Reading a recent article in USA Today (US Schools Still Face Big Problems Post Pandemic) that chronicled a day in the lives of a student, teacher, and administrator reminded me of Maslov’s Hierarchy of Needs. The authors did a pretty good job depicting the daily struggles faced by the three different roles.
There is little being done to address the basic needs of these stakeholders. Physiological needs have in many cases been turned on its head. Children and adults alike are sleep-deprived, financially stressed living paycheck to paycheck, and working multiple jobs. These are themselves the first two tiers of the hierarchy—physiological needs, safety and security.
The pandemic isolated individuals from personal interaction and virtual relationships developed. While it was certainly beneficial to have that avenue for connection it was also void of the intimacy and authenticity of friendship on a personal level. Though we are more digitally connected than ever before we are more personally disconnected than ever before. The click of the X closes the connection as well as the relationship. Which is the third tier of Maslov’s pyramid—love and belonging.
What does this mean for education? Very simply an environment has developed where foundational needs are not being met. When this happens, individuals will tend to fixate on these areas which affect their happiness, their physical health, and their mental health. This may be one very generalized cause of the increased mental health concerns we are seeing in our schools.
While Maslov’s hierarchy is not purely linear and motivation is more a pluralistic behavior, it does provide us a good framework for discussion. If our society and systems continue to expect more of educators and students, we need to address the deficiencies in meeting these foundational needs. What if schools/systems/districts took a step back and analyzed all they are doing and requiring? What if they pared down the extraneous and ancillary and focused more on the core? What if being everything to everybody stopped? Would the scales return to a balance?
Teachers have long been told that for students to reach their potential, teachers must first meet the students at their level. The same holds true for teachers and school leaders. Administrators need to meet teachers at their level. Districts and leaders need to meet their administrators at their level.
We have glossed over these gaping wounds for too long while expecting more and more of them. It is high time for educators, school leaders, and districts to confront the harsh reality of unmet foundational needs in education. We must step away from the all-encompassing demands and focus on the core essentials that will restore balance and well-being. Let us embark on a collective journey of action and transformation to ensure the holistic growth and fulfillment of our students and education professionals.
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