How To Engage Uninterested Students?

Engaging uninterested students in a 21st-century environment requires understanding students, using the best tools available, and introducing novel elements to break up mundane learning experiences. To engage students, teachers should find things they’re interested in, use the Ripple Method, and give choices for sharing what they’ve learned.

To engage students who aren’t meeting their full potential, teachers can use the Ripple Method, which involves asking students to “ripple” their questions by having each student respond first. This can help students feel motivated by working in groups with other students.

Incorporating student interests into the learning process can help students reflect on their learning. Teachers can ask students to rate their engagement on a sheet, which can help them identify areas where they need to improve. By incorporating these strategies, teachers can help students develop, maintain, and grow in a 21st-century environment. By incorporating these strategies, teachers can help their students develop, maintain, and grow in a 21st-century environment.


📹 Two Ways of Getting Student Attention – Classroom Strategy

Attention cues help students transition between class activities quickly so you can save teaching time! In this segment, Kyle and …


How do you motivate an academically unmotivated child?

Parents can help kids try harder by getting involved. … Use rewards. … Reward effort, not outcome. … Help them understand the big picture. … Let them make mistakes. Get help. … Teachers are on your side. … Get help. If your child is struggling in school and doesn’t seem motivated, first find out if there’s something getting in the way. Kids can disengage academically for many reasons, including learning issues, social challenges, attention problems, or emotional problems. Not all kids who underperform in school have a diagnosable problem. Parents can help kids try harder. Your child will work harder if you are involved in their education. Do homework with them and answer their questions. Ask them about school and engage them academically. Show your child that school can be fun. This is especially good with young kids who like to copy you. Teenagers can get annoyed if you ask too many questions, so share your day with them too. A conversation is better than an interrogation.

How do you engage students who are not interested?

Arrange students in concentric circles for a Socratic seminar where they discuss an interesting or controversial question. This is a good activity for rowdy classes. Set up stations where students rotate among tasks that require different critical thinking skills. Group students into pairs of talkative and quiet students. Have them work together to solve a problem or riddle. This can work well as an introduction to any class. Give students more chances to try different group roles. This will help them learn more independently. This is a good strategy for a shy class because some of the roles will help them practice speaking in a low-stakes environment. A teacher can create a great lesson, but if it doesn’t connect to standards, it won’t help students. Relevance is key. Students need to know why they are learning, how they can use new skills, or how a deeper understanding can improve their lives.

How to teach a student who doesn’t want to learn?

Try them. Your child will learn more. Create a reading environment. … Let your child learn at home. … Let your child speak up. … Focus on your child’s interests. Teach different learning styles. How do you help a struggling student? How do you teach a child who doesn’t want to learn? Why do parents hire tutors for their kids?

How to engage uninterested students pdf
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How do you handle situations when students appear uninterested or bored in your lesson?

3 Ways to Engage Bored Students in Class. Help Bored Students Find Their Voice. Ask students to discuss answers with a partner. … Let them share what they learned. … Ask for feedback. Are your students bored in class? Some students are harder to reach during class. It’s hard to engage students when they’re bored. Let’s think about how to deal with bored students in class.

Have you ever felt like the leaders at your school don’t understand teachers? I know I have. If you feel like your voice doesn’t matter, it can be isolating and defeating. This can also affect how much you try. We can’t control how our school administrators value us, but we can control how our students feel in our classroom. In a traditional classroom, teachers tell students what to do. Teachers tell students what to do. As we learn more about how students learn, researchers have found that letting students decide what to do in class helps them to learn more.

How to engage uninterested students in the classroom
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How to teach students who don’t want to learn?

3. They should participate. Don’t let a lazy student just sit in your class. Expect them to take notes, do assignments, answer questions, and do everything else in class. If he doesn’t, go to him quietly and get him back on task. Be patient and consistent, and he’ll start to see that he has to stay involved.

4. Motivate them. Students act lazy because they’re frustrated. Or, they may have tried and not seen success right away. They need encouragement. Tell them you believe in them. Praise them when they improve or succeed.

5. Make them do their work. Don’t accept that Nicole never completes her assignments. Make sure your students do their work. If we let our students not do their work, we are letting them cheat themselves out of their education. We can’t let them make such a mistake.

