How Do Academic Motivation and Peer Relationships Mix in an Adolescent's World?

Few educators would argue with the idea that student is an important influence on learning. There are, however, many different notions about what, exact ly, the nature of is and even more importandy, how it can be fostered. These notions are illustrated in the different ways in which the actual word is used. For example, sometimes is talked about as something that one person does to another (e.g., I try to find ways to motivate my students.), sometimes as something that is embodied in particular activities (e.g., Novel tasks are motivating for students.), and sometimes as something that is in the individual (e.g., He is a highly motivated student.). Current thinking about includes aspects of both the individual and of the educational set ting (including the teacher, tasks, grading and reward structures) in interaction. That is, while there will be dif ferences between students based on their educational histories and personal attributes, educational policies and practices can still be expected to influence students' motivation. Teachers and schools are not completely responsible for their students' motivation, but neither are they powerless to affect it. One useful way to think about is to focus on the individual student is trying to achieve: What are her goals? What desired outcomes drive her behav ior? Linked to these ideas will be aspects of students find important, affirming, relevant, and attainable. Typically, students will be trying to many differ ent things at once and the goals they pursue will result from a range of influences, including their individual backgrounds, their teachers, and their peers. Thus, a stu dent's decision to take an advanced algebra class might result from a complex combination of factors, such as her career ambitions, her liking for the teacher, her intrinsic interest in the subject, the number of her friends taking the class, and her belief that she can succeed. Thinking about in terms of what is this student trying to achieve has other implications for edu cators. For instance, it allows for the possibility that a stu dent's goals may not coincide well with those of her teachers or parents. In the past, the term has tended to be reserved for to achieve; that is, it has been linked to ideas about work. Thus, if learning is a student's legitimate work, has been taken to mean motivation to learn. Other kinds of moti