The purpose of this book is to help make what is known about self concept an important part of what goes on in schools. "Self theory" is neither an established fact nor an all-inclusive theory of human existence. Some students who esteen themselves highly do not achieve highly in school, and some researchers have thus not found an inevitable relationship between self-esteem and scholastic success. However, the overwhelming body of contemporary research points consistently to the relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement, and suggests strongly that the self concept can no longer be ignored by parents and teachers. In Chapter One, an overview of theories about the self is presented, which provides a brief history and some important characteristics of the self. In Chapter Two, the strong and persistent relationship between self concept and academic achievement is explored, and it is shown why there is deepening discontent with the notion that human ability is the overwhelming factor in academic success. Chapter Three is concerned with how the self begins, how it develops in social interaction, and what happens to it under the impact of school. In Chapter Four, ways are suggested for the teacher to become a significant force in building positive and realistic self concepts in students. (Author/JM)