Does Eating Well Mean Learning Well?

The Theory of Hierarchical Needs as developed by Abraham Maslow was first published in a journal article in 1943. Since that time, the concept has been expanded, revised, and utilized to describe and develop theories about the best ways to motivate individuals regarding a wide variety of subjects, including that of education.

Maslow theorized that human beings experience life in terms of satisfying needs, which can be divided into hierarchical groups, the most basic of which must be met in order to ascend to the opportunity to address and meet the next most essential requirements. The first and lowest level of these, common to all individuals, is that of physiological survival. Safety is the second most basic motivation for action, and must be achieved before people can hope to fulfill social responsibilities. These in turn supersede a person's requirement for self-esteem. The highest level in the Hierarchy is that of self-actualization.

Maslow's Hierarchy came from the general view of life experiences. It has been applied to those seeking an education as well as many other life situation. For instance, if a child is deprived of the basic necessities such as food, water, and sleep they cannot hope to achieve educational success. It is critical that children have plenty of the things they need to meet their needs.

Psychological demands can be dealt with once physical necessities are met. Learning is hard for children who have an abusive or neglected home life. Students need educators who will assist them in noticing potential difficulties as well as seeing the educators as people they can trust.

Once students have become comfortable and feel safe both mentally and physically, they will begin to work on social interactions. People naturally seek out friendship and peer approval, and this is important to a child's social development. While teachers might worry that this focus on social interaction will prove distracting in the classroom, they actually should encourage their students to engage in positive group interactions in a safe environment.

Only after certain levels have been achieved, can individuals focus on the important tasks related to esteem, reputation, achievement, and recognition. These are the levels that educators often wish to see their pupils reach, so that they will further excel in the classroom, reaching this goal and particular point of development is challenging and difficult.

Certain types of pupils make the classroom a fun place to be. Students searching for self-actualization, however, can make teachers feel uncomfortable and out of control. Students at the height of the needs hierarchy are looking for life's meaning, truth, knowledge and principles. A person at the height of individual development, although unintentionally, can intimidate others who have not yet reached this highest level. Instead of focusing on personal feelings of inadequacy, teachers should focus on satisfying the needs of these students who are seeking truth and meaning in life. It is these students who will have the biggest impact on society. Educators have a very important role in these situations. A teacher could help the self-actualized student become even more capable if they concentrate on developing the student instead of the pain of their inner conflict.

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Daiv Russell is a management and marketing consultant with Envision Web Promotion. Read more Small Business Management Articles, learn about Abraham Harold Maslow and the Abraham Maslow hierarchy of needs.

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