Teacher’s Role in Developing Primary Students’ Self-esteem in

Disruption Era

Musa Sinar Tarigan

Universitas Pelita Harapan

Keywords: Teacher's Role, Self-esteem, Disruption Era

Abstract: The development of digital technology has a negative impact on the growth of student’s self esteem.

Students seem to have mastered digital technology but they experience crisis of identity or self-esteem and

are not ready to face challenges. The idea that technological progress can solve all the problems of human

life has changed the purpose of education. Teachers who are entrusted in the process of forming students’

self esteem are often trapped in the euphoria of digital technology advancement as a symbol of students’

success. This research examines how the role of teachers as educators in schools strengthens students’ self

esteem in disruption era so that students are able to anticipate the negative impact of digital technology in

their life. The reason is students who have strong self-esteem are ready to face the challenges of life in

disruption era. This study uses literature study method by analyzing various writings of experts related to

the process of forming students’ self esteem, the role of teachers in primary schools, and the characteristics

of disruption era and its impact on student life. This research indicates that teachers have a very important

role in the process of forming students' self esteem to anticipate the negative impact of digital techology

through education in primary schools. Digital technology will not be able to fulfill the fundamental needs of

students to develop their self esteem. Teachers still use digital technology as a medium of learning, but do

not eliminate the essence of students' basic needs such as the formation of self esteem.

1 INTRODUCTION

Education has a very important role in developing

self-esteem for primary students’ self-esteem. The

students who have high self-esteem will see

themselves as a very valuable person as God's

creation. The students who have high self-esteem

will be ready to face disruption era. Refnadi said that

self-esteem is one of the factors for individual

success in his life because developing a self-esteem

in a teenager will determine future successes or

failures. As a self-assessment, the development of

self-esteem becomes an important part of education,

as it is expected to process the discovery of a

positive self-concept in the child's soul (Refnadi

2018). This statement shows that education should

involve the students' self-esteem development and

not just cognitive development. Sharma and

Agarwalaa also said that, self-esteem is a major key

to success in life, so the development of positive

self-concept or healthy self-esteem is extremely

important for good adjustment in society (Sharma &

Agarwala 2015). This statement emphasizes that

self-esteem plays an important role in the success of

a person in different areas of life depending on his

talents as a gift from God. Refnadi and Sharma's

thought shows that education in schools plays an

important role in developing students' self-esteem,

especially in this disruption era.

The development of self-esteem is very

important in disruption era because so many students

are not ready to deal with life, that many students are

frustrated and depressed in this era. Students are

trapped in the digital world, which leads them away

from a normal life. The use of digital technology in

the disruption era, which is not accurate make the

students can easily access various information freely

and easily without control. Students prefer social

media activities, especially online games that often

do not build their lives. The influence of social

media establishes relationships with friends make

relationships with parents weak (Muhadjir, Ekawati,

Habib 2017). As a result many students have a low

300

Tarigan, M.

Teacher’s Role in Developing Primary Students’ Self-esteem in Disruption Era.

DOI: 10.5220/0009494003000305

In Proceedings of the 1st Unimed International Conference on Economics Education and Social Science (UNICEES 2018), pages 300-305

ISBN: 978-989-758-432-9

self-image, worthless, and low self-esteem and tend

to be antisocial. This condition is very concerning in

the midst of the advancement of digital technology

in the disruption era.

The role of teachers especially, the primary

school teachers is very important in solving the

negative impact of digital technology development

in this disruption era. Primary school teachers’ have

a valuable opportunity to develop students' self-

esteem as early as possible and will continue to

adulthood in the next phase. This article aims to

make primary school teachers aware of the

importance of developing students' self-esteem in

order to prepare for a mature and healthy life in the

disruption era.

2 THEORICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 Developing Primary Students’ Self-

Esteem

Self-esteem can be interpreted as the action of

someone who values himself valuable. Hashem

conveyed the understanding of self-esteem and said,

“to esteem oneself is the ability to properly evaluate

and accurately present oneself which involves a

realistic assessment of personal strengths and

weaknesses, positive and negative qualities, and true

potentials and limitations” (Hashem 1999, p. 1084 ).

