To support both Virginia's observations, and respond to Gina's question, I
have been a classroom instructor, building principal and assistant
superintendent in a correctional education system for over 30 years.

Low esteem in this population is the norm not the exception. Past failures
in education, the impact of poverty, a fractured home life all contribute to
this issue.

Ruby Payne's work on poverty clearly demonstrates the impact that low self
esteem plays in childhood. At risk youth and adults in our prisons and jails
simply serve to add a pointed commentary to that sad fact.


Alan Toops
Executive Director
Ohio Literacy Network
(614) 505-0717
atoops at ohioliteracynetwork.org
http://www.ohioliteracynetwork.org



On 9/25/06 9:56 AM, "Lobaccaro Gina (DOC)" <Gina.Lobaccaro at state.de.us>
wrote:


> I read your article, and it is very interesting.  I wonder if the numbers

> might be different if the students were polled in correctional education

> programs.  Perhaps, these students DO have lower levels of self esteem - which

> also might have impacted their criminal behavior.

> Just a thought...

> Might it be another researt project.. and if it is found that a large group of

> the students DO have low self esteem, how might teachers influence that issue.

> Gina Lobaccaro

> 

> "For business reasons, I must preserve the outward sign of sanity." --Mark

> Twain 

> 

> Gina Lobaccaro 

> Sussex Correctional Institution

> Prison Education Department

> PO Box 500 

> Georgetown, DE 19947

> Office (302) 856-5282 x 6204

> Fax (302) 856-5642

> gina.lobaccaro at state.de.us

> 

> 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov

> [mailto:focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Julie McKinney

> Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 9:40 AM

> To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov

> Subject: [FocusOnBasics 479] Welcome to our discussion of "Low

> Self-Esteem:Myth or Reality?"

> 

> 

> Hi Everyone,

> 

> Welcome to our discussion with Anastasiya Lipnevich about her article

> "Low Self-Esteem: Myth or Reality?"

> 

> To read the article, go to:

> http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=1105

> 

> See below for the discussion questions, and we open the floor for

> comments, questions and thoughts!

> 

> All the best,

> Julie

> ********************************************************

> 

> Discussion Questions for "Low Self-Esteem: Myth or Reality?

> 

> 1.  How much do you and your programs presume low self-esteem among

> your

> learners? 

> 2.  How do you think this presumption affects the delivery of

> education

> to adult learners?

> 3.  The findings of this study may conflict with some people's notions

> of adult learners. How does this article affect your thoughts about

> the

> self-esteem of learners in your program?

> 4.  How might you adjust your teaching or delivery of services if your

> learners had a higher self-esteem than you thought?

> 5.  There was some discussion of science's ability to "understand the

> human mind", and of the validity of research on a concept such as

> self-esteem. It is a broad and variably-defined concept, which may be

> affected by many external factors related to one's situation in life.

> How do we, as consumers of research, handle this question?

> *******************************************************************

> 

> 

> Julie McKinney

> Discussion List Moderator

> World Education/NCSALL

> jmckinney at worlded.org

> 

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