Radd, T. R., & Harsh, A. F. (1996). Creating a healthy classroom climate while facilitating
behavior change: A self-concept approach. Elementary School Guidance & Counseling,
31(2), 153-158.
Professional educators agree that it is important to help students develop a strong self-concept.
Professional educators also agree that it is difficult to put a plan in place that can intentionally
and consistently help students develop a strong self-concept. To assist professional educators
with this difficult responsibility, an informal study was conducted to determine the effectiveness
of applying the self-concept series and weave process (Radd, 1993) with students placed into a
classroom for students with behavioral disorders. The results demonstrate that the self-concept
series and weave process produce an increase of self-concept and an improvement of behavior
with students. The following gives information about the self-concept series and weave process,
plus practical examples for what you can do within a classroom to put the three steps of the
series in place. Even though this study was conducted with students in special education, the
ideas can be applied to any classroom.
THE SELF-CONCEPT SERIES
The self-concept series consists of three steps.
1. Each individual is valuable because he or she is unique and different from any other
individual (unconditional acceptance).
2. Because each individual is special and unique, each one has a responsibility to help and
not hurt him- or herself, or others. Individuals show that they are remembering that they
are important by the way they choose to act. If individuals choose to hurt themselves or
others, they are forgetting that they are special. Likewise, if individuals choose to help
themselves or others, they are remembering that they are special. When individuals help
themselves, they are also helping other individuals through modeling and demonstrating
positive behaviors.
3. Individuals are responsible to "watch" their actions to determine if they are remembering
the truth that they are special. Individuals are "with" themselves at all times and are
accountable to remember to treat themselves as an important human being.
Step I is considered the "truth" and addresses self-concept, Step 2 addresses behavior, and Step 3
addresses accountability. Relating the three steps of the self-concept series to situations that
occur in life weaves the self-concept series into life skill application. This process of application
to life situations is the self-concept series weave (Radd, 1993; Thompson & Rudolph, 1996).
USING THE SELF-CONCEPT SERIES
Using the self-concept series with students in a special education classroom reduces the need for
external "reinforcers" to a minimum. With students that demonstrate mild-to-moderate levels of
difficulty behaving, it may replace external reinforcers altogether. External reinforcers put the
teacher in control of manipulating students' behaviors. The self-concept series helps students and
teachers see themselves as capable people from whom appropriate behaviors can be expected.
As a result, teachers may find themselves respecting students in a new way and helping students
feel this way about themselves. As students see themselves controlling their behavior rather than
an adult who is reinforcing them, they grow more confident. This enhanced self-concept leads to
positive feelings about self and others. The key is to use the self-concept series as a way of
thinking that weaves throughout all aspects of the day, every day. The changes will be gradual
but more internalized.
Finally, the self-concept series increases the likelihood of generalization of desired behaviors
outside the classroom. When external reinforcers are used, the desired behaviors diminish
without the presence of the reinforcer. With the self-concept series, behavior changes result from
inner restructuring of thoughts and feelings. Such changes are more likely to last.
IDEAS FOR PRACTICAL CLASSROOM APPLICATION
Classroom Responsibilities (Rules)
Use the self-concept series to establish classroom responsibilities with the class. Post the three
steps of the series on large poster board. Teach the students the three steps of the series. Generate
a list of helpful choices they can make in the classroom (post these under Step 2 as a positive
alternative to rules). Give examples of ways the existing rules fit into the series. Discuss students'
responsibility to "watch themselves."
Ask each student to think of their most valuable possession. Next have them draw a picture or
write a short paragraph describing how they take care of this valuable possession. After students
share their paragraphs or pictures, compile a list of things they do to protect their possessions.
Facilitator: What is the one valuable thing that is with you all the time: at school, at home, and
when you sleep?
Students: Myself.
Facilitator: Now, let's look at our list and see how we can take care of the valuable possession of
ourselves.
Link the ideas from the student lists into ways they can take care of themselves. Follow with:
Facilitator: Because you are valuable, you are capable of being responsible for watching to see
that you take care of yourselves. Explain ways you can do this.
Students: By making choices that help ourselves and others instead of hurt.
Extinguishing "Good" and "Bad"
Avoid the use of the terms good and bad. If one member of the class says, "I am bad" or "I will
be good today," ask the students to remind him or her that they are always good and ask that the
statement be rephrased. Replace evaluative good and statements with self-concept series
statements such as "I am valuable, and I made a hurtful choice," or "I made a helpful choice,
today."
Locus of Control
One of the most common characteristics of students with behavior challenges is an external locus
of control. "He made me mad," "You gave me a time-out," "He was bothering me," and "She
made me do it" are commonly heard in the school and home environments. Remind students that
if they blame others for their choices, they are forgetting they are valuable. Remind students that,
as valuable people, they are capable of being responsible for their own choices. The feelings they
have are okay and are their choice and responsibility.
Facilitator: Tell me about what you were doing now.
Student: I was throwing a pencil at Joe because he made me mad.
Facilitator: You are valuable and are capable of being responsible for your own feelings and
behavior. Tell me why you are choosing to feel angry at Joe.
Student: He was tapping his pencil and I couldn't work.
Facilitator: How could you have helped yourself handle your angry feeling?
Student: I could have moved away from Joe or asked him to stop tapping. I could have
remembered to tell myself to calm down, help myself and others, and I am responsible for my
choices.
