As with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, I believe that children must have basic human needs met first in order for them to be ready to fully engage in the learning environment. I have made a commitment to meet a majority of those needs through creating a brain-compatible, non-threatening environment in which children are encouraged to communicate with peers and teachers. Team building is encouraged through cooperative learning activities. Interpersonal relationships are built through buddy programs, peer interaction and class sharing or group discussions.