How to motivate an unmotivated child in school?

Parents can help kids try harder by getting involved. … Use rewards. … Reward effort, not outcome. … Help them understand the big picture. … Let them make mistakes. Get help. … Teachers are on your side. … Get help. If your child is struggling in school and doesn’t seem motivated, first find out if there’s something getting in the way. Kids can disengage academically for many reasons, including learning issues, social challenges, attention problems, or emotional problems. Not all kids who underperform in school have a diagnosable problem. Parents can help kids try harder. Your child will work harder if you are involved in their education. Do homework with them and answer their questions. Ask them about school and engage them academically. Show your child that school can be fun. This is especially good with young kids who like to copy you. Teenagers can get annoyed if you ask too many questions, so share your day with them too. A conversation is better than an interrogation.

How to motivate a smart but lazy child?

How to Motivate a Lazy Child: 11 Ways To Try To Motivate My Child 1) Nurture Your Child’s Interests. … 2) Show your child their achievements. … 3) Try apps. … 4) Don’t give a motivational talk. … 5) Set expectations for them. … 6) Praise them for completed tasks. … 7) Focus on strengths, not weaknesses. We all struggle with motivation sometimes. Lack of motivation affects everyone, especially parents. You want what’s best for your child, and you don’t want them to lose motivation as they get older. In this article, I’ll show you how to motivate your child. Download the Joon App and try it for free for seven days. How can I motivate my child? Motivation helps us keep going when we face a difficult task. Feeling good after a task helps us realize it was worth it. When a child is unmotivated, it’s important to remind them they can do it. Here are 11 tips to motivate and engage your child:

Motivating reluctant learners
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How do you handle uninterested students?

Unmotivated student? Try these 12 tips. Know their type. Don’t praise too much. … Praise them. … Make the classroom safe. Don’t focus on extrinsic motivation. … Embrace routine. … Let students compete. … Get out of the classroom. Even the most cohesive class has one student who isn’t feeling it. What can you do with an unmotivated student? There are lots of ways. Check out these 12 tips for language teachers.

1. Know their learning style. Your class includes visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners, as well as introverts and extroverts. They also identify with one of nine Enneagram types, 16 Myers-Briggs types, and other personality types. Wow! Because students are different, they learn in different ways. You can’t give each student a personal lesson, but you can reach them better by using different teaching techniques. Mix up group and individual work time, include hands-on, visual, or aural learning, and let students lead, choose, compete, or go outside. Ask your Director of Studies for help with blended or task-based learning.

2. Stop praising them too much. Michael Linsin of Smart Classroom Management says give students specific, honest feedback and then let them work alone. Catch your student doing something good, no matter how small. Tell them they’re doing well. Be specific. “Good introduction,” “Right,” “Good description,” “Good use of passive tense.” He says to walk away without looking back. Some students don’t like praise. This approach aims to encourage students to do well by giving them specific feedback and letting them continue their work.

How will you motivate students who seem uninterested in learning or are unwilling to participate in class?

A good relationship helps students learn. Know your students. Know that each student is different. Understand their interests, strengths, and challenges. Make it relevant. Make the lesson.

How to deal with unresponsive students
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What are the best strategies to work with unmotivated students?

10 Ways to Motivate Demotivated Students: 1) Make learning fun. … 2) Set goals. … 3) Praise effort, not intelligence. … 4) Make learning relevant. … 5) Let students make their own choices. … 6) Let students interact socially. Motivating unmotivated students is hard for everyone. Helping these students get back on track and become motivated to learn again can be difficult. In this blog post, we will give you 10 ways to help demotivated students learn again. These strategies help students get back on track and reach their full potential. 1) Create a positive learning environment. A positive learning environment helps demotivated students improve. Poor exam results can make students feel demotivated and low about themselves. It’s important to create a safe and supportive atmosphere. This can include giving students tips for studying, offering support, or setting up groups for them to study in.

Ask questions, join discussions, or give feedback. A collaborative atmosphere helps students feel supported and motivated. Celebrate progress, no matter how small. Appreciation for hard work builds confidence.

How to motivate reluctant learners pdf
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How to motivate uninterested students?

