Kids Vids Newsletter

by Mary Ann Kahl, EdD

If we are striving for fully realized beings that are also capable of contributing to the democratic process and to a healthy economy than we must provide ways for our students to reach the goal of self-actualization as defined by The Hierarchy of Human Needs.  In order for this to occur we must look at providing them with the means to help them satisfy other levels of basic needs, specifically safety education as a necessary school based curriculum. 

Abraham Maslow (1943) created for us a psychological and theoretical framework in which we could understand human potential and human development.  We have come to know this framework as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

The main premise of Maslow’s theory is that human beings progress onto subsequently higher levels of development only after they have experienced and satisfied the needs of the prior stage or stages.  This explains Maslow’s use of a pyramid, as opposed to a line or spiral, to represent the relationship of basic needs to full potential growth.  The lower four levels of the hierarchy are focused on survival needs.  The fifth level, self-actualization, is the apex of a life well lived and fully lived.  

Maslow’s Theory

The first level of Maslow’s Hierarchy is focused on satisfying physiological needs.  This includes our need to breathe, eat, sleep, dispose of our bodily waste, and so on. 



satisfying our basic physical and emotional safety and security needs.  Without this level being satisfied we are left in a state of constant “fight or flight” and are not able to move onto the next levels toward greater growth and potential.

The third level of needs include the need to be loved and to belong.  Without a sense of belonging we can experience depression, loneliness, and anxiety, feelings that disable us from moving forward.

The fourth level identifies our need for self-esteem.  It is the need not only to belong but also to be recognized, valued, and given worth. 

The fifth and final level of Maslow’s Hierarchy is known as Self-Actualization.  This level is characterized by one’s ability to be healthy, mature, and self-fulfilled. It is at this level that we can begin to come into being with our full potential. 

Maslow would argue that this stage is rarely met because most of us are still trying to meet the needs of the lower levels of being.  I will use this claim as the departure point for arguing the case that safety education is relevant and necessary in any school based curriculum.

There are plenty of examples of schools making sure that students have basic needs met.  For instance the national breakfast and lunch program makes food available to all qualifying students either at no cost to the students’ families or at a subsidized cost.  There are also many schools that offer before and after school care for free or reduced cost.  We are hearing about schools working closely with local churches and other community organizations to provide shelter, clothing, supplies, food, eye examinations and other survival needs so that students can come to school ready to learn.  Teachers themselves are known to provide food, clothing, supplies, transportation money and other necessities out of their own pocket so that their students do not have to go without these basic requirements. Teachers inherently know that there is no learning going on when students are hungry, tired, sick, or can’t see or hear well.  They also inherently know that there is no learning taking place when a child is frightened or scared.

Much attention is given to making our schools, homes and neighborhoods safe for kids.  We have neighborhood watch groups, we have secured entrances and exits from our schools, we have picture identifications for our students, and we even employ guards or police in many schools.  We have annual fire safety weeks, stranger danger programs and an abundance of character education programs and bully prevention programs, all with the aim of providing safe environments for our children.  The intentions of these programs are well deserved.  And we have made great strides towards making physical and emotional safety a part of our school programming and policies. Still we read about children dying in cross fires, bringing weapons to school, dying needlessly in home fires, being kidnapped, and the list goes on. 

It is clear we cannot eradicate danger from our children’s lives.  So what are we to do?

As we know from our experiences as educators and from research, it is difficult if not impossible for a child to concentrate on school and on their learning when they are frightened or feel that they are in danger.  This feeling escalates when the child does not feel they have any control over their safety and well-being.  This is where the work of KidsVids and other programs come into play. 

Empowering children to take safety into their own hands can be a liberating movement for them.   If children have information and have practiced ways to keep safe they will then be enabled to respond intelligently to situations that could potentially put them in harms way.  Having these tools satisfies their need to feel safe.  None of us are ever free of danger, and as much as we would like to keep the world danger- free for our children; we simply cannot.   But we can empower children to respond appropriately to dangerous situations.  This empowerment can help to satisfy the need for safety and security.  With this need satisfied children can begin to move into higher levels of development and move towards greater self-actualization. 

With increasing budget cuts in school districts across our nation and with pressure to have students demonstrate what they know through standardized testing there is now less time and resources available for important curricular components that are not part of the testing agenda.  Safety education is at risk of being lost.  This may seem minimal and unimportant.  But when we look at safety through the lens of Maslow and his theory of Hierarchy of Needs we see that it is a curricular area that we cannot afford to neglect.  If we are truly working towards Leaving No Child Behind then we must make certain that all children have access to higher ways of being.  They must all have access to their highest potential.  They cannot reach that point if they are worried about their own safety and security.  They are literally stunted in their growth.  It would be a shame not to be able to share basic safety information and survival skills with these children.  Let’s put children first; let’s make this world safe for them by letting them know that they have the ability to keep themselves safe.  Let’s give them the gift that helps them keep growing. 

