Middle school educators are faced with a multitude of challenges on a daily basis, but one of the most troublesome among them is student apathy and disturbing sentiments such as,  “You can’t make me do it,” or “It doesn’t matter to me,” or the all too famous, “I don’t care.”  Lack of motivation can manifest itself in many ways and can result from a variety of circumstances.   Too many commitments at home, lack of parental support, previous academic experiences, or a chaotic home life are only a few examples of what can contribute to disengaged students.   Sometimes it is the most difficult student who requires the most care and attention.