The uninterested student and the reform classroom

After reading chapter 5, I have to question would the students who seemed to be off task be uninterested in any classroom, not just the open-end mathematics classroom at Phoenix Park? 

The following is an excerpt from the text on page 75:

JB:          Why do you mess about in maths more that other subjects?

S:            Because half the time if I ask for help I don’t get it, or I don’t get it until 20 minutes after I’ve asked. (Shaun, PP, Year 10, RT)

In a class of 30 students I will willingly admit I have a hard time getting to every student.  With 30 plus students in a classroom, one on one time is limited.  Some students do have to wait 20 minutes.  This is a sad reality to our current system with no cap sizes on senior high classes.  Like some of my classmates have noted in their discussion postings, they gravitate to the students who they identify need their help but won’t ask, I do this as well.  I spend a lot of time with students who if I didn’t ask would never ask me for help, they would just sit there.  In doing this I sometimes fail the student who excels in the subject because they are independent enough to engage in their work themselves.  As a result, I am failing my academically proficient students because I am not allowing them to achieve their highest mathematical levels.  I do provide my students with enrichment activities as much as possible, however, I really feel this is not enough. 

Finding a balance is extremely difficult with the number of students in our classrooms and time restraints, and it changes every year with new students and new atmospheres.  There seems to be no perfect answer.  If someone has an answer please let me in on the secret…