How To Handle Students Who Do Nothing Smart Classroom Management

I’ve been writing here at SCM for 15 years. 748 articles. 12 books and e-guides.

Above all else, this takes focus.

Which, in this day and age, I have to protect like a rare orchid. Otherwise, I’ll lose the ability to shut out distraction and the quality of work will suffer. So I set up boundaries.

For example, YouTube is off limits. I don’t use social media. I keep my phone out of sight for most of the day. I only watch sports or a specific movie or series on television and only in the evening. Scrolling is never allowed.

I also embrace boredom.

Because boredom forces me to grab a library book from the stack I keep on my coffee table. It causes me to study my second language, look forward to the gym, or just plain get stuff done. It makes these and other focus-building activities more enjoyable.

It also makes them satisfying in a way that quick-hit addiction entertainment pales in comparison.

Which brings me to students who refuse to do any work. If you’re like most teachers, this drives you crazy—understandably. It gnaws at you and gets under your skin. It grabs hold of you and refuses to let go.

So you rush over and ask what the problem is. You prod and push. You flatter and threaten. You counsel and kneel down to reteach. You plead and sweet-talk them into getting started. Of course, having to convince students of anything is stressful, especially if it’s the same student day after day.

It’s also ineffective. In fact, going to them will only make them more reluctant, even if you do eek out some momentary production.

So what should you do?

Although counterintuitive—and blasphemy in the current educational milieu—the best thing you can do for them is let them be. Don’t look in their direction. Don’t show concern. Don’t let their inaction bother you outwardly or otherwise.

Simply allow the weight of not doing the assignment (i.e. its effect on grades, academic performance, skill acquisition, loss of recess, etc.) shift from burdening you to them. Let the power of boredom, and not being able to scroll their phone or listen to music, spur them into getting started.

No, this strategy might not work the first time you try it, especially if they’re used to teachers running to their side. It might not even work the fifth time.

For students unaccustomed to being left without the world rushing to lighten their accountability, it takes a while for the lesson to sink in. But sink in it will. In fact, if you’re patient and disciplined, even the most unwilling and helpless-learned student will begin working just like everyone else.

Yes, even if “they don’t care.”

Now, it’s important to point out that teaching compelling lessons and setting all students up for success before sending them off to do their work is mandatory for the strategy to work.

There can be no excuse or impediment to completing the assignment. If a student doesn’t know precisely what to do and how to do it, then that’s on you.

Your burden is great teaching and preparing students for success. Theirs is listening, learning, and then performing the tasks you give them. Refuse to step on their shoes or do any of their work for them.

Leave them to it. Let them figure out of their own accord that doing their work all on their own feels good.

It puts them into a highly pleasurable flow state, where time distorts and contentment soothes. It raises their self-worth and provides a sense of real accomplishment.

It also counters feelings of anxiety and depression and proves the naysayers wrong about them—which may be the most powerful motivator in human history.

But most importantly, it proves to reluctant students that once they get past the boredom and internal struggle, and choose to do the work they don’t want to do, it’s so much more rewarding than watching a brain-rotting 15-second clip on TikTok.

PS – For a complete guide to motivating students, check out Inspire.

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