Jared is a ninth grader who is creative, self-motivated, and excels at tasks with a real-world or artistic flair. He grasps math concepts more readily when they’re introduced through concrete examples or manipulatives, but he tends to dismiss abstract, formula-driven lessons as irrelevant. In ELA, Jared writes expressive pieces (like lyrics) but has trouble piecing together formal essay structures or summarizing complex reading if he sees no personal connection. He’s talkative in casual settings but may tune out or do the minimum on purely theoretical assignments. Even so, he’s comfortable sharing ideas verbally if teachers or peers help him see practical value in the work, and he’ll persevere with guidance to transfer newly learned formulas or strategies into different problem contexts.

Strengths

• Very creative and motivated by real-world, hands-on tasks

• Communicates informally with ease

• Will ask for help when he truly needs it

• Shows consistent effort when tasks feel meaningful

Barriers

• Dislikes abstract math without real-life tie-ins

• Struggles with formal essay organization and advanced reading summaries

• Inconsistently applies formulas or strategies in unfamiliar contexts

• May tune out or rush tasks if they seem irrelevant