I Just Didn’t KnowI Just Didn’t Know

Children and their most basic Children and their most basic needs. needs.

Who Am I andWho Am I andWhat am I doing HereWhat am I doing Here??

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Maslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsNeeds

Physiological Physiological

Lowest level – life sustaining needs: Lowest level – life sustaining needs: AirAir FoodFood Bodily comfortsBodily comforts

PhysiologicalPhysiological

Physiological - seeks coping information Physiological - seeks coping information in order to meet basic needs. Information in order to meet basic needs. Information that won’t help an individual meet those that won’t help an individual meet those basic needs in a short time is ignored. basic needs in a short time is ignored.

Safety/SecuritySafety/Security

Out of danger, stability, dependency, Out of danger, stability, dependency, protection, freedom from fear, anxiety protection, freedom from fear, anxiety and chaos.and chaos.

Safety/SecuritySafety/Security

Safety – seeks help information. Needs Safety – seeks help information. Needs help in seeing how they can be safe and help in seeing how they can be safe and secure.secure.

Belonging and Love NeedsBelonging and Love Needs

Affiliated with othersAffiliated with others Being accepted and lovedBeing accepted and loved

Belonging and Love NeedsBelonging and Love Needs

Belonging and Love – seeks enlightening Belonging and Love – seeks enlightening informationinformation

searching for ways to feel like they belong searching for ways to feel like they belong and are loved.and are loved.

Self-EsteemSelf-Esteem Self-Evaluation – to achieve, be Self-Evaluation – to achieve, be

competent, gain approval and competent, gain approval and recognition. recognition.

Self-EsteemSelf-Esteem

Self-Esteem – seeks empowering Self-Esteem – seeks empowering information-looking for ways to develop information-looking for ways to develop their ego.their ego.

Self-ActualizationSelf-Actualization

Be all that you can be.Be all that you can be. To know.To know. To understand.To understand.

Self-ActualizationSelf-Actualization

Edifying informationEdifying information Lower-academic achievement Lower-academic achievement Seemingly not interested in school. Seemingly not interested in school.

Self-ActualizationSelf-Actualization

““In a neighborhood where the jobs people In a neighborhood where the jobs people hold owe little to their education, it is hold owe little to their education, it is natural for children as they grow older, to natural for children as they grow older, to regard school as a brief prelude to work regard school as a brief prelude to work rather than as an avenue to their future rather than as an avenue to their future opportunities” opportunities”

Plowden Report of 1967Plowden Report of 1967

Self-ActualizationSelf-Actualization

Who attends high poverty and high minority Who attends high poverty and high minority schools?schools?

Who are our lowest achieving student? Who are our lowest achieving student?

Who is more likely to be taught by under-Who is more likely to be taught by under-qualified teachers? qualified teachers?

Self-Esteem NeedsSelf-Esteem Needs

Perceived competence is only acquired Perceived competence is only acquired through successful experiencesthrough successful experiences

Success build successSuccess build success Failure builds failureFailure builds failure

Self-Esteem NeedsSelf-Esteem Needs

Repeated FailureRepeated Failure

Low achievement expectancy.Low achievement expectancy.

Low academic self concept.Low academic self concept.

Self-Esteem NeedsSelf-Esteem Needs

If people don’t expect to succeed, they If people don’t expect to succeed, they seldom put forth the effort needed for seldom put forth the effort needed for successsuccess

Low Expectation Low Expectation Low Low EffortEffort

Belonging and Love NeedsBelonging and Love Needs

““If children are brought up in love, they If children are brought up in love, they learn to love.”learn to love.”

Belonging and Love NeedsBelonging and Love Needs

Economic hardships influence how Economic hardships influence how parents interact with their children. parents interact with their children. (Hashima and Amato, 1994).(Hashima and Amato, 1994).

Children who are poor are more likely to Children who are poor are more likely to be victims of child abuse. (Jaudes and be victims of child abuse. (Jaudes and Voohis, 1995). Voohis, 1995).

Belonging and Love NeedsBelonging and Love Needs

Schools seldom fulfill this need so these Schools seldom fulfill this need so these children may not identify with school. children may not identify with school.

AbsenteeismAbsenteeism Non-complianceNon-compliance DisruptivenessDisruptiveness InattentivenessInattentiveness

(Fixin and Cox, (Fixin and Cox, 1992)1992)

Belonging and Love NeedsBelonging and Love Needs

Most frequently cited reason for Most frequently cited reason for dropping out of school. (Quigley, 1992). dropping out of school. (Quigley, 1992).

So, how do they fulfill this need?So, how do they fulfill this need?

Safety NeedsSafety Needs

Toxic Homes + Toxic Environments = Toxic Homes + Toxic Environments = Toxic LivesToxic Lives

Twice as likely to live in over-crowded and substandard Twice as likely to live in over-crowded and substandard housing. housing.

Low IncomeLow Income Indoor PestIndoor Pest Indoor PollutantsIndoor Pollutants (Evans & Kantrowitz)(Evans & Kantrowitz)

(Am. (Am. Housing Survey)Housing Survey)

Safety NeedsSafety Needs

Low-income, ethnic minority children are Low-income, ethnic minority children are more likely to live in environments with more likely to live in environments with toxic waste (Evans & Kantrowitz, 2002).toxic waste (Evans & Kantrowitz, 2002).

Safety NeedsSafety Needs

Critical MassCritical Mass

When many poor households are lumped up together, a When many poor households are lumped up together, a critical mass is created. As more stable, middle-class critical mass is created. As more stable, middle-class households move away, a chain reaction begins. Social households move away, a chain reaction begins. Social meltdown, rising crime rates, high levels of drug abuse meltdown, rising crime rates, high levels of drug abuse and alcoholism, accelerated family breakdown --- and alcoholism, accelerated family breakdown --- neighborhood deterioration-ignites. Bad neighborhoods neighborhood deterioration-ignites. Bad neighborhoods destroy good people. destroy good people.

(Rusk (Rusk Report,1996)Report,1996)

Safety NeedsSafety Needs

SES NeighborhoodSES Neighborhood

All-cause mortalityAll-cause mortality Cardiovascular riskCardiovascular risk Cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease (Smith, et al. 1998)(Smith, et al. 1998)

Injury with mortality Injury with mortality (Cubbin, LeClere, and Smith, (Cubbin, LeClere, and Smith, 2000)2000)

CrimeCrime Fear of environment Fear of environment (Wandersman and Nation, 1998)(Wandersman and Nation, 1998)

Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior ProblemsProblems

Children become sexually active earlier.Children become sexually active earlier. (Leventhat and Brooks Gunn, 2000)(Leventhat and Brooks Gunn, 2000)

Child AbuseChild AbuseThe younger the child, the more likely to be The younger the child, the more likely to be

abused. CDF, 2000. abused. CDF, 2000. Increased exposure to trauma.Increased exposure to trauma.Twice as likely to die before their 1Twice as likely to die before their 1stst birthday. birthday.

((Duncan & Brooks-Gunn, 1997)Duncan & Brooks-Gunn, 1997)

Physiological NeedsPhysiological Needs

Air, water, shelterAir, water, shelter Birth weightBirth weight NutritionNutrition Health careHealth care