Leaving to Learn: How Out-of-School Learning Increases Student Engagement and Reduces Dropout Rates
Elliot Washor and Charles Mojkowski rightly identify student disengagement as the central cause of our nation s dropout crisis. Their solution leaving to learn connects education to the real world of life and work, creating highly engaged learners in the process. Their strategy redesigning schools in fundamental ways is made understandable by this vivid and compelling account.Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at Stanford UniversityLeaving to Learn puts forth a provocative and powerful argument: A significant number of capable young learners are dropping out of high school not because they can t meet their schools expectations, but because schools don t meet theirs. The authors have worked with these young people and have some exciting insights to share about student engagement and intrinsic motivation. If you re concerned about the dropout problem, you owe it to the young people in your life to pick up this book.Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New MindWashor and Mojkowski make a vital contribution to reinventing high schools for the 21st century in this important book. They understand, far better than most, how critical it is to engage and motivate students to give them a reason to want to stay in school and to learn. This book is a must-read for anyone who truly wants to leave no child behind.Tony Wagner, author of Creating Innovators and The Global Achievement GapThis book is for anyone who wants to understand how schools can ignite the passions and interests of all children and help them make a difference in their world. Supporting learning out in the world is the key to unleashing their potential and to learning who they are and what they want to become.Susi Amis Cameron, Founder, Board Chair, MUSE School CaliforniaSchool isn t something that kids are trying to do. Rather, they want to succeed at important things. Elliot Washor and Charles Mojkowski show the remarkable transformations in schools and their students when this becomes their focus.Clayton Christensen, Harvard business professor and author of Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns and How Will You Measure Your Life?I applaud Elliot and Charles for their passion in serving students, impacting positive change, and ensuring we truly think about the education of our nation and beyond. This excellent book resets expectations and reengages us in the core of leadership in learning!Stedman Graham, educator, entrepreneur, and author of Identity: Your Pathway to SuccessThe authors get inside young people s heads and hearts in order to understand why and how they disengage from learning and often drop out. It s deeper than you think, the authors say, and they are right. Their solution is spot on start with students interests to break the cycle of failure. Here s hoping schools will listen. --Pedro Noguera, Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education, New York University