# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Data on chronic absence can help identify which students, or groups of students, might be in need of additional support. Once you know which students are at risk due to poor attendance, take stock of what you know about the reasons they do or don’t attend school.

# data[].attributes.body
Understand the underlying causes of a student’s failure to complete work, which might involve a desire for more autonomy, a fear of failure or judgment, or a sense that the assigned work is meaningless. There are no simple explanations: What motivates any particular student can be mysterious, and some will inevitably continue to refuse work regardless of your best efforts. But using these targeted, research-backed responses gives you a fighting chance of turning chronic work refusers into more frequent work completers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In nearly every classroom, especially in middle and high school, there are a handful of students who simply refuse to do the work. They'll listen to the assignment, maybe even nod their heads, but when the rubber hits the road, they don't hand anything in-at best, they submit a couple of sentences instead of the essay you asked for.

"Often teachers react defensively to obstinate behavior, creating a situation where teacher and student may become locked in a power struggle or an ineffective pattern of communication," writes special education teacher Nina Parrish. So how does an educator handle a student who simply refuses to turn in assigned work?

Teachers, it seems, are dying to know what's behind the issue. When Edutopia asked our audience what topic they'd most want to see the research behind, "work refusal" was the top response-"Not kids who don't understand or kids who present other behavioral challenges, just kids whose only perceptible issue is refusing to complete work (or hand in completed work)," explained Rebecca, an educator.

The research exploring work refusal, while limited, boils down to a central takeaway: Understand the underlying causes of a student's failure to complete work, which might involve a desire for more autonomy, a fear of failure or judgment, or a sense that the assigned work is meaningless. There are no simple explanations, and some students will inevitably continue to refuse work regardless of your best efforts, but these targeted, research-backed responses can help give you a fighting chance at turning your class' work refusers into more frequent work completers.

LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD

While it can feel tempting to throw up your hands, seeking out root causes can lead to clearer next steps. "Understanding the antecedent of work refusal leads to the development of logical intervention strategies rather than those based on assumptions or trial and error," writes Texas State University education researcher Glenna Billingsley in a recent review of the research surrounding work refusal.

While every child is different, Billingsley's research review points to a few key factors that often operate just below the surface of work refusal.

A DESIRE FOR AUTONOMY

Assignments and activities that students consider irrelevant or uninteresting may "trigger misbehavior that enables them to avoid these disengaging conditions," Billingsley writes in her analysis-but adding "multiple opportunities for responding" that students can choose from, across modalities and at different skill levels, can improve engagement. Because Billingsley's review found that work refusal was often at its highest when students were asked to "transition from a preferred task to one less enjoyable," providing students with a range of academic tasks to choose from can help nip work refusal in the bud.

Billingsley's analysis adds to a growing body of research suggesting that students are more engaged in their learning when given more choice and autonomy. A 2012 study, for example, found that second and third graders who were required to complete mandatory reading logs saw a marked decline in interest towards reading compared to students who voluntarily logged their reading progress. Similarly, eighth graders developed better reading habits when the curriculum allowed them to choose what they read, and in a 2010 article, researchers assert that giving students a say over disciplinary policies can "encourage a sense of well-being and comfort with the way a classroom functions," while offering choice around assignments can "encourage initial engagement with learning activities."

Preschool teacher Oi Ling Hu has students vote for the read-aloud of the day-and even, on occasion, what activities the class will engage in. In later grades, education researcher Robert J. Marzano recommends that teachers allow students to present what they've learned "through debates, video reports, demonstrations, or dramatic presentations" (we'd add music, drawing, and coding, too)-not just essays or oral reports. "Choice in the classroom has been linked to increases in student effort, task performance, and subsequent learning," Marzano writes. To help students feel like you respect their freedom of choice, you can also let students co-create their classroom norms, offer flexible seating options, or give English students a say over what books they'll read (even at the AP level).

A FEAR OF FAILURE

Billingsley's research review lists "expectations and assignments that students perceive as too difficult" as another leading cause of classroom work refusal. "Students with a history of school failure may feel that the current assignment offers only another opportunity to fail," she summarizes. On the same note, a 2018 study found that academic deficits accounted for a full 20 percent of classroom misbehavior: When students didn't understand an assignment or found it too difficult, misbehavior was the outlet for their frustration.

Students with a history of school failure may feel that the current assignment offers only another opportunity to fail.

