"At the core of each person's perceptual world are the perceptions about oneself. Self-concept is is the picture people construct of who they are and how they fit in their perceived world...

We all strive to maintain, protect and enhance our perceived self. This assumption is a tremendously valuable "given" for educators, for it means that the self is predisposed toward realizing its relatively boundless potential in all areas of human activity."

(Invitational theory and practice: A framework for positive school climate. Retrieved from: http://www.invitationaleducation.net/pdfs/itpsummary.pdf)