Facilitator: It sounds like you have a plan that you feel comfortable with for the next time this
happens. Please get back to work for now.
Put-Downs/Conflicts With Peers
The number one cause of stress for some educators is helping students get along with peers. The
self-concept series is extremely helpful in focusing on the fact that when students put others
down they are forgetting that they are valuable people. They are also forgetting that each peer is
a valuable person.
Remind students daily that there is enough room in the class for 12 (adjust number to fit class
size) valuable people. They do not need to prove they are valuable by putting others down. They
are all valuable at the same time.
Facilitator: (To Pat) Tell me about what you were forgetting when you called Tony names?
Student: That I am valuable and he is valuable.
Facilitator: If Tony is valuable, I wonder how that changes your value.
Student: It doesn't. I'm valuable, too.
Facilitator: So we don't need to put someone down to be valuable. Both you and Tony are special
people. Please think of ways you show you are remembering that fact.
Remind students that they are here to help each other, not hurt each other. When others put them
down, or say something they don't like, they can remind themselves they are valuable no matter
what others say. They also consider that frothers put them down, they are forgetting that they are
valuable. Maybe students could even remind them, when they do this, that they are valuable.
Facilitator: (To Tony) I wonder how you felt when Pat was calling you names?
Student: I felt bad and I felt like I was no good.
Facilitator: Think of what we have learned about put-downs. Explain why you think Pat called
you names?
Student: Because he feels bad about himself. He shows that he is forgetting he is valuable when
he does hurtful things. When he did that, I forgot and gave up my power. Facilitator: Tell me
ways you could help Pat and yourself?.
Student: I could ask him to play at recess. Then, we could be friends and he won't call me names.
Facilitator: If he does forget that he is valuable and calls you names again, how can you help
both of you?
Student: I can remind myself that I am valuable no matter what Pat says.
Talking Out/Off Task
When students are talking to peers during instruction, instead of saying "You need to stop talking
and listen to instructions," or "You need to get on task," use the self-concept series. Students
consider what is said when they understand how the behavior affects them and their peers.
Students look more closely at how their choices affect themselves and others rather than looking
at what the educator wants them to do.
The following are examples:
Facilitator: The choice to talk during instructions is hurtful to you and the people sitting around
you because you won't know how to do the assignment.
(or)
Facilitator: It would be helpful for you to listen to the directions now because everyone will be
too busy to help you later.
Time-Outs
Tie the self-concept series into time-out use. When students earn a time-out, ask them to
complete a worksheet that includes the following:
The problem.
Tell how it (the choice made) is hurtful to self and others.
List helpful choice alternatives to the hurtful choice that was made.
Tattling
The self-concept series helps to decrease tattling in the classroom. To decrease the amount of
tattling about minor behaviors, we incorporated the self-concept series with self-talk.
Facilitator: At times when someone does something that hurts our feelings but not our physical
self, use self-talk as a reminder of our valuableness (such as, 'I am valuables). At an appropriate
time, share your feelings about the incident. When you see a peer engaged in an inappropriate
but minor behavior, let's remind ourselves that they are responsible for their own behavior.
Mainstreaming and School Transitions
Use the self-concept series as a base to support student transitions such as mainstreaming and
between the elementary and middle years. When possible, teach the self-concept series and
weave process to all people involved with the students. This bridge from the special education
setting into the other or new setting reduces, and in many cases eliminates, problems with
behavior. Most educators are open to and supportive of this information because they experience
greatly improved relationships with the students.
CONCLUSION
Examples of how the self-concept series works in the classroom have been given. Series
concepts can be applied to endless situations such as hygiene issues, refusal to follow
instructions, working in pairs or groups, and destructive behaviors such as destruction of
property, stealing, lying, and suicide. The key is to use the self-concept series as a way of
thinking that weaves throughout all aspects of the day.
Students may deny their value for a short time after the concepts are introduced. For the
occasional, unwilling student who claims he is simply "not a valuable person," ask him to "find
one person who is better than you at being you." Once he finds that this person does not exist, it
is difficult for him to say he is not valuable. After that, students rarely deny that they are valuable
people and do accept their valuableness. When students consistently apply the concept in their
life and with other people, they remind themselves and others that they are valuable without any
prompting from an adult. One example is reassuring peers that they are valuable when they are
having a down day.
Not only does the self-concept series and weave create a new experience for students, but
educators also grow from interacting with series concepts. Educators apply series concepts to
themselves at the same time they apply concepts with students. This interaction with the series
concepts slowly creates change. As a result, educators feel more supported and are able to enjoy
teaching with a feeling of peace and healthy expectations.
REFERENCES
Radd, T. R. (1993). The grow with guidance system manual (2nd ed.). Canton, OH: Grow With
Guidance.
Thompson, C., & Rudolph, L. (1996). Counseling children, fourth edition. Pacific Grove, CA:
Brooks/Cole.
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By Tommie R. Radd Anne Ficenec Harsh
Tommie R. Radd is an associate professor of counselor education at The University of Nebraska
at Omaha. Anne Ficenec Harsh has taught special education in the Omaha public schools for 6
years and is an elementary school counselor. Correspondence regarding this article should be
sent to Tommie R. Radd, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Kayser Hall 421, 60th & Dodge St.,
Omaha, NE 68182-0167.