Invest in safety education at your school.  It is the gateway to higher learning.

Mary Ann Kahl, EdD is the former Superintendent for the Alden-Hebron School District in Illinois and is currently Assistant Professor of Education Leadership at National Lewis University

Having seen the quality productions about fire safety and hand washing with “Soapy”, I had high expectations for the latest video from KidsVids; “Sir Flossmore” did not disappoint me.

Once again, KidsVids has created an extraordinary video capable of drawing students in and holding their attention. Children immediately like the humorous characters Sir Flossmore and his toothpaste steed. Sir Flossmore’s clumsy ways, and foreign accent are endearing. The toothpaste-“horse” is an “animal” that the students find lovable. Due to their enjoyment, the children really learn new information and retain it.

These videos also serve as a motivational writing prompt. My students are eager to write expository pieces with factual details they’ve learned. They have even written letters to the imaginary characters Soapy and Sir Flossmore.

I am impressed with the design, character development, and mostly the content that is taught. I will continue to use KidsVids products in my classroom since this company has proven it understands the needs of students and teachers-accurate information, disseminatedin an entertaining format, in a short amount of time-because teachers know how valuable instructional minutes are.

My students have written letters to the makers of KidsVids, asking them to make more videos.

KidsVids, please make as many videos as you can! Cover as many topics as you can! Children really do learn from your videos.

Miss Holly, 3rd grade teacher

I thought your movie was funny while it was teaching me. I didn’t know you can get a disease on your gums. I hope you can make some more movies about healthy stuff. If my big brother was here he would learn a lot. My brother’s teeth are very nasty and with cavities.

Lorena, 3rd grade, age 8

I never knew I had to floss everyday.

Rayleen, 3rd grade, age 8

I liked when the music came on. And I liked when Sir Flossmore and his tooth paste horse were dancing. The movie was very interesting and it gave a lot of information.
The whole class says “3 thumbs up.

Valerie, 3rd grade, age 8

I liked how you talked about bacteria and how you get holes in your teeth.

Michael, 3rd grade, age 8

I didn’t know that if you brush your teeth really hard that you’ll hurt your gums.

Dante, 3rd grade, age 8

I love Sir Flossmore. I learned lots of facts. Like how I get cavities. I had no idea how I would get cavities.

Tirsa, 3rd grade, age 8

December through March is peak Flu season and so now is the time to teach healthy habits that kids can take with them into adulthood, habits that will lessen the spread of germs that cause colds and flu.

Contact spread is responsible for 80% of all infectious disease. This means germs can be spread via direct contact with a person or indirect contact (doorknobs, keyboards, handrails), and because of the way kids play, they are particularly vulnerable to these types of transmission. Here are a few classroom habits you can implement that will help keep you and your students healthy, and hopefully they can take with them into adulthood.

One of the simplest, most effective means of preventing the spread of disease is to keep tissue around the classroom. A box of tissue, or several placed around the classroom can greatly decrease the spread of infectious disease. If a child uses a tissue, or even the crook of his arm when he sneezes, the germs get tied up in the cloth. You can reduce the number of active germs in the classroom by 80% to 90% simply by capturing them in a tissue. Of course you want to toss used tissue in the trash immediately.

Surfaces are hotspots for spreading disease as germs can live for hours and sometimes days on handrails and play tables. Frequent cleaning, such as wiping down table surfaces after a big classroom activity, prior to snack time, and at the end of the day is a great way to cut down on surface germs.

As Soapy teaches us, proper hand washing is the most effective way of reducing hand-transmited disease. Hand Washing for Kids with Soapy is a comprehensive lesson on the subject complete with lesson plan, classroom activities and a certificate of achievement which should be implemented in every classroom. Allow for breaks throughout the day for students to wash their hands and be sure to check bathrooms regularly to ensure an available supply of soap and paper towels.

Sharing is a wonderful thing for kids to learn, we want them to share their toys, share their thoughts, share responsibility for chores, but we don’t want them to share their germs. So when we teach sharing we must also mention that some things are not meant to be shared such as drinks or eating utensils.

It may seem obvious, but if a school employee or student is suspected of having the flu they should not attend school. Aside from the fact that you are sick and your body needs rest to get better, the risk of infecting others you come into contact with is very high.

In dealing with germs in the classroom, it is a good idea to remember that old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Recent studies have proven a decline in absenteeism and doctors visits when anti-bacterial soaps were used and surfaces routinely cleaned with disinfectants.