Self-esteem shows a person’s ability to judge both

strengths and weaknesses in the right position. When

students judge themselves well and positively, they

have high self-esteem (Weiten, Lloyd 1997). Self

esteem is closely related to how the students

adequately judge himself. Collins stated, “self-

esteem means something slightly different. This

term refers to the evaluation that individual makes of

his or her worth, competence and significant. ... Self-

esteem involves a self-evaluation (Collins 1980, p.

347). This statement was reinforced by Hashem and

said, “self-esteem is an internal ability to assign

attributes to oneself and conduct subjective

appraisals and private judgments” (Hashem 1999, p.

1084). When students have good and positive self-

esteem, they are ready to face the challenges of life.

Weiten, Lloyd stated, “positive expectations ussually

produce high effort, low anxiety, succesfull

outcomes, and self praise. Thus, positive feelings

about the self are perpetuated” (Weiten, Lloyd 1997,

p. 147). Positive self-esteem will help students face

different difficulties and get successes throughout

their lives. O’Toole (1995, p. 13) said, “Self-esteem

has its foundation in a strong sense of self-worth

which survives both failure and success; it survives

mistakes, disappointment, and most of all self-

esteem survives acceptance and rejection from

others.”

The development of self-esteem starts from birth

and continues to experience a long process. Refnadi

said, that self-esteem begins to develop after a child

has been born, as the child interacts with the outside

world and the people around them (Refnadi 2018).

Weiten, Lloyd (1997) stated that the foundation for

high or low self-esteem appear to be laid very early

in life. So, the process of developing self-esteem

start from the family environment, especially from

the role of parents (father and mother), (Permatasari

2017). A newborn child interacts directly with the

environment, especially with the family (parents)

and starts the learning process about self-esteem,

self-acceptance, self-identity and so on. The

development of self-esteem through the process and

gradually and continuously happens throughout life.

Each phase has a unique stage that the students must

be passed. This process must follow the laws of the

Creator (God) and apply to all people. Because of

this, students' self-esteem can not be developed

immediately.

The development of self-esteem is determined by

the general sense of self-esteem among various ideas

and success factors in their environment. Self-

esteem is determined by general feeling people have

about themselves and by the global ideas, attitudes,

or perception they create about themselves (Hashem

1999). This development of self-esteem has long

process that Hashem's statement, his phenomenon

may occure over a long period of time and involves

complex affective and cognitive processes (1999).

This process can develop students' self-esteem (high

self-esteem) or feel worthless (low self-esteem).

Hashem (1999, p. 1084) said, “The results can be

positive or negative depending on the person’s

developmental history, childhood experience and

family background, mental reasoning and emotional

stability, level of expectations and set of ideals,

nature of current challenges and presures, personal

meaning and sense of direction, external appraissal

and social feedback, and eventually existential

outlook and spiritual faith.” Hashem's statement

shows that the development of self-esteem is

determined by internal factors, such as how students

respond to the reality based on their perception of

themselves, and external factors, such as community

demands or pressures, assessment or feedback about

their abilities.

The process of self-esteem begins to take shape

from birth and continues to evolve according to the

stages. The self-esteem of a baby begins to form,

whether loved or not loved, by touching, huging,

feeding. The formation of the child's self-image is

greatly influenced by non-verbal communication. As

children develop their language skills, they begin to

Teacher’s Role in Developing Primary Students’ Self-esteem in Disruption Era

301

translate the environmental treatments into words

and sentences, in addition to what others say about

them (O'Toole 1995). Students begin to get new

experiences in school and communicate with friends

and teachers. At this stage, students' self-esteem is

further developed when they go to school. At this

stage, students become more aware of whether or

not they are liked by others because they are

unpopular, so they are often isolated. Students

become aware of their abilities and disabilities as

they receive feedback from teachers and classmates

(O'Toole 1995). The process of self-esteem at this

time is very important in the lives of students. Based

on Erickson's psychosocial theory that class ages 5

to 12 are classified as "industrial vs. inferiority"

(Gibbs 1999). At this stage, students will produce

the industry, or vice versa, if they fail to pass this

stage they become inferiority (Susabda 1994). At

this stage, students struggle with industry and

inferiority, and students feel competent when they

learn and do well, otherwise students will feel

inferior if they do not do their job (Jones 2011). The

experience of students with their environment

strongly influences how students see themselves and

assess themselves (Pranata 2014). This phase is

important for creating self-esteem and appreciation

of learners through their achievements, because at

this stage, learners will work hard and be more

attentive (Pranata 2014). If students fail during this

time, the student judges their self to be low (low

self-esteem).

