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 "I really want to learn" applied to them.


What is it about the school environment—pedagogy, curriculum, climate, organization—that encourages or discourages engagement in school activities? How do peers, family, and community affect adolescents' attitudes towards learning? Engaging Schools reviews current research on what shapes adolescents' school engagement and motivation to learn—including new findings on students' sense of belonging—and looks at ways these can be used to reform urban high schools.


This book discusses what changes hold the greatest promise for increasing students' 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.
Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1. Student Engagement and Disengagement in Urban High Schools
2. The Nature and Conditions of Engagement
3. Teaching and Learning
4. Climate, Organization, Composition, and Size of Schools
5. Family, Community, and Peers
6. Meeting Students' Nonacademic Needs
7. Education Through Theme-Based Learning Communities
8. Comprehensive High School Reform Designs
9. Summary of Findings and Recommendations
Bibliography and References
Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
Index