Weekly Journal 09-12-00

Section 1:  Preparation for class

I took some time to think about Maslow's hierarchy of needs when reading about it in this weeks reading assignments.  I have studied Maslow before but never with the intention of applying it to myself personally.  As I will state below in the "light bulb moments", this is something I believe I am dealing with and can use to grow personally.  I have not been as happy with my job this semester than in the past.  When asked why, I have not really had a concrete answer.  However I believe it may have something to do with a need to fulfill maslow's higher-level needs.

I was also prompted by reading about meaningful learning.  I do believe that someone will be better able to learn in a way in which that information can be easily retrieved if the learning that is taking place is meaningful to the learner.  I believe the learning can be made meaningful either through the understanding of why it needs to be learned or by relating the subject matter to something that is already meaningful to the learner.  I use this principle when teaching Freshman Seminar.  This is a class which attempts to instruct freshman students in ways they can become more productive students.

Section 2:  Reflections

I have not been as happy with my job than at times past.  I believe this may have something to do with a need to participate in activities which fulfill maslow's higher-level needs.  I have seemed to lose "ownership" in the organization.  We have recently added division chairs to our administrative staff and since that time those chairs have taken over much of the work we, as faculty, once were expected to complete.  We are simply told when we need to do something specific and when it is to be completed by.  Upon reflecting back upon this coupled with the fact that I have submitted proposals for and will be presenting at the Arkansas Association of Two Year Colleges (AATYC) three times this year, I have realized that I may be attempting to compensate for not being involved to the extent I once was.  I speculate that I have unconsciously felt a need to remain part of something larger than myself.  This may indicate that I am trying to fulfill some higher-level, psychological needs.

Section 3:  Applications

Upon consideration of possible way to apply Blocks organizational concepts, I was pondering how someone in my position could try to implement processes that would be build on those concepts.  I decided that I could attempt to implement some of the concepts of stewardship in a committee I chair.  I plan to see how successful I can be at making use of what I have learned in this "sub-organization" setting.

Section 4:  "Light Bulb Moments?"

A light bulb moment for me was realizing when asked by a family member why I wasn't as "involved" this year with my job, that I had no definitive answer.  After that realization, I was reading about Maslow's categories of hierarchal needs and realized that I may be feeling a lack of fulfillment in the achievement of higher-level needs.

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