2.2 Education Challenges in Disruption

Era

Disruption era is an era that can not be avoided.

All areas of life are characterized by this era, which

is characterized by the development of digital

technology. This development is human creativity to

continue to develop science and technology for the

well-being of people. Disruption era is an innovation

that replaces the old system in a new system.

Disruption era replaces old technology that is purely

physical, with digital technology that creates

something really new and more efficient, which is

also more useful (Marzuqi 2017). The development

of digital technology is driving various changes that

are so fast in the human life system. Communities

that do not want to change will lose their opportunity

in this world.

This change in disruption era is an opportunity to

develop for mutual progress, including education.

Education began to enter the era of digitization

(Rizal 2017). Teachers need to adapt to the new

patterns and leave old patterns in their students'

lessons. The experience of learning in the classroom

has changed with digital learning patterns that

provide a more creative, participative, diverse, and

inclusive learning experience (Rizal 2017).

Education in schools are becoming increasingly

dynamic, using digital technologies to understand

different sciences.

The development of this disruption era must be

watched by teachers who are in direct contact with

students. The education process can not be done

only with digital technology. Education also

includes the process of spiritual growth and develop

students’ character. This development is a natural

and gradual process and can not be replaced by

digital technology. This process is the will of God as

creator of man. The growth of character, mental and

social competence helps students to place

themselves in the rapidly changing time. Students

need to be prepared through a process to maintain

control over change rather than being controlled by

change. The purpose of God is to create people so

that people have power to manage other creations

well for human well-being. For this reason,

education should help students to have the right

attitude for these changes.

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This study uses study literature method by analyzing

various writings of experts related to the process of

developing students’ self esteem, the role of teachers

in primary schools, and the characteristics of

disruption era and its impact on student life

especially in primary student. This research will

examine the basic principles of the development

process of self-esteem especially in primary students

and its relation to the readiness of students to face

the disruption era challenges that must be passed by

the primary students. Through the discussion of

these two variables will be found problems faced by

primary students that must be overcome. Next, the

author will examine the characteristics of primary

teachers who can help students continue to grow

their self-esteem in disruption era.

4 ANALYSIS

The teacher’s role in primary students are very

important role in developing students' self-esteem so

that students are able to face different life issues.

O'Toole (1995) said that, school effectiveness is

largely determined by the teachers in a particular

school, even in this era of technological progress,

UNICEES 2018 - Unimed International Conference on Economics Education and Social Science

302

computers, televisions and videos have not replaced

the teachers because the role of the teacher in the

education process of children is central and largely

determines the experience that children have in

school, which in turn influences the child's self-

concept and development. This explanation shows

that the role of the teacher can not be replaced by the

role of digital technology, especially in disruption

era to develop students' self-esteem. The teacher has

a great responsibility to educate students to a high

sense of self and to prepare students for the big

challenges in which the student will make important

decisions in his life amid very fast changing times in

the disruption age.

Disruption era requires students to be sensitive

and always ready to anticipate changes that are so

fast to achieve a successful life. Teachers as

educators must be consistent with the concept of

education not profit-oriented. Palmer (1993) stated

that education is the slave of an economic system

that wants to master and manipulate nature, society,

and even the human heart in order to gain profit and

power. So teachers who try to create a space in

which obedience to God is practiced must do battle

with a host of external enemies. Although disruption

era with system changes so fast the education

process must remain consistent with its objectives.

Education is an ongoing process and cannot be done

quickly / instantaneously.

Students who have a good self-esteem are better

prepared for various changes of time, such as: high

self-esteem allows students to overcome mistakes,

failures, disappointments, and accomplishments in

their lives (O'Toole 1995). For this reason, these

students need guidance and mentoring from their

teacher during in the schooling phase to develop

students' self-esteem. Pranata (2014) quoted Crain's

statement in "Theories of Development: Concepts

and Applications," and stated, that good teachers

(who are often the ones who feel familiar and

respected by the community) can help children at

this time. One of the assigment that teachers need to

do in schools is to develop students’ self-esteem,

because the students who have high self-esteem will

be able to respond to various changes in their time,

especially in disruption era.

