In view of the importance of Maslow’s (1968) theory of motivation, we will examine it further with regard to its application in a school and...

Physiological needs
Where there is reason to believe that pupils are not receiving adequate nutrition at home, provision should be made for a meal at school. This should be done particularly where, due to long distances, children cannot go home for lunch. If this is not possible, pupils’ parents should be encouraged to see that their children bring with them a snack for lunch. The temperature in every classroom and the library should be correct, there should be air circulation and the lighting should be adequate. Children with physical disabilities such as poor eyesight or impaired hearing should be brought to the attention of medical personnel and parents. Children should be encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather conditions, and if a child needs to go to the toilet before recess he should not be denied permission to do so, although he should be encouraged to go during recess.

Safety needs
The fulfillment of children’s safety needs important to their sense of security. Generally children are fearful of being bullied by their peers or by older students, being chastised harshly by teachers, or being subjected to humiliation and severe discipline by teachers. The school should see to it that children are protected against these security-threatening factors. It is also necessary that teachers establish good pupil-teacher relationships.

Love and belonging
A teacher should make his pupils feel that they are members of his class and that he is proud to have them in his class. He should learn their names and use them frequently and if a pupil is absent he should let it be known that he/she is missed by telling one of the pupil’s friends and welcoming him/her in his/her return. If the pupil is sick for a while should visit him/her or send a get well soon note to his/her home. Teachers should also try to include as many pupils as possible when asking questions in class.

Esteem needs
Teachers should help their pupils to develop positive self-concepts by treating them as persons of worth with human dignity. They should assign pupils work that matches their intellectual ability, because when they do it well it will boost their self-esteem. Pupils who achieve success in class activities should be praised and those who fail should be given assistance. Slow learners should be given individual assistance and helped to fill that they are capable of achieving something if they apply themselves.

Self-actualization
The objectives of teachers are to enable their pupils to develop their potential fully and to find fulfillment in life. If a pupil is cut out to be a teacher he should be encouraged to be the best teacher he can irrespective of whether it is at primary school or at university level, and if pupil want to become an agriculturalist, he should be encouraged to pursue his vocation. Long before the pupil finish school and start working, they should be encouraged to the best they can, whether they are working in a school assignment of helping their parent at home. They should be made aware that life is meaningful, exciting and enjoyable, and that they have a great contribution to make. This theory has discussed motivation and the numerous ways in which motivation can facilitate learning at school. By definition, motivation is a concept which can account for why people behavior the way they do. Man’s behavior is purposeful in the sense that for every cause there is an effect. Motivation can either be extrinsic or intrinsic.

A person is said to be extrinsically motivated if what he does is in expectation of approval praise, certificate, a reward etc. A person who is intrinsically motivated engages in a given behavior because he derives personal satisfaction from that behavior or because it satisfies curiosity or need for achievement or competence or assists him in maintaining a state of equilibrium. While extrinsic motivation is more commonly used in schools a teachers objective is to see to it that his pupils
become intrinsically motivated, so that what they do in terms of learning becomes a source of reinforcement instead of being dependent on external motivation. ‘Rewards for learning should be so engineered that after serving their introductory laws they lead people to independent learning activities’. Pupils can be motivated by success and failure as well as by achievement and competence needs. They should be given the impression that it is possible for them to succeed in their school work and in life as a whole, and therefore, teachers should see to it that in whatever they do pupils are able to experience some success, sense of achievement and level of competence. Teachers can motivate pupils by maintaining a positive attitude toward themselves, their colleagues, their pupils and their professional. Furthermore, teacher’s personality characteristics can serve as a source of motivation. Some of these characteristics are kindness, flexibility, impartiality, efficiency, patience, solicitude and consistency.

According to Maslow’s theory of a hierarchy of needs, children can be motivated by the fulfillment of their physiological and psychological needs. Physiological needs must be satisfied before psychological needs and be gratified.

In conclusion, pupils must be sufficiently motivated to attend school and to pay attention to what is going on in the classroom if schooling is to have any effect on them. Left to themselves the majority of children would not learn to read or ponder over arithmetic problems without prompting from adults. Thus the study of motivation is relevant to and important for teachers. A teachers’ success in the classroom depends on how well she applies the principles of motivation in her teaching.

---

francis1897 answered the question on March 17, 2023 at 06:29