Problem Student Attitudes Stop Here: Awesome Methods to Turn It Around

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Negative Student Attitudes Stop Here

If You've Got Students with Bad Attitudes,

We've Got Your Solutions

All You Have to Lose are the Negative Attitudes

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There are plenty of exciting, new, real-world methods to turnaround bad attitudes. Especially if you have found that nothing works to stop the negativity and disrespect, our treasure trove of bad attitude-busters can help. They are designed to work when conventional approaches fail.

These more effective behavior interventions to adjust negative student attitudes can really help if you are dealing with severe classroom management problems, or particularly sour adolescents.

The Best Bad Attitude-Buster Strategies

I'd Like a Job Blowing Up, Please

Ask students to name all the jobs they can do and blow up and be ultra negative whenever they want– there are none. Next, ask students if they'll ever have to work. This strategy can actually get even quite oppositional and resistant students to think about the implications. Poster #72 can provide 24/7 reminders.

School is Too Boring

When kids say school is boring so they'll go on welfare and do whatever they want, reply: you are right, school is boring compared to exciting welfare office line. Also, ask students to figure out the story that goes with this headline: "Welfare Clerk Hit by Recepient." Be sure to have students consider whether the recepient can be on welfare while in jail.

Things Are Too Tough

For youngsters who complain about their difficult circumstances, help them to "bloom where they are planted." This is a great strategy for students facing true challenges and obstacles.

I Always Get Hurt

For students who have been hurt and are very mean or prickly to others, ask which they want: a boxed heart or a bruised heart. This strategy is just for students who are in pain, and would not be harsh were in not for the pain.

Now Hiring: Only Mean Workers Can Apply

Have students look in the newspaper employment classified ads for listings seeking "Mean Workers Needed for High Paying Jobs." You can view a similar intervention on the poster shown above. Get many more creative, unique ideas like these by looking at our powerful attitude-busting posters. No need to buy the posters, just use the phrases and activities pictured on them.

I Could Be Nicer, But I'm Choosing Not To

When youngsters say they could stop having a bad attitude and being so nasty but they are choosing not to, but they will choose to have a better attitude when they "get their real job" or "go to high school," say: "You're probably right, I'm probably wrong. Show me I'm wrong by being pleasant for the next three weeks, I'll admit that you were right and I was wrong." Most students don't last three weeks, three days, three minutes. When the bad attitude surfaces after mere minutes, ask them "What will be any different on your real job?" Now, you may have the student's attention and may be able to learn more about what's causing all the negativity.

We Hire Only Nasty Employees

This is a good follow-up to the preceding intervention. Ask your students to name their dream jobs, then help them consider if a bad attitude will help or hinder them to get and keep this job.

A fun variation is to ask the students to consider the impact of a bad attitude on some of their dream jobs. For example, do you want to board the plane with a nasty pilot? Would you make an appointment to have surgery by a mean surgeon? For more fun, have the students consider who will get the promotions and pay raises in their potential career choices: the nasty employee or the more friendly one? If you make this activity a fun, enjoyable experience, the more you will improve students' attitudes. Poster #002 above, can provide on-going reminders.