim ili niskim samopoštovanjem. Samopoštovanje se, najčešće, određuje kao svesni, kognitivno-afektivni izraz samoevaluacije koja predstavlja jedan od najdirektnijih pokazatelja integrisanosti pojma o sebi. Prema shvatanju jednog broja autora, visoko samopoštovanje je značajan preduslov visokog školskog postignuća. Nasuprot navedenom smatra se da školsko postignuće i ostala iskustva vezana za nastavu i učenje ostvaruju značajan uticaj na samopoštovanje i da učenik najpre treba da bude uspešan u školi kako bi izgradio pozitivnu sliku o sebi i svojim akademskim sposobnostima. Rasprava o tome šta je prvo samopoštovanje ili školsko postignuće - više je akademske nego praktične prirode. U prilog tome govori sve veći broj istraživanja koja ukazuju na dinamičnost i recipročnost veze između školskog postignuća i samopoštovanja. U radu se daju preporuke za vaspitno-obrazovnu praksu u cilju unapređivanja samopoštovanja i razvoja lične i socijalne odgovornosti, što doprinosi poboljšanju školskog postignuća učenika. Naglašava se neophodnost obrazovanja nastavnika u ovoj oblasti, kao i to da samopoštovanje i odgovornost moraju postati bitni segmenti školskih programa. Od nastavnika se očekuje da bude osetljiv za potrebe učenika koji su pod rizikom da budu neuspešni i da, u većoj meri, primenjuje metode kooperativnog učenja. Istraživački nalazi pokazuju da kooperativno učenje ili održava ili povećava samopoštovanje učenika, dok tradicionalne metode nastave generalno dovode do njegovog snižavanja. Kooperativni odnosi poboljšavaju učeničku sliku o sebi u pogledu školskih sposobnosti i socijalnih interakcija. Pozitivni fidbek podrška od strane drugova, kao i češće doživljavanje uspeha u učenju uglavnom, vode ka opštem porastu samopoštovanja i osećanja kompetentnosti.