During my time in my clinical placement at Habersham Central High School during the Fall 2017 semester, I have learned a great deal about the adolescent learner.  One of the most important things I have learned about the adolescent learner is that relationships are one of the most important things to students.  I have noticed that students tend to work harder and listen to you better if they feel that you care about them and they can trust you not only as a teacher but as a person.  As we have discussed in our student misconception lab, motivation is vital to student success.  Ormrod explains motivation as the inner "sense of intending to" that drives individuals to a particular goal (Ormrod, 2015).  I have been able to see both sides of the coin of motivation.  I am placed in two Advanced Placement classes, and one co-taught class.  I see more intrinsic motivation form our AP kids than the kids in our co-taught class.  However, both classes are driven by extrinsic motivation, specifically what grade they receive.  While this is what predominately motivates the majority of our co-taught students, some still are not motivated intrinsically or extrinsically.  These are students who I have noticed have a fixed mindset (to learn more about fixed and growth mindsets click HERE to watch PERTS' video on the topic).  These students who have a fixed mindset think that they can not increase their intelligence.  Since they are convinced they can not do the work, or learn the material, they are not motivated to try.  This is the largest set back for students that I have seen in the classroom thus far.   Another source of motivation that we have discussed is the feeling of security in the classroom.  Students who feel intellectually safe in the classroom is more likely to put themselves out there, even if they are wrong.  This feeling of safety is closely related to the relationship between the teacher and the students.  A better relationship helps make the students feel more comfortable in the class and that they will not be berated or embarrassed for giving a wrong answer.

     Something I have noticed that I think is related to this fixed mindset is that many students lack responsibility for their education.  It is difficult for us to get students to turn in their work on time.  We have some kids who have 504s that list turning in assignments is a difficulty, which is understandable, and we have worked with these students in this aspect.  However, it is the kids who find school easy but are just not responsible enough to take control of their education.  I have found that a number of students feel it is the teacher's responsibility to make sure they pass.  I think they have taken advantage of us at times in the fact that we want them to succeed while challenging them as much as possible.  There has been a number of times that students have blamed us as teachers for them not performing well on assignments, but when asked, they admit that they did not study.  Students taking responsibility for their education is something I have noticed is lacking in my classes.

Adolescent Learner