Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Education can
become a self-
fulfilling activity,
liberating in and of
itself.

The Pyramid
Abraham Maslow believed
that people are most likely
to reach their full potential
when basic needs are met,
and would introduce his
hierarchy of needs with the
most basic needs listed at
the bottom of the pyramid.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs, listed from top to
bottom.
• Self-Actualization
• Esteem
• Love and Belonging
• Safety Needs
• Physiological Needs

Physiological Needs
Starting at the bottom of
the pyramid, Physiological
Needs are the first and
basic need, such as food or
water, necessary in order
to focus on anything else,
otherwise, attention would
be placed on meeting
these needs.

Safety Needs
• Usually environmental,
such as a student’s
home or school, any
form of disruption or
danger within their
lives can lead to
struggles to learn and
complete their work, as
their thoughts prioritize
acquiring safety.

Love and Belonging
To be loved and finding a
place of belonging, when
a student lacks these
aspects in their lives,
they crave affection or
acceptance that can be
just as critical as
physiological needs.

Esteem
• The feeling of being
adequate, capable,
strong, and being of
worth. If these needs
are not satisfied,
feelings of
incompetence, being
unprotected and
unimportant can
manifest.

Self-Actualization
• Driven by a craving of
self-improvement
instead of inadequacy,
it is a level of aspiration
to fulfill one’s potential,
that according to
Maslow, very few
people attain.

The Importance of
Understanding
It is easy to forget the reasons why a child or student
may act in the manner they do. To chastise bad
behavior without thinking of the reason behind
these behaviors. But through Maslow’s philosophy of
needs, contributing to the fundamental needs of
students enhances their capabilities of learning and
classroom achievements, leading to progress and
more opportunities for success.