When students come in with attitudes, I address this right away by having a general discussion without pointing fingers. As instructors, we have developed a keen sense of hearing and can pretty much gauge the mood in the classroom. I start the discussion and offer up any suggestions of why the attitude and explain why they feel the way they feel. Usually the attitude stems from plain laziness or lack of understanding of the subject matter. For instance, a research paper is due and many students do not like writing papers so of course they will be disgruntled and complain. I explain that writing a research paper helps one think, analyze and communicate their knowledge of the topic and it shows their level of learning to the class. ~Louis