Mike, try to keep an open mind and move away from the words like "always" and phrases like "no matter what we do". The reality is no matter how you feel your situation is unique and no one deals with what you deal with, there are hundreds just like you and they are accomplishing remarkable results on a consistent basis. Think back through the materials of the courses you have taken, a common theme deals with building a relationship with your students. Does not matter if you have them for a day or 16 weeks, build towards learning their needs and expectations and take the time to have an actual dialog with them. Ask them what they need, what they expect, what they want. If the answer is not a productive one, turn the question into a learning opportunity and ask them how far they plan to go if they do not take their education seriously. The average person in the United Stated will hold 14 jobs in their lifetime and more than 3 careers. If they think times are difficult now, how will they survive if they do not gain the skills they need now to have opportunities in those 14 jobs and 3 careers? Sometimes a little reality check can go a long way. James Jackson