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Annette You are right. As a college teacher I can attest to that. Most of the lack of motivation I referred to was in dealing with the 18-24 year olds. The adult leaners appear to be much more self-directed (according to Knowles and Candy and Merriam and Caffarella's theories on self-directed learning). I am sorry if my post was not clear. I deserve 30 lashes with the Eiffel Tower-:) France ===== Original Message From Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals <[log in to unmask]> ===== >To add to the issue of motivation/acculturation, I wish to point out >that students are not monolithic. We speak as if most of our >developmental students are 18 years old and just out of high school. >At my community college, most of my students are mid-20's through >30's. They are highly motivated to change their lives and correct >the mistakes of the past. They are not in the same attitudinal >place as the "kids." > >Motivation is complicated, too. My students are highly motivated >to make their lives better. That doesn't mean they are intrinsically >motivated to love the math I teach them for its own sake. I think >part of my job is to show them reasons it's worth valuing the >subject and to help them overcome their fears and defenses. >Sometimes that reaches them, sometimes it doesn't. But I also >think they have a right not to like it in the end, and to be going to >school for different reasons than I did. Ultimately their motivations >are their own business, as long as they know what is expected for class. > >Annette Gourgey Je pense, donc, je suis, Rene Descarte Chacun ont deux pays et un de ils est France, Benjamin Franklin vive la France