Self-Esteem Exercises

I just got home from a workshop at the college. The first half of the day, we listened to and participated in a presentation by the Southern Illinois Professional Development Center called "Are We Ever Going to Use This?: Making Sense of Algebra Using a Hands-On Approach." During this presentation, we learned that algebraic principles foster an environment of fairness, justice, balance, and equality and that the discipline is an excellent problem-solving tool. (Y'know, if my math teachers had used this angle, I might actually like math now!) Anyway, the second half of the day was devoted to a SIPDC workshop entitled "Encouraging Your Students to Increase Self-Esteem-- Creating the Climate." Here, we did various interactive self-esteem exercises that can be adapted for the classroom. One of these exercises was writing an "I Am" poem. Below is the one I wrote.

"I Am..."

By Me

I am a teacher

I wonder how I can create change

I hear about problems

I see solutions

I want to be part of the solution

I am a teacher

I pretend that the world is perfect

I feel frustrated sometimes

I touch people in my own unique way

I worry about things I know I cannot change

I cry occasionally for no particular reason

I am a teacher

I understand that I can't change the world by myself

I say "yes" when others say "no"

I dream that I will make a difference

I try to accept what I cannot control

I hope I'm helping someone

I am a teacher

Uplifting, huh?