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[SHerzberg]

How does one deal with students that have negative attitudes? Should I ignore them or should I answer their remarks in a positive way? Does anyone have any tips?

[miri]

Many times my students have shown negative attitudes toward what we are learning or the activity we are doing. It isn\'t easy keeping them interested so I have a few different techniques to reply to their attitudes. One way is just totally ignoring their attitude and continue. A few minutes later to "drag" them back into the flow of the classroom, I\'ll ask them a question on what we just learned (and usually rewarded with a ticket towards a daily raffle). Another way is to answer their attitude with a "How do you think we should do it"? and sometimes they might really have a good suggestion. One other way I deal with it is to take their complaint and turn it around - so they know I\'m paying attention to them (which is usually why the attitude shows up in the first place, from lack of attention)- but channeling it in the direction I want it to go.
Good Luck!

[Alizash]

I like to go over the daily schedule at the beginning of class and put a positive spin on the activities that we are going to do.  I find that this helps the students have a more positive attitude.