Teachers have a significant, lifelong impact on their students. This impact involves not only the teaching of academic skills but also fostering student self-esteem. Self-esteem strategies involve helping students feel they belong and are welcome in the school setting, providing them with responsibilities through which they perceive themselves as contributing and making a difference (ex. helping younger students, taking care of classroom pets, helping to care for our school garden and flower beds, buddy reading), offering them opportunities to make choices and decisions and solve problems. Teaching our students that ‘Learning By Making Mistakes’ is important for healthy growth in our classrooms. Alder Flats staff focus on creating welcoming environments and building healthy relationships with their students so academic success can flourish.