as individuals experience self-actualization or a connection to something greater than self. When explaining self-actualization to students, it may be useful to explain peak experiences as a means of identifying self-actualizing behaviors. One powerful way to have students reflect on their peak experiences is to have them write about them.
When asking college students to write about their own peak experiences, James Polyson (1985) found:
Every student was able to write about a peak experience that demonstrated at least a few of the characteristics of Maslow’s construct—the intrinsically good feelings; the total attentiveness in the here and now; the effortless functioning; the spontaneity and harmony with the environment; and/or the freedom from blocks, fears, and doubts. Most of the peak experiences had occurred during athletic, artistic, religious, or nature experiences, or during intimate moments with a friend or family member. There were a number of peak experiences in which the student achieved an important personal or collective goal. There were also peak experiences in which the student overcame some adversity or danger or helped someone in need. (p. 212)
After asking students to evaluate their experiences with the writing assignment, Polyson found that 98 percent of students found the assignment worthwhile to some degree and that “students were … nearly unanimous in their approval ratings on the item ‘How interesting was the assignment?’” (p. 212). While Polyson focused on college students, teachers can implement a similar writing assignment in K–12 classrooms using the following five-step process.
1. Define peak experiences for students: It may be helpful to provide characteristics of peak experiences (for example, a loss of sense of time, a feeling of effortlessness or a lack of inhibition, a lack of self-doubt or self-criticism, creativity, and so on) to students as well as either personal examples or accounts from self-actualized individuals.
2. Ask students to identify their own peak experiences: It may be difficult for some students to identify their own peak experiences, particularly for students who are younger. However, teachers can reframe this step so that students identify times in which they felt one or more of the characteristics of peak experiences. Teachers should emphasize that most individuals do not experience all the characteristics during peak experiences; rather, peak experiences may embody just one or two of the common characteristics.
3. Have students write a description of the event: Teachers can provide further requirements such as a page length, word count, or more detailed topic guidelines (for example, students can explain how these experiences have continued to impact their lives or focus on the emotions associated with the experience rather than a description of the event itself). Teachers should also consider whether or not to grade the assignment, as writing about personal experiences can be a difficult task for many students.
4. Ask students to share their experiences: Teachers should ask students to volunteer their experiences rather than mandating it, as peak experiences are inherently personal in nature. Similarly, if teachers want to use specific students’ work as examples, they should get prior permission from the students or ask if the examples can be shared with their names omitted.
5. Facilitate a discussion about peak experiences and self-actualization: Teachers can ask students to discuss peak experiences as a class or in small groups. Depending on previous discussions, teachers can ask students to focus on individual experiences shared in class or discuss the concept of a peak experience as a whole. Teachers may find it helpful to provide prompts that focus on particular aspects of peak experiences—for example, teachers can ask students to identify the lasting impact that peak experiences have had on their lives or discuss why they believe specific situations elicited peak experiences.
As students engage in critical analyses of their own peak experiences, teachers can ask students to reflect on why such experiences tend to be characteristic of self-actualization and discuss this relationship.
Mental Dispositions
Schools have sought to engage students in difficult tasks and expose them to complex problems as a means to help them meet the increasingly rigorous standards identified for K–12 students. The way students address these tasks, however, is a function of their existing mental dispositions—that is, the attitudes or actions taken during challenging situations. It is unsurprising that effective mental dispositions are necessary tools in the quest for self-actualization, as personally relevant goals often involve unexpected challenges and difficulties.
Teachers should emphasize that positive and effective mental dispositions generally run counter to natural human reactions to challenges. For example, a majority of people give up easily when they encounter problems, do not test their own limits on a regular basis, or fail to generate or adhere to personal standards of excellence. Making students aware of positive mental dispositions and providing them with opportunities to practice them increase the chances that students will develop these dispositions and use them both inside the classroom and later in life.
While many other experts have articulated desirable mental dispositions for students (for example, Costa & Kallick, 2008), our list of recommended dispositions appears in table 3.3 (page 36).
Table 3.3: Recommended List of Dispositions
| Mental Disposition | Description |
| Staying focused when answers are not immediately apparent | We typically execute this disposition when we are trying to solve a problem. It starts by recognizing that we have become frustrated because we can’t find an answer or solution and are about to give up on the task. Upon this realization, we then re-engage in the task even though we are experiencing ambiguity. |
| Pushing the limits of knowledge and skills | We typically execute this disposition during long-term projects. It begins by recognizing that we have set goals that are limited by our natural tendency to operate within our comfort zone. Upon this realization, we then adjust our goals such that their accomplishment will require us to acquire new knowledge and skills. |
| Generating and pursuing standards of excellence | We typically execute this disposition when we are working on a long-term project that culminates in a product. It starts by consciously thinking of how the product will look when it is complete and the standards by which we will judge how well we did. While considering standard conventions for the product, we might adjust them so they coincide with our personal level of development. |
| Seeking incremental steps | We typically execute this disposition when we are working on a long-term project. Rather than trying to address the entire project as a whole, we focus on small subsets or pieces of the overall system. With the completion of each part, we see how it fits into the whole and then move on to the next part. |
| Checking accuracy | We usually execute this disposition when we are learning something new. This commonly involves gathering information about a topic. It begins with an analysis of the source of the information we are receiving. If we are not completely sure of the accuracy of the source, we then consult sources we are more sure contain accurate information about the topic. |
| Checking clarity | We usually execute this disposition when we are trying to understand something new. It begins by asking ourselves if we have any confusion regarding the information we have processed thus far. If we do, we stop taking in new information and seek clarification from whatever resources are available. |
| Resisting impulsivity | We typically execute this disposition when we are making a decision or forming a conclusion. This commonly occurs when we respond to certain stimuli or form a conclusion based on new information we have processed. It begins by realizing that we have an urge to respond or form a conclusion without collecting more information. We briefly pause and allow time to think about our response or conclusion with an eye toward making revisions. |
| Seeking
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