What are some ways to connect with a kid when they're having attention difficulties, attitude difficulties, etc?

Congratulations on recognizing that each child is different and as teaches we have to teach to each one of them. First you need the compassion and desire you seem to have. Secondly I would take courses in exceptional student education so that you can understand and help those in your classroom who may have different styles of learning or learning disabilities. Caring is the most important quality and you've got that already. Good luck to you

I deal with these types of children on a daily basis. First, I would try to understand where they may be coming from. When my students have had the worst behavior, it was usually because they had something going on at home: their dog died, they got bullied that day, they had a terrible test score, they had a bad day in therapy, etc.

When this happens, I ask if they need a quiet minute before coming back to work, and definitely don't yell at them. This are tricky situations.

As for kids with attention issues, I usually have have a couple options depending on the severity. Sometimes a behavior chart is needed, for example getting so many tasks done before a game, break, etc. I also ask for their focus, or say their name to get their attention back.