Glenna Billingsley, phd

Student concern over grades can exacerbate matters. A 2018 study found that letter grades "enhanced anxiety and avoidance of challenging courses," while a 2019 research review suggested that students were more motivated by receiving written feedback from their teacher, or even no feedback at all,than by receiving grades.

How to address it: A 2021 study found that grades and on-task behavior were highest in classes with the highest ratio of praise to reprimands-and while it might feel unnatural to track your language so closely, researchers at Vanderbilt University recommend roughly "six praise statements every 15 minutes." Remember to praise students for specific actions ("This essay was really well-structured!"), not inherent abilities ("You're so smart!"), to avoid reinforcing the same kind of fixed mindset that can lead students to feel anxious about their skills in the first place. Try to find opportunities to make your praise sincere and focused around ways that students have improved-even if that improvement is just turning in an essay on time.

A NEED FOR PURPOSE AND BELONGING

When a student consistently refuses to do work, "community and connection are usually the issue," comments educator Emily Tarr on Edutopia's thread about work refusal, and the research tends to agree.

Belonging at school-"that sense that we are part of a larger whole, that there is a kind of goodness of fit between me and my environment"-is really important socially and academically, according to the social psychologist Geoffrey Cohen. He points to a 2019 study suggesting that feelings of belonging are greater predictors of college completion than academic success.

An adjacent phenomenon-a lack of purpose-can be equally harmful. "Teachers often underestimate the importance of purpose and relevance in building motivation, and overestimate how good a job they are doing at making the purpose clear," write education researcher Chris Hulleman and science teacher Ian Kelleher in an article for Edutopia. This shortcoming is sometimes at the root of a student's hesitancy to work.

How to address it: There are a variety of research-backed interventions that can boost purpose and belonging. In one study, Hulleman found that having ninth grade science students write brief reflections connecting what they learned in class to their personal lives boosted their grades and made them more likely to take science courses again in the future. In class, teachers should "deliberately and regularly state the purpose of assignments and activities," Hulleman recommends. Teachers can also connect their lessons to the real-world issues that students care about; in math class, for example, dig into issues like personal finance and sports statistics.

Teachers often underestimate the importance of purpose ... and overestimate how good a job they are doing at making the purpose clear.

Chris hulleman, phd and ian kelleher, phd

To tap into students' passions and interests, education instructor Rebecca Alber recommends sending out a survey at the start of the year that asks questions like "What is something or someone you personally would like to know more about?" or "Make a list of all the things that you don't currently learn in school but wish you could," then using student responses to inform your lesson planning and assessment options. (Vanderbilt University offers an example survey that teachers can adjust accordingly.) Hanging posters and incorporating learning materials that reflect the diverse interests and identities of your students signals that they're "valued learners and belong within the classroom, with far-reaching consequences for students' educational choices and achievement," a 2014 study found.

THE ROLE OF TRAUMA

Finally, it's worth considering how trauma might factor into your students' refusal to do work. "When you feel the weight of the world bearing down on you, or you simply don't think you can take another step without imploding or breaking down, don't you just want to get away from it all?", asks elementary school administrator Matthew J. Bowerman. "Imagine what children are feeling after the last several years."

A 2011 study led by pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris found that traumatic childhood experiences are tied to a host of learning and behavioral problems, including defiant behavior, fight-or-flight responses, difficulty focusing, and impulse control issues.

How to address it: "It's unfair to ask teachers to be therapists or doctors," Harris told Edutopia in 2020, but teachers can "deliver that daily dose of buffering care that's so important for healing."

Many traumatized students blame themselves for their academic shortcomings, Harris says, so teachers can help kids understand "that what's going on in their bodies is actually a normal response to the abnormal circumstance that they find themselves in." Then, teaching SEL skills-like calming oneself through simple breathing exercises, bringing oneself to focus, and bonding with others-can help get kids back on track. At Fall-Hamilton Elementary in Nashville, for example, every classroom has a designated peace corner with a comfortable chair and soothing toys where students can go when they need to self-regulate. Students who need extra social and emotional support are paired off with an adult (who isn't their teacher) for two-minute check-ins at the start and end of each day, where they can discuss their goals and what they're struggling with.

WHAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE?
Do you have any insights about how to deal with work refusers? What have you tried-what worked, and what didn't? Let readers know in the comments.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Addressing Work Refusal in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From a fear of failure to a desire for autonomy, students refuse to complete work for many reasons. Research-backed strategies can help.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There' s nothing more frustrating for elementary teachers than when you take the time to plan an engaging lesson and then have to convince a student to participate. When this behavior begins, it's important to use the correct work refusal interventions, such as a student work completion chart, to put a stop to it quickly before it spirals and becomes a daily habit for that student.

