At Saklan, we Maslow in order to Bloom.
Last Spring, we ran two surveys. The first was a Belonging Survey we did with students (grades 2-8), parents, and teachers. The second survey was given to the parent community, asking them to reflect on their family’s overall Saklan experience.
The surveys provided valuable insights into our strengths and areas of potential growth. The findings consistently highlighted that fostering a strong sense of belonging is at the core of our identity and valued by our community. Of everything to digest, though, one of my biggest takeaways was how well we “Maslow in order to Bloom .”
Any first-year education student is familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy. His hierarchy applies to learning, moving from the most basic recall level and progressing to synthesizing and creating.
While the lower levels of the hierarchy are foundational, it is the upper levels where we want to take students. It is where learning is most exciting and why Saklan focuses on deep and meaningful project work. It also happens much more deeply if students feel they are in a safe place to make mistakes and feel connected to others.
Hence, the importance of Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs. In short, Maslow emphasized how vital our basic needs are. Maslow believed that mental well-being starts with ensuring food, shelter, and safety. Once those are secure, feeling love and belonging become the foundation for reaching our full potential.
That foundation of belonging is an accelerant to rich and meaningful learning. In other words, you can’t Bloom until you Maslow. This is the core of who we are at Saklan and why we do what we do.
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