Motivate unmotivated students by sparking their curiosity. Mix real-world events with academic topics. … Connect video games and song lyrics to lessons. … Use language to get students interested.

By Dr. Allen N. Mendler, author of Motivating Students Who Don’t Care. This article was originally published in the October 2021 issue of Equity & Access. Nobody is born unmotivated. Toddler parents know their child is developing poorly if they aren’t chasing them around the house, trying to keep them safe. Most kids are excited for their first day of kindergarten. But as time goes on, excitement fades until more than half of students in grades 5-12 are either not engaged or actively disengaged in school.

If school is a place for learning and exploration, why do many students develop a negative attitude? How do kids go from being excited about school to being disengaged? Can this happen to kids?

Reluctant student meaning
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How to engage students who are disinterested?

19. Be Interactive: Perez says educators should make tasks engaging and interactive. They should give students knowledge, language, reasons, interesting questions, a community of learners, and a clear understanding of the task. If these elements are part of every class, all students can succeed.

20. HOPE: Have Only Positive Expectations.


📹 5 Ways to Handle Defiant Students in the Classroom

Defiant students are USUALLY defiant for a reason. Not only does classroom management & teaching strategies play into …


How To Engage Uninterested Students
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Christina Kohler

As an enthusiastic wedding planner, my goal is to furnish couples with indelible recollections of their momentous occasion. After more than ten years of experience in the field, I ensure that each wedding I coordinate is unique and characterized by my meticulous attention to detail, creativity, and a personal touch. I delight in materializing aspirations, guaranteeing that every occasion is as singular and enchanted as the love narrative it commemorates. Together, we can transform your wedding day into an unforgettable occasion that you will always remember fondly.

About me

26 comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • All kids need love and obviously some more than others, but as a teacher for nearly 20 years, most of the defiant ones, REALLY need discipline at home. They have zero consequences at home and it spills over into the school environment. I’ve rarely had a defiant student who’s parents were on the ball. Plus factor in special needs, it’s A-LOT that teachers have to manage. 😢

  • Ahh! I adore you so much for this! I noticed how these methods were especially helpful to me when switching to k-5 to working with middle school students.. So glad we share the same opinions about showing the students that you genuinely care for them! The students really tend to want to work harder for you!

  • Great advice! My issue is that I let the anger get the best of me…I don’t yell or anything like that…I just feel so angry and frustrated by the uncalled for disrespectful attitudes that I just don’t want to connect to these types of students…it’s tough for sure because they need that positive affirmation the most (as you mentioned here). It just sucks when you plan for each lesson for hours…you try finding interesting assignments students can engage in…and when they just start being defiant or rude for the sake of being rude and defiant…it just feels like a bit of a slap in the face… especially after YOU (as the teacher) try your best to be open and vulnerable…I guess what I’m trying to ask is…how do new teachers grow a thick skin when dealing with these situations? I forget to breathe…I forget to remember that these kids…are just kids…and whether they understand or don’t understand they’re attitudes…it’s hard to keep cool…any other new teachers out there feeling this way? Any suggestions? (By the way…working with middle schoolers)

  • I’m a substitute teacher and struggle with this big time. I am often teaching young children, classes of 25-30 kids, no support, no EAs. The first grade class I had this week had several aggressive, violent kids. It was absolute chaos. I tried every trick in the bag. Nothing worked. Finally I put on a movie and that kind of helped. It’s tough for us substitute teachers because we don’t know the students as well or their routines.

  • Y’all I am done having a “talk” with students. From now on I’m having my disrespectful students write over and over, “I will not talk when my teacher is talking,” “I will have a positive attitude in class,” “I will not complain,” “I will not argue.” If they do argue or complain then I double the amount they have to do (20x, 40x, 80x, 160x). It works like a charm! Ain’t nobody likes writing this bs.

  • Maya, Great way to summarize how to care for unruly students! They are truly great students, just need someone to redirect them and care for them. I have been at an elementary school for year and a half now and the children today is unlike the students we grow up with. We must take care students with tender loving care and show that we are there to guide and support them on their daily activities whether they are difficult or not. Mainly, Social and Emotional children have tendency to separate them from group of students to make great choices therefore they want to become different and be an attention seeker that is why they act out.

