Case
Doesn't want to work

I intern at a high school and one student refuses to do work. He sits in the back of the class and just sits quietly or is on his phone. When the teacher tells him to do his work or tries to help him, he ignores her. Any ideas on how to help the teacher?

Solution #1
I would suggest the teacher try to talk individually with the student. Establishing trust and forming a connection with the student may help them feel more present in class. This behavior could stem from all sorts of external and internal factors which is important to remember.

I would encourage the student to participate in the class discussion or have a conversation with the teacher about the next steps.

Solution #2
I would pull the student aside and see if there is any issues they have they want to talk about. If it is simply a behavioral issue, tell them that they gain nothing from flunking the class. Ultimately they will likely be reacting badly to a strong show of authority, so I would suggest showing that you are their friend and care about their success regardless of the approach you take.
Solution #3
i would suggest having the teacher talk to this student individually to see why the student does not want to do his work. 9 times out of 10, there is an outside force hindering this students work ethic. It can be from family issues to bullying. If the teacher can get to the root of the problem, I believe the behavior can be fixed.
Solution #4
Maybe either yourself or the teacher have a one-on-one conversation with him. Maybe something is happening in his life that he isn't feeling up to doing work or socializing- establishing communication and trust can definitely help.
Solution #5
i think the best way is to set up a reward & punishment system. If he sees that he is getting punished for it, he will want to receive rewards
Solution #6
I would leave him alone. If he chooses to not get engaged in the lesson, then at this level I would not insist because you could be viewed as being confrontational.
Solution #7
If this student is in high school and is not responding to the teacher, I would figure out what teacher they do respond to, or get the administration involved. The teacher they do respond to may be able to help in figuring out what the deal is with the student.
Solution #8
I would suggest making a seating chart with groups. By incorporating more group work , the student might be more inclined to participate. If that does not help, have a conversation with the student.
Solution #9
I would suggest the teacher pull the student aside and have a private conversation about their lack of participation and academic interest. The student should know the importance of completing work because it affects their grades and chances of graduating. If the student is that disassociated from class, maybe the parents should be contacted to schedule a meeting about the students options regarding an alternative school or environment.
Solution #10
I would talk to the teacher about the student's history and if they know about any issues they may be facing. If the problem continues to occur, I would talk with the teacher about having a guidance counselor talk with him.
Solution #11
I would work with the student on creating an agreement. If you provide students with an end goal or a time goal, they might be more likely to interact with the lesson. If a worksheet is being provided, I would give the student a goal to reach by the end of class and if they finish that section before class is over, they can have free time on their phone. Or if an assignment is not numbered such as a worksheet, give the student a time goal. Have them work for 15 minutes and then after the 15 minutes, they are free to do what they want. The goal in the situation is to get the students to start working, and I think if the teacher is less focused on having the student finish the work, the student may be more successful in the teacher's eyes.
Solution #12
Punishment will likely only enforce the apathy that has likely set in on that student. I would instead try pulling him aside and trying to either find out whats wrong or otherwise explain the consequences of not doing work, not as a punishment but as concern.
Solution #13
Support the teacher by recommending having a private conversation with the student to identify the underlying problems, providing more academic support, and seeking parents in a cooperative effort to resolve the behavior.
Solution #14
You can implement a no cell phone rule. You could also do a cell phone box in which the students would put their cell phones in when they enter the room. If that does not work, then I would contact the student's parents and continue going through the steps of managing misbehaviors.