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Global Citizenship Foundation | Pioneering Global Citizenship Education Worldwide

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Global Citizenship Foundation is a leading specialist organization with a mandate to advance Global Citizenship Education around the world. With impact in 70+ countries, Global Citizenship Foundation is at the forefront of taking GCED to schools, universities, and organizations worldwide.

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Habits of Mind Explorer - The Institute for Habits of Mind

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16 Habits of Mind for Success in Learning and in Life. Serving educators worldwide with innovative thinking tools and powerful resources.

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The Five Habits of the Heart | Center for Courage & Renewal

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Stanford NGSS Integrated Curriculum: An Exploration of a Multidimensional World

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Stanford NGSS Integrated Curriculum: An Exploration of a Multidimensional World

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Stanford NGSS Integrated Curriculum: An Exploration of a Multidimensional World – SCALE Science at WestEd

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Integrated, NGSS-designed, project-based curriculum for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.

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Our popular series of short videos that break down effective classroom practices for every grade level in literally one minute—all in one place. How’s that for a quick win?

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ted ted-ed teded "ted education" animation "animated videos" history math science myths riddles literature poetry psychology education "mental health" health...

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TED-Ed's mission is to create lessons worth sharing. Feed and expand your curiosity with our award-winning animated shorts - published on YouTube and available with supplemental learning materials on ed.ted.com. Want to suggest an idea for a TED-Ed animation, nominate an educator or animator? Visit our website at: http://ed.ted.com/get_involved.

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The 17 SDGs are integrated-they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others and that development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Countries have committed to prioritise progress for those who are the furthest behind. The SDGs are designed to end poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
Reference

United Nations Development Programme. (2023). The SDGs in action https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals

Image: "The Sustainable Development Goals: a lens for Social Responsibility" by The University of Edinburgh is licensed under CC BY 3.0

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All guides: Research integrity: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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A guide outlining Library support available to Researchers and Higher Degree by Research students on aspects of research integrity.

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Research Congress 2021 centers on UN SDGs to tackle Pandemics - De La Salle University

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LOOKING INTO HOW THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) COULD BE USED AS A FRAMEWORK FOR THE WORLD’S CONTINUED PROGRESS, De La Salle University mounted last July 7-9 its annual Research Congress, with the theme, “Revisiting and Transforming the SDGs …

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Science-Based Practices for Kinder, Happier Schools

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Welcome to Greater Good in Education! Explore our growing collection of 350+ practices related to social-emotional learning, character education, and mindfulness, drawn from the latest research.

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Find activities, practices, and tools to help you create happier, kinder, more equitable learning communities, drawn from research.

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Our website for families provides reviews and ratings of movies, books, games, apps, and other media to help parents and families make informed decisions about the media their children use.

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Common Sense Education provides educators and students with the resources they need to harness the power of technology for learning and life. Find our free K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum, reviews of popular edtech apps, tips on teaching responsible AI use, and resources for protecting student privacy and online safety.

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Unpacking the CASEL Framework in SEL & Leadership

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Unpacking the CASEL Framework in SEL & Leadership

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Unpacking the CASEL Framework in SEL & Leadership Pilot Program - Arete

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The NYC DOE Supportive Environment Framework for Great Schools shares a common vision of fostering students’ social and emotional development to create more equitable learning environments and outcomes. Our SEL & Leadership Pilot Program is closely aligned with CASEL’s integrated framework. This blog post unpacks how the pilot program’s curriculum framework and activities respond to each competency in the CASEL’s framework.

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Researchers, educators, employers, and parents agree that social and emotional learning (SEL) and non-academic skills matter for success in school and life, but it can be difficult to decide which skills to focus on - let alone how best to promote and measure them. Learn More.

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Navigate the complex field of social and emotional learning.

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Maslow's Hierarchy of School Needs Graphic 

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Maslow's Hierarchy of School Needs Graphic 

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@jca_1975 Love this! Created a similar Maslow's Hierarchy based on student social/emotional needs #satchat http://t.co/6LebY0qjao

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@jca_1975 Love this! Created a similar Maslow's Hierarchy based on student social/emotional needs #satchat http://t.co/6LebY0qjao

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@jca_1975 Love this! Created a similar Maslow's Hierarchy based on student social/emotional needs #satchat pic.twitter.com/6LebY0qjao
— Steve Guditus (@sguditus) December 6, 2014

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@jca_1975 Love this! Created a similar Maslow's Hierarchy based on student social/emotional needs #satchat http://t.co/6LebY0qjao

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@jca_1975 Love this! Created a similar Maslow's Hierarchy based on student social/emotional needs #satchat http://t.co/6LebY0qjao

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@jca_1975 Love this! Created a similar Maslow's Hierarchy based on student social/emotional needs #satchat http://t.co/6LebY0qjao

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Applying Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" in Modern Education

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Applying Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" in Modern Education

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Applying Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” in Modern Education

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Learn actionable strategies to implement Maslow’s model into your curriculum and institutional policy.

