I have a student, well, several really, who like to ignore me when I give instructions or have the class do an activity.  What they DO like is to wait until everyone is started and then come to me and want individual directions.  I have tried everything.  I have tried giving directions only once.  I have tried and tried getting the class to turn around and face me and look me in the face before I give directions.  For the most part it works.  However, the few are the ones who don't do it and they never know what is going on in class.  They wait until everyone has their papers and then they come to me asking where theirs is.  Oh, I can get them to pay attention for maybe a day.  But, then, they are back to their ignorant bliss.  Two of them can just stare at their pencils all day long and not care.  I don't get that.  What is so interesting about a pencil? 

R- is defiant.  He is gifted and I am trying my best to challenge him in his area.  But, all I get is defiance from him.  He doesn't want to do the work and then he asks me why is is getting a failing grade.  Why?  Because I don't have any passing grades for you.  You haven't turned in a completed assignment this quarter.  He will sit there and tap his pencils on the desk.  I have to literally take them away.  He then starts stamping his feet or kicking the side of the chair or desk.   I have had to move him all over the room.  The kids can only stand him a short time before they start compaining about his disruptions.  He talks to himself and very hyper.  Yes, I know there is sometning going on at home but I don't know what it is and no one in the family will talk about it.  As far as I can tell he isn't being abused or on drugs.  R will ignore me as long as I am teaching or explaining something.  Then, he wants attention and to know what we are supposed to do.  I tell him.  I have tried everything else this year and it didn't work.  Did I give in?  No, I just know it didn't work after one complete semister of effort.  The only time R comes when he is called is lunch.  He doesn't want to miss lunch.  He as missed plenty the first semister.  I kept him in to do his work.  Didn't work.  R doesn't stay in his seat either.  He falls out of his chair at least 10 times a day.  He crawls under tables to pass notes to his friends and constantly asks to go to the bathroom or get a drink.  At first I let him but later I realized it was because he was avoiding his work.  He now has a schedule.  (Oh, he is in counseling too.)

A- is adorable but loud.  He has a wonderful personality but need attentions badly.  He comes from a huge family that tries their best.  Gramma takes care of him and all his sibs.  She works full time to do it too.  He has a good heart but with all those boys in the family he can get a little rough.  He has had a lot of detention because of fighting.  That is pretty much how they settle differences at home.  Fight it out.  I adore A because he is a survivor.  He may have a tough school career if he doesn't learn to control the fighting instinct.  He is really really smart but doesn't work so he can have extra attention from the teacher.  In fact, he will volunteer to stay in at lunch to do his work if I will help him.  I have to get him on task during class time.  He reveles in the attention.

T- is my pain.  Him, I could really do without.  He doesn't come to class on time.  Every single morning he goes out to play and when the bell rings, he heads for the cafeteria to eat breakfast.  He is lazy and from his previous school records, he is smart.  I have not found that to be true though.  Mainly, because he doesn't pay attention in class and doesn't know what is going on.  He does not come to ask what he is supposed to do like R and A will.  He just sits and plays and waits for you to notice that he isn't working.  You get him back on task and turn around and he is playing again.  If he doesn't want to do something, he just ignores you completely.  Come when you call?  He lines up for lunch before his table is called.  I constantly have to remind him to sit back down. 

Three kids in need of attention.  Three kids who don't  attend to the lessons at the front of the class.  Three little boys who don't come when they are called in at recess.  They stay out and play as long as they can.  As long as the duty people don't catch them.  What kind of a world are we creating when kids are so desparate for attention that they will take anything they can get?  Three little boys who do no work.  And we have to leave no child behind?  Where are the parents?