| Abstract |
Self-esteem has been recognized as a key factor in the growth and development of people, while it is constantly changing during one's life. In this process of development, the environment and the people who are part of it significantly influence the formation and development of self-esteem. More specifically, the relationships that children develop in the various environments they are part of can affect them sometimes positively and sometimes negatively. Self-esteem, due to the fact that it is related to the value that the individual forms for himself and his abilities, has also been recognized as an important factor for the success of students in the school environment, while the school itself is necessary to take care of the reinforcement through methods and practices that highlight the personality of each child and their role within the group. The purpose of this work, therefore, is to investigate the concept of self-esteem and the way to strengthen it at school through group activities. This investigation is based on the action research method and the sample of participants consists of 12 children studying in the 2nd Primary School. The class teacher first investigated, through the process of observation and interview, the levels of self-esteem of the students and then planned group psychopedagogical activities aimed at strengthening the children's self-esteem and improving their role in the group. The work is divided into two parts, where the first part presents its theoretical framework, with research related to self-esteem and its enhancement through groups. Then, the second part presents the research carried out and its results, in relation to the students' self-esteem levels. The main purpose of this research (diploma thesis) is to investigate the self-esteem and self-confidence of second grade children of both sexes and the possibilities of cultivating and strengthening them, through the use of alternative-experiential playful activities. More specifically, the main issues examined in the research are the characteristics of the eco-physical-experiential world of the research subjects before, during and after the psychopedagogical interventions, focusing mainly on their psycho-emotional profile and level of self-esteem and the possibilities of cultivation and their reinforcement through the use of alternative-experiential and embodied playful activities in the classroom. It also focuses on how children are able to recognize their abilities, release aspects of their personality and learn to rely on their strengths to boost their self-esteem and confidence. The research sample consists of 12 7-8 year old second grade elementary school students (7 girls and 5 boys) who attend the Kaleson Elementary School (Heraklion Prefecture). The process of data collection and analysis is based on the qualitative methodology of action research, combined with clinical interviews, ethnographic observations, questionnaire and trace projects. The entire research process consists of three phases: (1) pre-intervention phase in which the psycho-emotional profile and self-esteem level of the students are investigated, (2) intervention phase, in which the intervention alternatives-experiential playful psycho-pedagogical activities aimed at cultivating and strengthening the students' self-esteem and (3) post-intervention phase where the psycho-emotional profile and level of self-esteem of the students and the degree of impact of the interventions are investigated again. It is worth mentioning that at the stage of our interventions, the children were given the opportunity to turn to themselves, to express their deepest desires and needs, to create, to act on their own, but also to interact in an alternative-experiential and embodied way, with their classmates and their classmates. The collection of research data was carried out during the spring semester of 2023. In the whole research process, the researcher had taken care and committed to maintain complete confidentiality for all the information obtained from the subjects of this research, so that it could not lead to identification them, unless they themselves wish so.
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