Get Your Students Hired
Showing the students that you really care about their success and showing them how you are assessing them usually works for me. I tell them how they can be successful but because of certain behavior or reactions to certain situations their grades will suffer.
I agree - showing students you care is the best way to deal with challenging students.
Many feel that they aren't being listened too - so I make sure I pay close attention to what is going on with them - especially in a lab setting.It is challenging to mediate and manage their behavior while running the class but the benefit is overall.