In this article, we'll share classroom management tips to improve work completion. You'll receive a brief overview of the most common reasons elementary students struggle with work completion and work refusal intervention ideas for you to try in your own classroom.

✨Don't miss the FREE INSTANT DOWNLOAD at the bottom of this article that you can start using in your classroom right away!✨

How to Stop the Student Work Refusal Spiral

The first, and most crucial step, is to find the WHY behind the behavior. If you don't know why your student is behaving this way, you'll never be able to choose the correct intervention to use with them. This is not a one-size-fits-all situation.

Top 6 Reasons Students Struggle with Work Completion:

1. Distractions & Attention Difficulties

2. Lack of Interest and Motivation

3. Difficulty

4. In Need of Emotional Regulation

5. Issues Outside of the Classroom Walls

6. Undiagnosed Disabilities

Work Refusal Interventions

1. Distractions & Attention Difficulties

I would venture to say that this is the most common reason elementary students struggle with work completion. No one really seems to know the why behind it, but our students' attention spans are getting shorter and shorter by the day. This is why it's so important to minimize distractions by providing a structured and calm learning environment.
Classroom Management Interventions: Ideas for supporting these students:

Quiet classroom - play quiet instrumental music in the background

Provide frequent breaks

Provide visual cues such a an "If/Then" chart

Keep close proximity for frequent verbal and nonverbal reminders

Provide an individual student plan with small rewards to work toward

Provide opportunities for movement to students who could benefit

2. Lack of Interest and Motivation

Even if you spent days planning the most engaging lesson, you'll most likely still have trouble getting all of your students to fully participate. Some students just don't have self-motivation for school work. This could stem from a home where school work isn't valued. It could also come from a lack of maturity and a student who just wants to play and do the things that pleases him/her.

Classroom Management Interventions: Bottom line, YOU have to provide the motivation for these students in order to make work completion a habit. This most likely means providing a student work completion chart of some sort paired with positive reinforcement.

This will allow the student to set an achievable work completion goal. Once they meet that goal, they'll enjoy the feeling of accomplishment and some sort of reward or recognition. If this is repeated enough times, these students will begin to form self-motivation to complete work.

3. Difficulty

Some students may struggle with work refusal because they're overwhelmed by the work assigned. They might be finding aspects of the assignment difficult such as the particular content of the assignment or the confusing directions with too many steps.

Classroom Management Interventions: Ideas for supporting these students:

Give visual supports such as a checklist of the assignment steps

Assign a peer buddy to check-in with when they have questions

Differentiate instructions to meet individual needs

Break assignment into smaller chunks so it feels more manageable

4. In Need of Emotional Regulation

There are an unlimited number of reasons for your students feeling emotionally unregulated. A few examples are: worrying about what peers think, fear of failure or mistakes, overwhelmed with assignment (for any of the above reasons), upset from an unrelated situation.

Classroom Management Interventions: In this case, your number one priority is helping your student to regulate their emotions. Until they have a calm body and mind, they won't be capable of completing their work - no matter how many supports you have in place. Some calming strategies to try:

Go for walk or stretch your body

Get a drink or snack

Access the calming corner/calm space

Use breathing exercises

Take a few minutes to draw or color

5. Issues Outside of the Classroom Walls

It's important for teachers to remember we have no idea what's actually happening in our students' homes. Even the most stable and supportive homes can be hit with issues outside of their control such as health problems, the loss of a job or divorce.

Our students may not KNOW what their families are dealing with, but they definitely FEEL the effects of it. This can leave our students feeling stressed, tired or having physical symptoms like stomach aches and headaches.

These factors will obviously affect a student's ability to focus and complete work.

Classroom Management Interventions: If you suspect the work completion concerns might be stemming from factors outside of the classroom, it's important for you to:

Keep an open line of communication with your students and their families. Even if the parents don't share home details with you, it's important that they understand how their child is being affected by the situation.

Collaborate with your school counself to offer support to the student and family.

6. Undiagnosed Disabilities

Elementary teachers are the first school contact for these children. We often come across undiagnosed disabilities and have to work closely with our building support educators to put a plan in place.

Another common factor is unaddressed disabilities due to families who aren't ready to accept the diagnosis. We often think only of learning disabilities, but there are many other disabilities that can lead to student work refusal. Here are just a few:

Work Completion Lesson & Work Refusal Interventions

It's important that you have a plan in place for when this problem arises in your classroom. We've created a resource that provides everything you need!

