How Did James Sturtevant Understand Unmotivated Students?

On Cult of Pedagogy, James Sturtevant says many teachers were strong students themselves, with high grades, varsity sports, or National Honor Society, so they never shared a classroom life with academically unmotivated kids. He calls that gap a worldview problem, using the German word Weltanschauung. His own advice came from a class early in his career. After hearing students describe chaotic homes, he decided their standoffishness was rational, because another adult was trying to enter their lives. From then on he relaxed, treated each interaction as an interesting game, and tried to take his ego out of it. He says the ego still returns, and he has to relearn the lesson.