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How Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Can Be Applied in Teacher

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How Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Can Be Applied in Teacher

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As humans, we are driven by an innate desire to achieve more, to surpass not just others, but our own limits and boundaries.

In the 1950s, American psychologist Abraham Maslow came up with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, a popular psychological theory to explain what drives human motivation. According to his theory, our actions are motivated by the pursuit of certain needs, from basic to complex, depicted as hierarchical levels in a pyramid. Certain basic needs have to be met before a person will try for complex needs.

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Over the years, Abraham Maslow's theory has been used in different spheres and is being increasingly used in the field of education to motivate learners. We must remember that as educators and teachers, it is not practically possible to cater to every need of the students. We may not, for instance, be able to influence the home lives of our students. However, in the classroom we have the opportunity and the means to gauge their needs and cater to them. Maslow's hierarchy of needs can be used in the area of teaching to find the optimal way of motivating students to perform their best.

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1. Physiological Needs

Physiological needs are the primary level of needs in Maslow's hierarchy and include those biological needs which are essential for survival such as food, water, sleep, clothing and shelter. They are the first priority; all other needs will be considered secondary until these are met.

It is of utmost importance to ensure that the physiological needs of our students are being met. In the case that they are not, students will not be able to prioritize education. For a student, these needs would include food, water, shelter, sleep, ventilation, lighting, toilet breaks among others. It's only obvious that a sleep deprived or a hungry student will be unable to concentrate in class and may even disrupt learning for others. In this way, the learning environment and learning conditions can affect student engagement in the classroom.

Ways to support students' physiological needs-

Allow students to take regular water and toilet breaks, if in-person.

Provide breaks for food - and offer nutritious snacking options.

Ensure adequate lighting and ventilation.

Monitor temperature so that students do not feel too hot or cold.

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2. Security and Safety Needs

Security and safety needs come next on the hierarchy. People desire order, certainty and predictability in their lives so that they can feel in control and consequently, feel safe and secure. These needs include security - financial and physical - in the ways of employment, resources, health, and prosperity.

Students need to feel safe - physically, emotionally and mentally - to be able to learn and to flourish without other concerns weighing on their minds. They must feel at ease to ask questions or raise concerns, without the fear of being reprimanded by the teacher or judged by their peers. A sense of order and routine empowers a learner to feel assured and certain as they are able to anticipate what is likely to come their way. Thus, creating a safe learning space is vital to employ this step of the hierarchy.

Ways to support students' safety needs-

Enact well-defined routines in your classes.

Set forth well-defined rules and procedures and communicate them to the students.

Follow rules and routines consistently.

Cultivate an environment that allows for healthy discussion and non-judgmental conversation.

Monitor the environment of your class to identify and prevent bullying.

Together, the safety and physiological levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs are often referred to as "basic needs".

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3. Love and Belonging Needs

On the third level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs are love and belongingness. Humans are inherently social creatures that crave love, affection and acceptance from others. We are endowed with an emotional need to be a part of a group, to belong, to avoid loneliness and depression. These needs include friendship, family, intimacy, trust and connectedness.

"Students who are loved at home come to school to learn, and students who aren't, come to school to be loved." ~ Nicholas A. Ferroni

To support the love and belonging needs of learners, it is fundamental to make them feel like they are a part of a close-knit group, like they fit in, like they belong. It is essential that they feel loved, nurtured, supported and accepted as a part of the class. Strong and healthy relationships have to be developed and fostered with both, their peers and teachers.

Establish ground rules about being respectful towards one another.

Create a sense of team by engaging students in team-building and bonding activities.

Encourage group work and other inclusive learning techniques.

Make conscious seating arrangements and groups. Place students whether they can be best supported and aided.

