Youth Engagement, High School Reform, and Improved Learning Outcomes: Building Systemic Approaches for Youth Engagement

Abstract

This article explores what it takes to develop systemic strategies and structures that engage youth as coconstructors of their learning environment and experience. It looks at efforts nationwide to engage young people in educational change endeavors, draws on lessons learned from a national high school reform initiative, and addresses some challenges faced by educators and students attempting this work. Finally, it examines groundbreaking youth-engagement work in New York that has successfully motivated students to increase academic achievement and graduation, college-going, and retention rates.

Narratives of Student Engagement in an Alternative Learning Context

“…An overemphasis on student outcomes may be creating a disconnect between policy intentions and student experience (Smyth & Fasoli, 2007). The future of school reform lies, perhaps, in promoting accountability along with a greater focus on supportive school environments that will enable student engagement in achieving high standards of learning (Joselowsky, 2007). Here, students described a deliberate focus on the diverse needs of individuals as instrumental in changing academic and social trajectories.…”

“Have They Learned to Swim Around in the Big Puddle?”: Cultural Awareness and Engagement of Christian High School Students

“…Effective programs engage young people not only intellectually but also socially and emotionally. Fruitful strategies have students assume responsibility for shaping programs and activities such as service projects (Joselowsky, 2007;Yazzie-Mintz, 2009). Students' civic and political commitment and activity are enhanced by opportunities to debate current events and other issues that matter to students and to be involved in authentic simulations and community affairs (Kahne & Middaugh, 2009). Community Service and Service Learning Youniss, McLellan, and Yates (1999) described how service learning can introduce students to the hard realities of life, especially when they interact with disadvantaged people who, like themselves, have feelings and abilities.…”

Students of Action? A Comparative Investigation of Secondary Science and Social Studies Students’ Action Repertoires in a Land Use Context

“…Kesson and Oyler (1999) further report an English program in Oklahoma that extensively involved students in learning about and taking extensive actions within the community to address toxicity of a local watershed. Such classroom-based action programs have even shown success with improving student attendance, academic achievement, and retention rates (Joselowsky, 2007).…”