  • As one of the ‘bad kids’ I can say that we usually doubt our Selth worth and don’t think we are capable of being smart so we give up I wish that I would have a teacher like this who would encourage me instead of letting me know how bad I have become. If you have a student like me ‘loud, distracted easily, doesn’t pay attention’ I can tell you now that they probably need someone to believe in them because they don’t believe in themselves

  • I love how this explains why and that you shuld be patient and connect with them i was that kid in 7th grade to like 9th grade i was fucked up in class constantly eather high or not paying attention because i didn’t care and the teacher’s didn’t care about me and didn’t try and reach out and help me i was depressed and dysphoric and this is something that i think is the way you shuld handle this

  • I’m recently retired from corporate America and started my second career as a middle school teacher. I always wanted to be a teacher. I constantly heard “students are bad” but I had no idea they would be as disobedient and defiant as they are. It’s only December and I’m the fourth teacher in this class. Obviously, teachers can’t handle these students. I have four blocks and the first three of the day are out of control. It’s not only my class, but several classes. You can hear teachers yelling all day long. Although I began the end of September, I am applying for new jobs. I will not stay beyond this year. The problems that my students have will not be resolved by stepping outside and giving compliments. Many of them have serious conditions and problems that must be treated medically or psychologically. I will not continue to subject myself to this magnitude of abuse and disrespect. The problems that I encounter will take years to resolve internally. Personally, I do not have that amount of time. As soon as I get a job offer, I’m out.

  • Hi Maya, thanks so much for this article! I use some of these methods for students who have some behavioral issues and need discipline and coaching. I always complement kids for good behavior and set expectations for every class, and it works beautifully in all classes besides the older fifth grade. Today for example, in fifth grade music class, I wanted to teach them how to play instruments, as a music teacher, and they were just all over the place. They refused to do anything in class, and when I gave them instruments to play, telling them “you are here to learn how to create beats in order to become great musicians that I know that you can be”, they tossed the instruments back at me and bombarded me with insults such as “I don’t want to do music bro”. And I told them that “music is fun and there are so many things you can do with instruments that you couldn’t imagine but you need to follow certain school expectations and one of them is to not call your teachers names”. So then they started to bombard with with “bro” and were talking about “Barak Obama” and making squicky sounds that were extremely inappropriate. I asked them “what’s the matter”, they told me “we just don’t want to do music”. So I asked them “then what do you like”, and they said “dance”, but I said “I can teach you a lot of body movements that can help you with music and dance at the same time but you need to follow the rules because if you don’t, there will be consequences for your actions”. I told them “now you guys are being very disrespecful and we need to go over the rules so that you improve you behavior and learn how to better yourselves in class”.

  • I’ve been teaching 8 years and I still need to be better about talking to them one on one. Some of my students that I get onto all the time think that I hate them and come into the room hostile to start with. You’re 100% right about them showing out to try to see “cool” when in realty they look like jerks.

  • +Maya Lee You’ve pretty much said my thoughts based on what to do at least based on my experiences when I was an autistic student in school . Back in my times when My Teachers in elementary school would send me out in the hall it was almost NEVER without a paddle to hit me 3 times with . I wish you were My Teacher when I was in elementary school because you know how to de escalate students and not escalate students the way that My Teachers escalated me and had to learn the hard way how to not escalate me . Keep it up sweetheart . – Dwight

  • Hello, i’m 20 and working with 20-24 5th graders for 4 hours every day and idk how i’m going to handle the rest of the year. I’m in week 2 and the kids are good kids but when they’re out of control i feel so overwhelmed and today i so badly wanted to just leave and cry but of course i put my strong face on and went through the whole day. Thank you for this article. Idk why i comment this whole thing, i just don’t want to work there anymore and idk what to do

  • I haven’t been able to get students in the hall to address behavior due to the room set up and door type (No window and will not stay cracked open). I’m at a new school this year and will try one on one discussion. I started in the end of September and the previous orchestra teacher was established. I know they miss her but how would you address this while showing that you want to care? It is a middle school and there are other issues but right now it is a serious trust issue. Out of 5 classes, only one really has a problem. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

  • So I have a question! I am a recently hired group leader for an after school care program and you mentioned as your last tip to not to try and call the student out in front of the whole class because it my cause embarrassment. Could you just elaborate on that a little more? Because I’m looking back and I do realize that I do call out kids who have been naughty if they’re talking too loud or if they’re not sitting like they’re supposed to. Are these examples deemed “acceptable” when it comes to that? I’m not sure 😕 help! Btw love your vids! Keep it up

  • There are two annoying students at my class, they aren’t annoying all the time but sometimes they start saying words and try to be funny and they disturb the class, i tried to be calm with them, but today they got on my nerves and i got mad at them, even tho i didn’t shout but i became mean and i hate that becuz when i get mad i cant focus on the lesson. But still thank you for ur tips.

