Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the Classroom

The humanistic philosophy is a movement that began in America around the early 1960s. Some of the basic characteristics that make up this philosophy include the principles of introspection and free will of the human being regarding the choices they make. This philosophy also deals primarily with adult behavior. A few of the key psychologists regarding this theory are Carl Rogers, Gordon Allport, and Abraham Maslow. Maslow is considered by many to be the father of humanistic philosophy and his work will be emphasized throughout this paper (Waymire, n.d.).

Maslow is primarily known as it relates to this philosophy for his hierarchy of needs. This philosophy (hierarchy of needs) is a mixture of Freudian and behaviorist principles. Maslow's hierarchy of needs is used not only in psychological practice but also in business and advertising. Contained with this hierarchy are five levels of psychological needs. Maslow believed that the needs encountered at the top of his hierarchy (e.g., problem solving and morality) were just as real and important as the needs at the bottom (e.g., breathing food and sleep) of his hierarchy (Cox and Frager, 1987). The key principle at the very top of Maslow's ladder would be self-actualization. The main concepts within this principle have already been discussed briefly and they include problem solving, morality, and an acceptance of facts along with other certain needs (Waymire, n.d.).

The fourth level in Maslow's hierarchy is esteem and it deals primarily with confidence, achievement, and respect of others. Love and belonging is the third level in the hierarchy. Important components of this level include friendship, family, and sexual intimacy. Safety is the second level within this hierarchy and it is concerned with the security of one's body, job, health, and family. The first level is physiological needs and its key components are breathing, water, sex, sleep, and food (Waymire, n.d.). It should be noted that Maslow's hierarchy of needs has come under much criticism based on the rigid structure of his hierarchy and because it does not take into account the wide variety of human nature and behavior (Boa, 2004).

Teachers can take Maslow's hierarchy of needs and use it in many different ways. Some of the ways a teacher may use this philosophy are going to seem so simple and basic that some people may think that they should not even be discussed. Take the first level of the hierarchy for example. It may seem on the surface that this level would have almost nothing to do with what goes on in the classroom but that is far from the truth. It will be important that the environment our students learn in is clean and well maintained. The home life of our students must also be considered. If a student is not getting the required sleep and food they need at home how will they ever be able to move on to the next level within the hierarchy.

Safety is the second level in the hierarchy and it goes without saying how important safety has become within are schools. Many students already have a difficult time paying attention in the classroom and if they are concerned for their safety there is no way we will be able to teach them in an effective manner. The home life of our students will also be an important consideration within this level of needs. If students do not feel secure regarding an aspect of their family life (e.g., employment, health, etc.) it will be equally difficult to reach that student and help them learn in an appropriate way.

For the sake of this paper the third and fourth levels will be combined. If a student does not feel like they belong, whether it be within a circle of friends or their family they will have a hard time focusing on their learning. The same could be said if a student has low self-confidence or low self-esteem. We all want our students to be creative and develop problem solving skills. It has already been discussed that these traits are contained within the fifth level of Maslow's hierarchy. As teachers we must guide our students through the previous four levels to help them attain the skills within the fifth level. At the same time teachers must realize that even high school students may not have the maturity level and cognitive skills needed to proceed through each level of Maslow's hierarchy. That being said teachers must be able to guide their students through these levels at the appropriate times.

References

Boa, K. (2004). Augustine to Freud: What theologians and psychologists tell us about human

Nature { and why it matters }. Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman Publishers.

Cox, R., & Frager, R., & Maslow, A. (1987). Preface to the third edition. In C. McReynolds

(Ed.), Motivation and Personality (xii). New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.

Waymire, C. (2009). Humanistic Philsosophy [PowerPoint slides].

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