This academic year, the Munnerlyn Campus faculty book club is focused on reading “The Disengaged Teen.” This selection is part of ongoing professional development efforts to ensure faculty are meeting the diverse needs of all Middle and Upper School students. The book clubs, which meet once a week, also foster interdepartmental discussion and collaboration.Each year, faculty select a book that offers a blend of insights into student learning, practical teaching tips, relevant national studies, and challenging ideas aimed at creating a better classroom experience.

“The Disengaged Teen” offers a thoughtful framework by outlining four distinct types of learners navigating middle and high school: the Resister, the Passenger, the Achiever, and the Explorer.The text provides detailed descriptions of each learning type, discusses the fluidity of students moving between these categories based on their personal journeys, and ultimately helps educators and parents define the most effective goals for student growth in the classroom and beyond. Furthermore, the book underscores the vital role of social dynamics during adolescence and how the passion for learning can sometimes diminish in these crucial years.

“‘The Disengaged Teen’ offers our faculty and parents practical, research-based strategies to recognize the diverse ways students approach—or avoid—learning. It’s a thought-provoking narrative that provides ideas to help us nurture every student’s innate curiosity and ensure that all learners, from the Achiever to the Resister, feel seen, supported, and ultimately become Explorers in their own education,” said Cathy Kanaday, Dean of Faculty.