5TH GRADERS ACHIEVEMENT ORIENTATIONS AND BELIEFS - INDIVIDUAL AND CLASSROOM DIFFERENCES

Thirty classes of 5th graders (10-year-olds) were surveyed to see if c hildren's criteria for success (motivational orientations), beliefs ab out the causes of success, and perceptions of teachers' expectations i nvolved the coordination of personal values and contextual norms. Clas ses as well as individuals have distinct motivational personalities: F or both levels of analysis, Task Orientation was associated with belie fs that Interest and Effort cause success, whereas Ego Orientation was associated with beliefs that Competitiveness causes success. However, 5th graders distinguished their own motivational orientations from th e values promoted in their educational environment. Profiles of orient ations, beliefs, and perceptions of teachers' expectations were unique for classes, boys, and girls. Boys had more limited perceptions of cl assroom expectations than girls. Girls had more limited perceptions of their motivational identities than boys.