by Mary Ann Kahl, EdD
If we are striving for fully realized beings that are also capable of contributing to the democratic process and to a healthy economy than we must provide ways for our students to reach the goal of self-actualization as defined by The Hierarchy of Human Needs. In order for this to occur we must look at providing them with the means to help them satisfy other levels of basic needs, specifically safety education as a necessary school based curriculum.
Abraham Maslow (1943) created for us a psychological and theoretical framework in which we could understand human potential and human development. We have come to know this framework as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
The main premise of Maslow’s theory is that human beings progress onto subsequently higher levels of development only after they have experienced and satisfied the needs of the prior stage or stages. This explains Maslow’s use of a pyramid, as opposed to a line or spiral, to represent the relationship of basic needs to full potential growth. The lower four levels of the hierarchy are focused on survival needs. The fifth level, self-actualization, is the apex of a life well lived and fully lived.
Maslow’s TheoryThe first level of Maslow’s Hierarchy is focused on satisfying physiological needs. This includes our need to breathe, eat, sleep, dispose of our bodily waste, and so on.
satisfying our basic physical and emotional safety and security needs. Without this level being satisfied we are left in a state of constant “fight or flight” and are not able to move onto the next levels toward greater growth and potential.
The third level of needs include the need to be loved and to belong. Without a sense of belonging we can experience depression, loneliness, and anxiety, feelings that disable us from moving forward.
The fourth level identifies our need for self-esteem. It is the need not only to belong but also to be recognized, valued, and given worth.
The fifth and final level of Maslow’s Hierarchy is known as Self-Actualization. This level is characterized by one’s ability to be healthy, mature, and self-fulfilled. It is at this level that we can begin to come into being with our full potential.
Maslow would argue that this stage is rarely met because most of us are still trying to meet the needs of the lower levels of being. I will use this claim as the departure point for arguing the case that safety education is relevant and necessary in any school based curriculum.
There are plenty of examples of schools making sure that students have basic needs met. For instance the national breakfast and lunch program makes food available to all qualifying students either at no cost to the students’ families or at a subsidized cost. There are also many schools that offer before and after school care for free or reduced cost. We are hearing about schools working closely with local churches and other community organizations to provide shelter, clothing, supplies, food, eye examinations and other survival needs so that students can come to school ready to learn. Teachers themselves are known to provide food, clothing, supplies, transportation money and other necessities out of their own pocket so that their students do not have to go without these basic requirements. Teachers inherently know that there is no learning going on when students are hungry, tired, sick, or can’t see or hear well. They also inherently know that there is no learning taking place when a child is frightened or scared.
Much attention is given to making our schools, homes and neighborhoods safe for kids. We have neighborhood watch groups, we have secured entrances and exits from our schools, we have picture identifications for our students, and we even employ guards or police in many schools. We have annual fire safety weeks, stranger danger programs and an abundance of character education programs and bully prevention programs, all with the aim of providing safe environments for our children. The intentions of these programs are well deserved. And we have made great strides towards making physical and emotional safety a part of our school programming and policies. Still we read about children dying in cross fires, bringing weapons to school, dying needlessly in home fires, being kidnapped, and the list goes on.
It is clear we cannot eradicate danger from our children’s lives. So what are we to do?
As we know from our experiences as educators and from research, it is difficult if not impossible for a child to concentrate on school and on their learning when they are frightened or feel that they are in danger. This feeling escalates when the child does not feel they have any control over their safety and well-being. This is where the work of KidsVids and other programs come into play.
Empowering children to take safety into their own hands can be a liberating movement for them. If children have information and have practiced ways to keep safe they will then be enabled to respond intelligently to situations that could potentially put them in harms way. Having these tools satisfies their need to feel safe. None of us are ever free of danger, and as much as we would like to keep the world danger- free for our children; we simply cannot. But we can empower children to respond appropriately to dangerous situations. This empowerment can help to satisfy the need for safety and security. With this need satisfied children can begin to move into higher levels of development and move towards greater self-actualization.
With increasing budget cuts in school districts across our nation and with pressure to have students demonstrate what they know through standardized testing there is now less time and resources available for important curricular components that are not part of the testing agenda. Safety education is at risk of being lost. This may seem minimal and unimportant. But when we look at safety through the lens of Maslow and his theory of Hierarchy of Needs we see that it is a curricular area that we cannot afford to neglect. If we are truly working towards Leaving No Child Behind then we must make certain that all children have access to higher ways of being. They must all have access to their highest potential. They cannot reach that point if they are worried about their own safety and security. They are literally stunted in their growth. It would be a shame not to be able to share basic safety information and survival skills with these children. Let’s put children first; let’s make this world safe for them by letting them know that they have the ability to keep themselves safe. Let’s give them the gift that helps them keep growing.
Invest in safety education at your school. It is the gateway to higher learning.
Mary Ann Kahl, EdD is the former Superintendent for the Alden-Hebron School District in Illinois and is currently Assistant Professor of Education Leadership at National Lewis University
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