ABSTRACT
Low self-esteem is one of the most common, if not the most common, factor in the majority of mental health issues. Good self-esteem is important for resilience and yet it seems the education system works against good self-esteem and resilience for teaching staff and pupils. Improving resilience is not just about boosting individual self-esteem but also about supporting friendship groups. Hendrickx et al. studied teacher support and conflict, and peer ecologies. They found that “the teacher functions as a model or social referent for students regarding how to interact and form relationships with others. When teachers are aware of this, they can deliberately use their everyday interactions with students as network-related teaching strategies”. The value of friendships can also be seen in one of the common factors in mental health issues.
