One of the ways I am striving to be a better human and teacher is to always be learning.
Part of my self-imposed curriculum the summer of 2020 was the teachings of Tony Robbins. I worked with one of his Peak Performance Speakers, Karissa Kouchis.
One of the concepts Tony Robbins (TR) talks about is the 6 Human Needs. As I listened to a workshop recording it occurred to me these apply in a special way to how I ran my classroom.
These concepts are examined in 2025 in regards to the characters in my Margot Project.
Certainty or Comfort
All humans search for what they know for sure. Students are no different. This is why agendas work in classrooms and why some students are constantly asking what is next when you don’t tell them. When there is not enough certainty, students will react and try to create it on their own. This is not always pleasant. Students do not know sometimes why they are doing something – they are simply trying to get their needs met. This is another reason the culture of your classroom is so important for students to be comfortable.
I am freewriting today about what my characters know for sure - or what they think they know so I can rip it all apart. I heard this past week on a podcast that the characters we create are not real people. It is our job to throw obstacles at them and tear their lives apart. I need to know what they want and need - and not just my main character.
Uncertainty or Variety
Now, these first two seem to be in conflict with each other since they seem to be opposites. When we have too much certainty, then we get bored and start looking for adventure. This is also where students get in trouble. When they get too comfortable and there is not enough variety, they will create their own variety. Creating variety that is appealing to your students can go a long way in having everyone’s needs being met. This is why we change where we are sitting, encourage brain drainers and movement, we change groupings of students, and the way we share information.
A story you are writing has to have variety - stuff has to happen! I am thinking a lot about the movement of my characters and how they relate and are connected to each other.
Significance
Children need to be seen for who they are. They need to be worth attention and purpose. This is an important component of relationship and knowing who our students are. I am sure that I could ask any one of you reading this who is a teacher what certain students in your class like or dislike. You probably know the names of their dog, what foods they don’t like and who they were mad at last week. This is why greeting students at the door is important and also asking when student’s behavior changes.
I am learning about who my sub-characters are independent of my Main Character and how they are related to each other. One character, Alyce, has this as her highest need. Wanting to see be seen can cause all kinds of problems since she will do anything to be recognized…including undermine her best friend Margot when she has convinced herself she is helping Margot in her grief. Alyce needing to be important is going to cause a lot of problems.
Connection
How many times have we said relationships are the most important factor in a classroom? I am going to say it again – RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT! It is a human need for everyone to have connection.
How we connect is another story! This is where the love languages come into play for my characters.
Contribution and Service
Knowledge and input is important but so is giving and doing for others. Random Acts of Kindness was an example TR brought up in one of the recordings. I have seen classroom and school projects that have encompassed this idea. Students need to be able to have opportunities to help others. This is sometimes learned through home or church, but it is our responsibility as teachers to provide opportunities as well.
Art is a large contribution to my novel project. Time is another .
Growth
We are always learning. Children are naturally curious. The main goal of students for achievement. As teachers, we want students to learn and achieve. We want them to reach the standards as a minimum and to learn to chase their curiosity. We provide them the tools for them to pursue learning on their own. I always want my students to be reading, writing, and problem-solving even when it isn’t assigned.
After some journaling and thinking about how this applied to me in the context of education, I concluded for my own needs of certainty and uncertainty, it manifested as me transitioning from teaching to the coaching job. The uncertainty of the daily schedule and working with teachers counterbalanced the certainty of education and my knowledge. At the time I first transitioned, there was a whole new school and program to learn as well.
I can also see why the EL education curriculum was so appealing to me. It covers all the human needs within their curriculum, including the service component. Giving to others is not a standard part of most ELA curriculums. I find the first two important with the balance. This is why I use EL protocols for students to share and learn from each other.
I would love to hear which one resonates with you the most. What are the needs from the 6 that rise to the top for you?