Hierarchy of Needs

The conditions in which children learn best are underlined in Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. The hierarchy of needs consist of two parts. The first component includes physiological, safety, belonginess/love, and esteem needs. The second component includes the need to know and understand, aesthetic and self actualization needs. This discontinuous theory states that each level of Maslow’s hierarchy must be met in order to conquer the next step.
The first component of Maslow’s hierarchy is the deficiency needs. In order for our students to learn and function, they must be equipped with these subsidiary needs. Teachers ultimately must meet these needs first in order for there to be effective teaching and learning taking place.
The physiological need is the first element. It has a simple concept but a complicated application. Teachers must make sure their students aren’t hungry or tired. As a teacher you must take care of these needs immediately; if your student is hungry, give him/her food and if your student is tired, send him to the nurse’s office to catch up on sleep. I believe it is absolutely more important for a student to miss class to meet these needs, than miss a whole day of learning because he/she was hungry or tired.
The safety need is the second element. As a teacher it should be the ultimate goal to keep the students safe by setting up rules and trust in the classroom. If the students do not feel safe in the classroom, they will be too distracted and occupied to learn.
The belonginess/love need is the third of the deficiency needs. Once your students are fed and feel safe, this need must be fulfilled in order for learning to continue. You must make sure your students feel as if they belong and are loved. By uniting your students and creating a classroom culture where every student is an important part, this need will be met.
The fourth deficiency need to be met in order for learning to take place is the esteem needs. As a teacher, you must praise your students and let it be known that they can learn and succeed just as well as the rest of the class. If students are well aware that they can achieve anything they set their mind to, their self-esteem will rise. If the student’s self-esteem is maintained by developing a united classroom, the students will be well-equipped to learn and grow.
The last major part of Maslow’s hierarchy is the needs that take place once the students’ deficiency needs are met. It includes the need to know and understand, aesthetic needs, and self actualization. First, the teacher must create a classroom where the students feel they have a need to know and understand. Once they feel they need to know and apply the knowledge, but also understand it, they can work with the teacher on achieving the aesthetic needs. The aesthetic needs are difficult to meet, but as long as the teacher makes sure that the student is capable, it is possible. The last element is self-actualization needs and this along with the aesthetic needs are the most complicated to achieve. Our students need to be equipped with the positive view that they can reach the ultimate element of Maslow’s hierarchy. These two needs involve having a positive outlook and a complete understanding and appreciation of ones self as a student and person.
As a teacher, it is crucial that every single element of the hierarchy is met in sequence. We all want to be effective teachers, and achieving this hierarchy is an important part of effectively teaching in order for to touch the lives of our students with knowledge that they can learn and succeed with.