Using A Whole New Mind to Address the Dropout Crisis

A recent ASCD InfoBrief (Summer 2006) focused on "Closing the Gap: Keeping Students in School." Looking at some of the responses from dropouts interviewed for one of the studies cited fired my synapses and I thought of Dan Pink's bestseller A Whole New Mind.

Students in the study (Bridgeland, DiJulio, & Morison, 2006) talked about not being engaged and having no incentive to go to school. Factors that students discussed included: making school more relevant and enhancing the connection between school and work. Looking at Pink's book, one will see how, in this age of abundance, "things" aren't keeping students engaged. Sure, the technology enhancements in the class are nice (and can even be helpful for instruction when used properly) - but they are expected since they are part of daily life. What students are looking for is SYMPHONY and MEANING. Students need schools to show how what they are learning fits in with their life now and their future. Students also need to feel like they derive some meaning from being in school - and if the school doesn't set up these structures, students look to their friends (in person or in cyberspace) to determine how they matter.

I don't think this comes as a surprise - these are issues that the workforce deals with every day. Plenty of research documents that intrinsic motivators win out over extrinsic motivators if you want to reduce turnover and increase productivity. So as educators, employers, and parents, let's start using A Whole New Mind to reframe the way we address the dropout rate and focus on the needs of students as they prepare for a global future.