The teacher has an irreplaceable role in the

learning process in the classroom and outside the

classroom. Teachers as artists work on their tasks by

developing creative teaching strategies and

responses from students (Van Brummelen 2009),

teachers as technicians will emphasize structuring

and learning processes and conveying appropriate

concepts (Van Brummelen 2009). Palmer give

insight about the role of teacher and said, “But to

study with the teacher who not only speaks but

listens, who not only gives answers but asks

questions and welcomes our insights, who provides

information and theories that do not close doors but

open new ones, who encourages students to help

each other learn-to study with such a teacher is to

know the power of learning space” (Palmer 1993).

This statement shows that teachers have a very

important role in education.

4.1 Teacher as Guide to Spiritual

Experience

Teachers need to guide spiritual principles to

develop student self-esteem. The development of

self-esteem cannot be separated from the spiritual

aspect. Basically, all humans are valuable in the eyes

of God and God wants all humans to be able to carry

out their duties properly. The teacher needs to

educate students to always hope to God in the midst

of life's changes in this disruption era. Students need

to be convinced that students have advantages that

need to be developed.

4.2 Teacher as Role Model

The teacher has a special calling from God to

educate students to grow in all aspects of students’

lives. Teachers are not limited to task of working

and earning income for life. But a teacher must have

a high commitment to educate students that God

entrusts to him. Therefore the teacher must be a

living role model for his students. Teachers do not

discriminate their students based on academic

achievement or standards that determined by the

teacher. Students can feel the touch of love from the

teacher who accompanies them to develop their self-

esteem in the midst of a changing era. The teacher

must also have a spiritual example in which the

teacher exercises true spiritual discipline and can be

exemplified by his students. Greene (1997) said that

it is no good telling children to love one another if

they cannot see their teachers love each other and

teachers can easily slip a mode of exaggerated

independence. Once the classroom door is closed,

each teacher feels secure in his or her little castle.

4.3 Teacher as Craftsman

Teachers as craftsmen can carry out teaching

methods that are creative in teaching (Van

Brummelen, 2009). The teacher not only thinks

about how the subject matter is easily understood by

Teacher’s Role in Developing Primary Students’ Self-esteem in Disruption Era

303

students, but the teaher should have creative method

for helping students develop their self-esteem.

Teachers can create cooperative learning

methods so that students have experience working

together, respecting others, responding well to

differences opinion. The communal nature of

knowing goes beyond the relations of knowers and

the known. ... We now see that to know something is

to have a living relationship with it-influencing and

being influenced by the object known (Palmer

1993). Students will learn and practice respecting

each other, acknowledging their failures, learning

how to love their neighbor as God loves humans.

The promotion of meaningful learning involves a

number of topics that can only be suggested here.

There is the need, for instance, to become aware

of, and adapt to, the students’ varied learning styles

(Greene 1997). Greene also said again that there is

the whole field of group learning, or mutually

assisted learning, which is receiving increasing

attention today. Cooperative learning activities or

group discussions can be a choice of learning

methods to develop students’ self esteem. Teachers

must accompany students to develop students' self-

esteem so that students believe that they are very

valuable and able to perform like other friends.

Pranata quoted Berk's statement in "Child

Development,” and stated that at school, children

learn to work and cooperate with others. Inferiority

develops when negative experiences at home, at

school, or with peers lead to feelings of

incompetence (Pranata 2014). Students must get a

positive experience to develop their self-esteem.

4.4 Teacher Develops Student’s Talents

Teachers can develop student self-esteem through

the development of their high-value talents. This

talent development is very meaningful for students

that they have advantages to make them valuable

and special. The teacher as a guide will recognize

their talents as a valuable gift from God and treat

students as God's noble creation (Van Brummelen

2009). Teachers can guide and encourage students

to develop their talents as gifts from God. Students’

talents can motivate them achieve their successes.

