How Do You Solve a Problem Like the 'Self-Actualized' Child?

Abraham Maslow first published his revolutionary Theory of Hierarchical Needs in a 1943 professional article. The concept has since grown tremendously. It has been applied to a range of situations and has spawned additional theories. It is at the heart of how psychology understands how individuals can be motivated. This understanding has been applied to a wide range of areas, especially how to motivate human learning and development.

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.

Although Maslow created his Hierarchy to reflect general life experiences, it has often been used in a variety of other life experiences. For example, one's basic needs for air, food, water, and sleep must be met before one could expect to make successful strides in their educational endeavors. Indeed, how shamelessly futile to teach the starving, the dying, the thirst-stricken children of the world. First let us help to ensure that children can sleep safely, breathe clean air, and awaken to hope.

If you meet the physical requirements, then the psychological demands like safety can be addressed. Children who live in abusive and neglectful homes will certainly have difficulties learning. Teachers can help these students by identifying and addressing potential problems. To a child, an adult, especially a primary caregiver, is supposed to be safe, responsible, and trustworthy.

Educators may become concerned at times that the next level of human necessities is a primary, and much too pervasive force, in the classroom. Individuals who have successfully achieved physiological and psychological safety and security will focus on socialization, including essentials such as friendship, group belongingness, and love. These goals, however, are important for a person to achieve. Hence, teachers and other professionals have a responsibility to teach students to work together in groups, as well as to provide examples of positive social interactions and honest, accepting environments.

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.