I agree with Paula on the "cheerleader" aspect.  If I am not motivated then neither are my students.  If my students are not motivated then is creates even more challenges in the classroom resulting in ongoing issues to include claims that they are not getting what they paid for and that instructors don't care.  I make it a point to know as much as I can about my students' circumstances outside of class, without prying into areas that are just none of my business unless conveyed by the student.  I am fortunate enough to have insight for the majority of my students before then enter the clinical setting due to the required bookwork that they need to complete beforehand.  I am in constant communication with the Admin instructor and able to obtain great feedback  on social, emotional, lifestyle and special needs status of students that will eventually come under my wing.  Does this mean that the constantly complaining student, chronic tardy, the know it all student or class clowns will change once they enter my class?  Not necessarily, but at least I have an idea of what is coming my way and can mentally prepare for these challenges.  If our jobs as instructors were easy peasy and without challenge then they would just be dull and pose no challenge to us to continually learn, grow, and promote not only our success but more importantly the success of our students.

I am new to teaching in this setting and I have had some very challenging behaviors to confront.  Cheating, plagiarism, lack of motivation, chronic tardiness, etc, etc, etc.  I try to remember how I behaved when I was in college, but that only helps a little bit.  Most of these students certainly have more challenges in their lives than I did and sometimes I am amazed by them and other times I am disappointed.  I think acknowledging their struggling and encouraging them to persevere is critical.

The thing I enjoy most about teaching adult learners is that they have tangible reasons for wanting to progress and realign their job market skills.  This often means that their motivation comes from within.  Then they are more open to what I can offer them as someone who has worked in the specific profession they are studying. 

What I find most daunting about teaching adults is that they have so many other demands for their time -- families, jobs, aging parents, for instance.  Their energy level can sometimes be diluted by these stressors, and I find myself often needing to be a "cheerleader" to help them keep perspective on their goals and the level of practice that reaching those goals must entail. 

This course was helpful because in learning more about the different learning styles, I have more choices now, on how to present material to students in a way that is more resonant to how they best absorb new information.  The more easily they can absorb information, of course, the less stress they will feel when in school, and that is then going to increase their motivation and forward progress, of course. 

Teaching adults can certainly be challenging and fun as Renee stated. The benefit of teaching adults, from my perspective is that they generally know what they hope to obtain or have some specific goal in mind. From years of teaching in a traditional classroom to then moving a few years ago to online, I have found that the maturity level is higher online (generally) and the online students tend to be more focused overall. There are always exceptions; however, I have found that my students are overall more ready to move forward with their career and have a better plan for the future in mind. This is likely because the average age is a little older and therefore they have more experience in the real world.

Teaching adults is challenging and fun. I enjoy what I do and adults seem to have a great appreciation for my career experiences that I can share with them. This course has taught me a lot and I cant wait to incorporate all that I have learned.