Maybe students have talent in the arts, sports, to

be developed, so that students can achieve success in

this field. True humility does not deny one’s own

God-given gifts, but it endeavors to enjoy those of

others as much as its own (Green 1997). An

important point is not the achievement of success,

but the process of developing students’ self-esteem

continue to develop and prepare it for the next step.

Teachers can guide students through this crisis

period so that students' self-esteem will develop and

prepare for entering the next stage.

5 CONCLUSION

Disruption era which is marked by the development

of digital technology has given an influence in the

field of education. Education must have creative and

innovative abilities entering this era. Therefore

teachers as educators have a duty to prepare their

students to enter this era, especially the formation of

student self-esteem. The goal is that students still

have high confidence entering this era and remain

ready to work.

The struggles of teachers to continue to educate

their students have healthy self-esteem and have

values that are God-oriented and not to this world-

oriented. Good education helps students have the

right attitude to life in the midst of a human-oriented

reality of life. The teacher is not trapped in the

euphoria of changes in the development of digital

technology that has affected education. The teacher

must hold on the principle that their role in

education and the development of students'

personalities cannot be replaced by digital

technology. Teachers can use digital technology as a

medium of teaching but do not forget the essence of

teaching, which is to educate students to have the

right purpose of life in disruption era. Digital

technology will not be able to fulfill the fundamental

needs of students to develop their self esteem.

Teachers still use digital technology as a medium of

learning, but do not eliminate the essence of

students' basic needs such as the formation of self

esteem.

REFERENCES

Collins, GR (1980). Christian counseling: a

comprehensive guide, Word Books, Texas.

Gibbs, SS (1999). ‘Psychosocial development,’ Baker

encyclopedia of psychology and counseling, Baker

books, Grand Rapids.

Greene, AE (1997). Reclaiming the future of christian

education, Purposeful Design Publications,

Colorado.

Hashem, NA (1999). ‘Self-Esteem,’ Baker encyclopedia

of psychology and counseling, Baker Books, Grand

Rapids.

Jones, RM (2011). ‘Psychosocial Development and First

UNICEES 2018 - Unimed International Conference on Economics Education and Social Science

304

Substance Use in Third and Fourth Grade Students :

A Short-Term Longitudinal Study,’ Child

Development Research, 2011.

http://doi.org/10.1155/2011/916020.

Marzuqi AM, (2017).‘Era baru disruption.’ Media

Indonesia. Sabtu, 25 Feb 2017.

Muhadjir, Darwin, Ekawati, Henny; Habib (2017),

‘Membangun relasi digital antara orang tua siswa

dengan sekolah dalam penanganan tawuran pelajar

di Yogyakarta.’ Populasi, 25, p.1–23.

O’Toole, J (1995), Enhancing Self-Esteem, Irish National

Teachers’ Organization, Dublin.

Palmer, PJ (1993), To Know As We Are Known:

Education As A Spiritual Journey, HarperCollins,

San Francisco.

Permatasari, D (2017), ‘Hubungan dukungan orangtua dan

harga diri dengan harapan sebagai variabel

mediator,‘ Psikodimensia, 16, 20–30.

Pranata, L (2014). 'Isue-isue stages of child in transition.'

Christian Counseling Conference V: Life in

Transition, pp. 92–101.

Refnadi, (2018). 'Konsep self-esteem serta implikasinya

pada siswa.' Jurnal Pendidikan Indonesia, 4 (April

2018,), 16–22.

http://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.29210/120182133

Rizal, MN (2017), ‘Menghadapi era disrupsi.’ Republika,

Jumat, 24 Nov 2017.

Sharma, S & Agarwala, S (2015) Self-Esteem and

collective self-esteem among adolescents : An

interventional approach,’ Psychological Thought,

vol. 8 (1), http://doi.org/10.5964/psyct.v8i1.121

Susabda, Y (1994), ‘Life Transition, Christian Counseling

Conference V: Life in TransitionLife in Transition’

(pp. 7–30), Asosiasi Konselor Kristen Indonesia.

Weiten, W & Lloyd, M (1997), Psychology applied to

modern life, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Company,

USA.

Teacher’s Role in Developing Primary Students’ Self-esteem in Disruption Era

305