Ways to support students' love and belonging needs-

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4. Esteem Needs

Esteem needs constitute the fourth level in Maslow's hierarchy and include self-worth, recognition, accomplishment and respect. These needs have been classified into two categories:

(i) the desire for respect from oneself, encompassing dignity, achievement, freedom, independence, confidence, and

(ii) the need for respect from others, which includes fame, prestige, status and recognition.

Show your students that their efforts and hard work are noticed and appreciated. Provide powerful affirmative feedback. A simple "Good job!" or a "Well done!" can go a long way in boosting kids' self esteem and self worth.

Create opportunities for students to share positive feedback with their peers.

Encourage students to participate in competitions and extra- curricular activities and events.

To meet self-esteem needs, students need to feel important and worthwhile and gain respect, approval, and appreciation by engaging in activities and tasks that bring them achievement, success, and recognition. Students may seek gratification from not only teachers but from peers as well. As teachers and leaders, it is important to regard each student as a unique individual, appreciating them for the originality that they bring to the class.

Ways to support students' self esteem needs-

Together, the esteem and love and belonging levels of the hierarchy constitute what is known as the "psychological needs" of the hierarchy.

5. Self Actualization Needs

Encourage and support students to explore topics in-depth to satisfy their hunger for knowledge. Courses like the Theory of Knowledge offer students a chance to do this.

Give opportunities to students who are very good in a subject to help their classmates with their work. Sports institutes could also allow for peer coaching.

At the very peak of Maslow's hierarchy are the self-actualization needs. Self-actualization can refer to the pursuit of a person's full potential and personal growth. Self-actualization could mean different things to different individuals - for some it could be making millions of dollars, while for others it could be dedicating their lives to the welfare of others. In essence, it is personal transformation - the desire to be the most one can be.

At this level, students proactively look to reach their full potential. They seek higher levels of knowledge and aim to achieve higher learning goals. At this point, it all comes down to finding fulfillment out of what they are learning.

Ways to support students' self-actualization needs-

Researchers have pointed out that these needs need not necessarily be viewed in the shape of a pyramid; they are better laid viewed as a circle in which the needs are constantly interconnected. Fulfilling one level of needs without taking heed of the others would not attain the goal of enabling every child to improve their abilities and motivation to learn. As educators and teachers, we have the power to effect change, and for us, that process begins in our classes. These simple yet effective suggestions allow us to allow our kids to progress through the hierarchy and thus, boost learner motivation.

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How Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs can be applied in teaching

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In the 1950s, American psychologist Abraham Maslow came up with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, a popular psychological theory to explain what drives human motivation. Maslow's hierarchy of needs can be used in the area of teaching to find the optimal way of motivating students to perform their best.

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Addressing Our Needs: Maslow Comes to Life for Educators and Students

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Addressing Our Needs: Maslow Comes to Life for Educators and Students

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Addressing Our Needs: Maslow Comes to Life for Educators and Students

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Guest blogger Lori Desautels translates Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs into a blueprint for classroom practice that can set the stage with comfort, care, and self-reflection to optimize brain-compatible learning.

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Student SEL Data Reflection Protocol - Casel Schoolguide

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Resources for implementing schoolwide SEL

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The National Core Arts Standards Meet the Studio Habits of Mind

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The National Core Arts Standards Meet the Studio Habits of Mind

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The National Core Arts Standards Meet the Studio Habits of Mind

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The National Core Arts Standards Meet the Studio Habits of Mind Curriculum Design % %

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In May 2025, group co-lead Stella Tsani was named as a finalist in the 2025 European Sustainable Energy Awards in the Women in Energy category. The winners will be announced during the EUSEW Awards Ceremony on 10 June 2025. You can read more here.

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The GYA and the UN SDGs - Global Young Academy

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In May 2025, group co-lead Stella Tsani was named as a finalist in the 2025 European Sustainable Energy Awards in the Women in Energy category. The winners will be announced during the EUSEW Awards Ceremony on 10 June 2025. You can read more here.

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The Role of Personal Values in Learning Approaches and Student Achievements

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Personal values play a significant role when adopting learning approaches by individuals during their studies. Particularly in higher education, these values significantly influence the character that individuals play within their learning community…

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The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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Teaching with the Habits of Mind can be done in many different ways. Here's a guide with free lesson ideas, video clips, and templates.

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column 1

Inclusive teaching requires an understanding of how social identities matter to our students, and to ourselves as instructors.