  • This is a great article on building relationships bit doesn’t actually follow the title. I had 4 fidthgraders who were defiant and fed off of each other and I had no backup for a while. Other than separating them, how do I actually deal? They began talking over me when I tried to co duct class. They harassed any student that tried to follow my instructions.

  • my kids just dont seem to care about anything. half do and really want to learn and get frustrated with the others, the other half dont care. praise doesnt mean much, telling them i need them to do better doesnt mean much, i am a new elementary art teacher and i have no idea how to establish respect so these things do actually matter and i can be positive.

  • Hi Maya. I’m new to your this type of forum. I do have two questions. I had the experience of calling a student to my desk, when I subbed, and all the other kids knew he was in trouble, so they all “Ooooh”d. With the thought of not wanting to embarrass that student, how would you have handled the other student’s verbal comment? BTW, he seemed to enjoy the attention and swaggered over to my desk. My second question is, when a defiant student continues to be disruptive (which he was) and after one has all ready spoken privately to this child, what does one do (what would you have done)? Thanks.

  • Sadly this kind of behavior is everywhere. Think twice before you get into teaching and think you want to spend all day everyday with misbehaving children. If you don’t have that bubbly do-good attitude, it will be even harder. There are too many outside factors that will always undermine your efforts…terrible music, terrible athletes, social media, bad politics, bad parenting, etc. Been at it for 20 years and the stress is real. There’s a teacher shortage all over for a reason.

  • are there any articles that separates primary school and secondary school context? If we see it as development or progression, lots of strategies should not be jumbled up together no matter what the theory says. I see lots of primary school examples, but not enough secondary to high school context. I think lots of comments have stated they are well struggling with more extreme situations.

  • Hi Maya, I hear what you are saying. But, I am still struggling with this. I have done the nice way like you are talking about and it isn’t working. One boy cries and whines and moans when I tel him to try again .. cause he ran in the classroom. I lose my patience after being kind and not being respected. So I hear you but it hasn’t nipped the challenges. I am having. Can you help more/

  • Hi my name is asif and I’m a private tutuor.. I have a student who hates maths and bangla subject and he doesn’t want to listen to me or not interested doing his homework regularly.. he is in class one & he is so stubborn.. though I taught him with love gesture and politeness connectiing with the kid but. he don’t listen me he only wants to roam.. watch tv. eats and sleep so what should I do mam.. should I be strict to him.. coz his family wants that.. plz do reply mam… 😞😞😞

  • Iam a teacher بحول الله و قوته {وَمَا ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ بِعَزِیزࣲ }☝🏻💜✉️ – Giving compliments :great job following directions. – Show them I care, remember. – Give feedback, you are expected to do that (you are great kid).. Finding connection point. – Not to call them out infront of everybody – need attention,.and give it the right attention. – iam here if you need anyone to talk to you, you can trust me.

  • I have to sadly admit that this article will not answer your questions but you can buy some milk instead. If you are here you really nead advise. Well talk to your colleagues and see how they are facing this attitude. The soft advise about positive approach doesn’t work on systematic bad behavior. The article is full of positive vibes but as I sad it just confirms your first step, but doesn’t solve nothing. Thats why my dear friends we have to read books, eventually big books written by German, Russian and English philosophers. Good try anyway.

  • unfortunately some of these students don’t have positive self esteem. they don’t appreciate positive affirmations and encouragement from teachers as a result, in fact, it just fuels their self-doubt. i’ve been working with a group of high needs pupils, and that is the pattern i noticed. if they have never been praised or encouraged by family members, i.e. they have never grown up in this kind of supportive environment, it is very difficult for them to believe in what the teachers tell them.