3. Behaviour Fundamentals
Fulfilling Needs
Misbehaviour is inevitable, and the classroom or learning environment you will be managing is not always going to run smoothly. Whenever you bring people together, a certain amount of tension or conflict over time is nearly impossible to avoid. There are a number of reasons why misbehaviour may occur. Most of this can be brought back to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
If the most basic of needs are not met, it is extremely difficult to fulfill the others. When participants are tired, hungry, or thirsty their ability to feel safe, calm, and connected is jeopardized. In the same way, if a participant feels left out or excluded, or feels that you don’t know their name, they will never feel respected and ready to fulfill their potential at camp.
If it is our goal to ensure that ALL youth explore their full potential, then we need to consider that participants’ needs are met from the foundation up. We also need to consider how to use communication to help uncover if participants’ needs are met, and encourage healthy communication for participants to express their needs.
(Image source: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html)