The Role of the Special Education Teacher-Counselor in Meeting Students’ Self-Esteem Needs

Teachers of the visually impaired play a critical role in the development of affective growth within the children and youth they serve. The impact of a visual impairment on the emergence of the self, self-concept, and self-esteem must be understood before intervention strategies can be effectively employed. Each of the phases of the adjusting process in response to either social stigma or vision loss requires a somewhat different focus in counseling efforts. Whether they admit it or not, teachers are counselors—for better or worse. The article concludes with a look at some of the attributes and behaviors that promote affective growth.