Students tend to not take assignments seriously when they do not understand the purpose of them. Give the student a list of observable and measurable outcomes, so he can understand the purpose of the lessons that you teach and the assignments he is given. If he understands what he is supposed to learn by the end of a lesson, a semester or even a school year, he is more likely to pay attention and apply himself. He knows his performance will be measured and he does not want to fall short.
If you are impolite to your students, eventually they will associate your class with being disrespected. This will make a student hesitant to come to class and very on edge when she is there. Instead of focusing on learning and listening to what you are teaching, she will put her efforts into not getting yelled at. Avoid this situation by greeting the student with a smile as she enters your classroom. Get the class period off to the right start by putting her at ease and allowing her to focus on the material you are teaching.
Every assignment that you give your students is not of equal importance. You may want the student to put more effort into writing a research paper, than studying for a weekly quiz. Let him know the importance of these assignments by weighting them according to their significance. For example, the research paper might be worth 25 percent of his final grade, while the weekly quizzes will only amount to 10 percent of the total. This will help him manage his time wisely, knowing which assignments to dedicate the most time to.
Use positive reinforcement to praise the student for doing something right. For example, if she raises her hand and answers a question correctly, give her a sticker. Negative reinforcement should also be used to punish bad behavior. For example, if she is unprepared for class, deduct points from her participation score for that day. Always inform students of the behaviors they are being praised or reprimanded for exhibiting, so they can learn what is acceptable and what is not.