Reaching The Needy

One of the great lessons I learned in education has to do with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need. (Cheesy educational graphic included!)

Sounds complicated doesn’t it?

It’s really no big deal really…and It’s something we understand intrinsically once you dig in.

The basic idea is this.

People have to have their most basic needs met before they can focus on less basic needs.

For Maslow we need to know our physical needs are going to be met (eat, sleep, etc.)

Then..we have to feel safe,

Then…we need to feel accepted,

Then…we need to feel important

And then…and only then…will we ever be able to focus on anything in the classroom.

Spend some time thinking about your program.

Do you have kids that are physically hungry? You’ve got to feed them before you can teach them.

Is your environment a safe one? How’s the bullying?  Are your volunteers mean?  Is your staff mean?  Are you mean?  (Seriously)

Do your kids feel accepted? Does someone know their name?  Does someone know more than their name?  Is someone excited to see them? (Don’t fall into the trap thinking this one has to be you….or even a staff member…our capacity to know each kid is limited)

Do you tell the kids they’re awesome? Do you believe that?  (If you don’t they won’t believe you when you tell them!)

This is really tough stuff.  This may be true for some kids in your ministry but is it true for every kid?  If it’s anything like mine, it will never be true for every kid…because the room is full of kids and there are way too many variables beyond our control.  But that doesn’t mean I’m going to quit trying…and neither should you.

The best way I’ve found to address all these needs is by recruiting lots and lots of loving, caring, qualified volunteers.  I will never know every kid’s name or every kids story.  If you have more than 15 kids, that is probably true for you as well.

Here’s the strange thing…when people come to see our environments at North Point do you know what they want to know?

The want to know what we teach and how we teach it.

I don’t want to minimize this question…it’s huge and important.

I just want you to think about the other stuff for a minute (OK…maybe longer than a minute).