National Research Council

Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education

Institute of Medicine

Board on Children, Youth, and Families

Committee on Increasing High School Students' Engagement and Motivation to Learn

When it comes to motivating people to learn, disadvantaged urban adolescents are usually perceived as a hard sell. Yet, in a recent MetLife survey, 89 percent of the low-income students claimed â€œI really want to learnâ€ applied to them. What is it about the school environmentâ€"pedagogy, curriculum, climate, organizationâ€"that encourages or discourages engagement in school activities? How do peers, family, and community affect adolescentsâ€™ attitudes towards learning? Engaging Schools reviews current research on what shapes adolescentsâ€™ school engagement and motivation to learnâ€"including new findings on studentsâ€™ sense of belongingâ€"and looks at ways these can be used to reform urban high schools. This book discusses what changes hold the greatest promise for increasing studentsâ€™ motivation to learn in these schools. It looks at various approaches to reform through different methods of instruction and assessment, adjustments in school size, vocational teaching, and other key areas. Examples of innovative schools, classrooms, and out-of-school programs that have proved successful in getting high school kids excited about learning are also included.

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