Whether it's race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, national origin, or something else, social identity is a part (but not all) of who we are as individuals. And social identities can shape students' learning experiences positively or negatively.

Drawn from the latest research and best practices in dialogue and inclusive teaching, this guide provides instructors with a step-by-step explanation of what social identities are and why they matter. It also includes strategies to help instructors from all disciplines reflect on student and instructor identity and successfully navigate difference in the classroom. Whether teaching in Neuroscience, Theater, Design, or Chemistry, instructors should come away from this guide with the language and tools needed to understand themselves and their students in context.

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Social identity is a part (but not all) of who we are as individuals.

Race

Sexual Orientation

Gender

Social Systems & Inequality (the "isms")

Public Health

Engineering

History

Other examples abound, where instructors can help students apply an intersectional analysis to social identities in the classroom.

COLUMN 1

Be aware of social identities. Understanding how identities are linked to social, political, and economic systems, and understanding how identities and systems intersect, is the first step to effectively engaging and navigating identities and differences in the classroom. See this social identity wheel exercise from the University of Michigan to help you reflect on your identities and the identities of your students.

Consider that identities are only a part of who we are. Your students don't just bring social identities into the classroom. Much more than that, they are bringing their own unique experiences, interests, viewpoints, needs, and goals. While social identities may shape how we behave towards one other and how things are received and experienced, they are not everything. Cultivate an interest and relationship with your students as unique individuals, and do not rely on them to serve as representatives of entire groups (i.e. calling on the only international student to give an international perspective).

Oppression is about barriers - not deficits. A sophisticated understanding of social identity is not designed to pinpoint student deficits (this student lacks x, y, or z based on the adversity they might face) (Ladson-Billings, 2007; Menchaca, 1997; O'Shea et al, 2016; Smith, 2012; Valencia, 2010). These identities, however, may provide a window into institutional barriers, and the unique assets students bring to the table as people who have had to overcome those barriers (Ramasubramanian, 2017). In other words, differences in group outcomes stem from systemic and institutional problems, not group differences.

Design your courses with the diversity of your students in mind. Do they see themselves reflected in the subjects and material? If so, are their social identities represented positively and with dignity, or only negatively? Give your students opportunities in assessments, activities, and discussions to connect their lived experiences to the content. This way you don't have to anticipate every identity and experience, but can co-construct engagement with the material together.

column 2

Set a tone of inclusion by sharing your pronouns (see CATE's Teaching Guide on Pronoun Usage), using appropriate language around race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and other social identities, and by including an authentic diversity statement in your syllabus.

Establish a community of shared norms and values around diversity and inclusion. Spend time in the beginning of your course to ask students what they can expect from themselves, and what they expect from others (including the instructor). Consider making a shared document the learning community can refer back to. Note: as the instructor, you can add norms and expectations the students miss and see what they think. Shared agreements go much further than a list of rules and policies!

Know how to identify and respond to microaggressions. Microaggressions are implicit or explicit messages that communicate to someone that they don't belong. Contrary to what many people think, they are not just small, unintentional slights (although they can be), but can take many forms. When they are unintentional, they tend to stem from a lack of knowledge about how social identities appear in person to person interaction. The knowledge about social identities provided in this guide should help you spot microaggressions in real time, whether you've committed one or simply observed it among students. For more on how to respond to microaggressions, review the ACTION framework provided in this article from Faculty Focus.

As instructors, we sometimes feel like we have to "get it right" all the time, and that if we mess up, our authority or credibility are undermined. We also should acknowledge that all identities cannot be known all the time. Vulnerability is a key ingredient to trust, and trust helps us navigate mistakes in learning communities.

This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.

This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only.

Please use the following citation to cite this guide:
Bartlett, Jackson Christopher (2022). "Navigating Social Identity in the Classroom." Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence at the University of Illinois Chicago. Retrieved [today's date] from https://teaching.uic.edu/resources/teaching-guides/inclusive-equity-minded-teaching-practices/pronoun-usage/

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Navigating Social Identity in the Classroom

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Whether it's race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, national origin, or something else, social identity is a part (but not all) of who we are as individuals. And social identities can shape students' learning experiences positively or negatively.

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The Innertune Blog | Affirmations, Manifestations & Positivity

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Top 90 Affirmations to Help Students Stay Focused and Motivated

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Transform students’ lives with daily affirmations that inspire confidence, strengthen resilience, and drive success in school and life.