Work Completion - Lesson & Interventions:

Work Completion Lesson (Members Only)

Strategy Posters (Members Only)

"If/Then" Chart (Members Only)

Student Reflection Page (FREE DOWNLOAD)

Work completion Charts (Members Only)

Teacher Documentation Chart (Members Only)

Did you know the Grace Over Grades Membership includes an entire year's worth of classroom management lessons and behavior interventions for just $12.99?

Don't forget to PIN this so other teachers can learn about these work refusal interventions and grab their own free download!

You might also enjoy reading Create Respect in a Classroom - ANY Classroom! or SEL Morning Meeting Questions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Most Effective Work Refusal Interventions - GraceOverGrades.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're struggling with work completion in your classroom, you need these work refusal interventions and FREE DOWNLOAD!

# data[].attributes.body
Ideas for Math, Science, Social Studies & ELA

# data[].attributes.body
Tier 1- pg. 8

Tier 2- pg. 47

Tier 3- pg. 65

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Reaching All High School Students: A Multi-Tiered Approach

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Differentiated Instruction

See how one high school meets the academic and social-emotional needs of every student.

P.K. Yonge's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is the framework used to meet the needs of every student, from elementary school through high school.

At the secondary level, MTSS is a relatively new framework that is still being worked out by schools across the country. P.K. Yonge began with implementing the framework successfully at the primary grade levels, and since 2009, have developed a "work-in-progress" model at the secondary level. MTSS looks different at the secondary level, because the focus for students is on content and a wide variety of classes.

The grade-level Student Success Team (SST) is a cross-functional team that plans for, monitors, and evaluates both the academic and behavioral needs of each student. Together, the teachers and support staff collaborate to analyze student data and make action plans. Those in need of additional academic or behavioral support are identified, and interventions are planned and monitored.

Within the MTSS framework, every student receives core instruction, known as Tier One. Some students need supplemental instruction, which is referred to as Tier Two, and a small cohort of students receive the most intensive intervention and supports, known as Tier Three. This tiered system is used for both academic and social and emotional supports.

MTSS is a school-wide practice at this K-12 school. See how P.K. Yonge uses MTSS at the elementary school level.

The Student Success Team

At the high school level, P.K. Yonge continues to use Student Success Teams (SST) to make all decisions about tiered instruction. The team is made up of the K-12 MTSS Support Specialist, the Learning Community leader, all of the core teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, speech and language pathologists and sometimes occupational therapists. Additional people are brought in on an as-needed basis, and parents are consulted on all decisions. The SST meets every four and a half weeks across K-12.

Learning Community Leader's Role

The Learning Community (LC) leader is a role created by P.K. Yonge, usually someone with an expertise in education, school psychology, or special education. At the secondary level, there are 3 LC leaders, one each for 6-7th, 8-9th, and 10-12th grades. Once data is collected and analyzed, the LC leader identifies classes where there is a cohort of students needing support and interventions.

Because at the secondary level students are focused on a large variety of content, the LC Leader essentially "goes back to school" and immerses him/herself in specific content areas, whether that is 10th grade English, Biology, or Geometry. The LC Leader then works closely with the students and teachers in those classes by either pushing into those classes or meeting with students in afterschool help sessions.

Pushing into the Classroom

At the high school level, Tier 1 is universal, core instruction for all students, is delivered by the classroom teachers. For Tiers 2 and 3, students are not pulled out of the classroom to form small groups like at the elementary level, since they would be missing crucial content in their classes. Instead, teachers and the LC leader push-in to the classroom to work with students after the core lesson is delivered. Much of the work is around helping students with organizational, study and life skills, as well as strategies to help them understand the subject material.

Afterschool Help Sessions

In addition to pushing-in for Tier 2 and 3 support, P.K. Yonge has established afterschool help sessions for all high school students. Students who need the extra support sign a help session commitment letter and are required to go to help sessions on specific days and times. In addition, any student who would like some additional support from their core teacher, are also welcome to attend. These help sessions have become a comfortable place for all students to complete homework, ask questions, and collaborate with classmates and friends.

Grades K-12 | Gainesville, FL

Enrollment

1144 | Public, Urban

Per Pupil Expenditures

Free / Reduced Lunch

24%

Data is from the 2013-14 academic year.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Differentiated Instruction See how one high school meets the academic and social-emotional needs of every student. P.K. Yonge's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is the framework used to meet the needs of every student, from elementary school through high school.