Seeking Self-Acceptance
As school counselors we want our students to have:
• Belief in development of the whole self.
• Self-confidence in their ability to succeed.
• Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high quality results and outcomes.
• Positive attitude towards work and learning.
Finding freedom
Students need a healthy self-acceptance of the things they cannot change about themselves. There are many things that students can work toward and change: effort in learning, completing homework, having a positive attitude, and listening and speaking kindly to others. Out of their control is the family they have, how much money the family has, how tall they are, and other physical features.
Accepting the things about yourself you cannot change brings about a decrease in fear of failure, a feeling of freedom, an increase in a feeling of self-worth, increase in self-esteem, less need to win the approval of others, less self-criticism, forgiveness of self when one makes mistakes, and the willingness to take healthy risks.
After having a moment to read the classic fable silently, students can take turns reading the poem aloud.
The Frog Who Wished
to Be as Big as The Ox
There was a little Frog
Whose home was in a bog,
And he worried ’cause he
wasn’t big enough.
He sees an ox and cries:
“That’s just about my size,
If I stretch myself–Say Sister,
see me puff!”
So he blew, blew, blew,
Saying: “Sister, will that do?”
But she shook her head. And then he lost his wits.
For he stretched and puffed again
Till he cracked beneath the strain,
And burst, and flew about in little bits.
let's talk it over
- What kinds of things could the frog do in the bog that might have been fun for him?
- What did he think he was missing out on by being small?
- What happened to him when he tried to be something he was not?
- What lesson could you learn from this classic rhyme?
- Have you ever wanted to be something or somebody else?
- What do you wish you could do if you were that other person?
- Help the frog find things he could do well as a frog.
- Think about your strengths. List them!