A Comprehensive Analysis of Self-Actualization in Math Education

This essay discusses the concept of self-actualization, as defined by Abraham Maslow, and its application in math education. It highlights the importance of educators fostering student interests and creativity while addressing their basic human needs. The essay identifies challenges faced by math teachers, such as balancing diverse learning needs and aligning school administration goals with student needs. Effective strategies, including open communication, online communities, and real-world applications of math concepts, are suggested to motivate students intrinsically and extrinsically. By connecting math lessons to broader life goals and providing both encouragement and rewards, teachers can help students achieve self-actualization and realize their full potential. The essay references various sources to support its arguments and provides practical examples of how self-actualization can be integrated into the math classroom.

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SELF-ACTUALIZATION IN A MATH LESSON
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Self-actualization is a term that was used by Abraham Maslow when he outlined the
hierarchical pyramid of basic human needs. He defined it by stating that a man must be what he
can be. It is defined as the psychological process that enables a person to maximize their abilities
and resources to reach maximum potential (Selva, 2018).
Maslow the great psychologist while developing his theory of personality argued that
education must shift from person-stunting antics to approaches that improve a person. Therefore,
educators must respond to a person's potential to help them grow according to Simons et al. I
agree with this argument because the teacher must help a person to develop their interests and
creativity while at the same time meeting their human needs. Educators who are in a position of
self-awareness, for example, should teach people on how to be authentic, that is, to be conscious
of their inner selves (mycommonplacebooksite, 2018). Especially children should get this equal
opportunity to explore and discover what they want to do with their future career-wise to self-
actualize.
The main hindrances to achieving the higher needs of the Maslow’s hierarchical needs
are poverty and lack of a proper education. For people living in poverty, they strive to obtain
lower needs of the Maslow’s pyramid while abandoning the higher needs. These lower needs
must be met before the higher needs are met. For example, rich people have lower needs secured
and therefore their primary goal is to secure the higher needs in the hierarchical pyramid of
human needs. Poor education is another hindrance which leads to lack of awareness of how to
achieve these higher needs.
Maths teacher faces multiple challenges when taking students through a lesson. Teachers
at times are challenged on how to balance students' differing learning needs (Doskocil, 2018).

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Any student that walks into a maths class is different. Others find it hard to deal with maths
problems, therefore, need extra tuition. Some will learn fast and go about tackling questions on
their own with no extra help. At times, a math teacher faces the challenge of balancing between
the school administration needs and those needs of the student. It is not all the time that they both
have the same goals, which is, to equip students with skills to make wise choices in solving
problems in their daily lives. In such situations, the admin is primarily focused on making
money. Another challenge for a maths teacher he or she must consider when taking these maths
lessons is how to help students and their parents meet their long-term goals. They must
understand the community their students come from. Some of these students need to be educated
on the importance of education and how it would help to achieve future goals. This is because
some of their students don't know the benefits of the education they receive from class.
The math teacher must communicate openly with their students. The teacher has to let
their students know of their availability for extra tutoring on a daily basis. He or she must follow
up with their students by calling or sending emails to struggling students. He or she should offer
their services to answer questions from students all the times (Guerra and An, 2016). In order, to
achieve the above objective, they must set up an online community with the aim of
communicating with their students after school hours. They should also encourage students to
take part in class discussions to help one another especially for students who are fearful of asking
or answering questions in class.
Lessons on outdoor trigonometry in teachers TV programme motivates students to
achieve self-actualization. Pupils in these classes are in a better position to realize their calling
especially about what career they would love to pursue. These programmes also teach pupils to
appreciate themselves and their surroundings. Pupils also learn about how to solve difficult

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problems not only in their math lesson but also in real life situations such as problems of pain
and suffering.
It is a math teacher’s responsibility to ensure their pupils are both intrinsically or
extrinsically motivated. At the end of each math lesson, pupils need to be reminded of the
‘bigger picture’ and the rewards they stand to reap (Guerra and An, 2016). For example, pupils
will be intrinsically motivated to work hard at school while at the same time enjoying their
experience to achieve particular career success. In addition, pupils are extrinsically motivated
when they receive rewards for their excellent scores in the form of academic trips or math
stationeries. Through it, they are in a position to realize short-term rewards of self-actualization.

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References
Doskocil, D. (2018). The 3 main challenges teachers face in today's classroom - Classcraft Blog.
[online] Classcraft Blog. Available at: http://www.classcraft.com/blog/features/3-main-
challenges-teachers-face/ [Accessed 21 Apr. 2018].
Guerra, P.P. and An, S., 2016. Possibilities and Challenges of Teaching Integrated Math and
Social Studies for Social Justice: Two Teacher Educators' Collaborative Self-Study.
Georgia Educational Researcher, 13(2), p.1.
mycommonplacebooksite. (2018). M2U1 Activity 3 – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. [online]
Available at: https://mycommonplacebooksite.wordpress.com/2016/12/11/m2u1-activity-
3-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs/ [Accessed 21 Apr. 2018].
Selva, J. (2018). Self-Actualization: Definition & Examples. [online]
Positivepsychologyprogram.com. Available at:
https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/self-actualization/ [Accessed 21 Apr. 2018].