Student Motivation & Engagement

Education news, analysis, and opinion about efforts to get students involved and active in learning and classroom activities
Student Well-Being & Movement Spotlight Spotlight on Student Engagement & Well-Being
This Spotlight will help you discover how educators are applying the science of reading and the importance of reading fluency, and more.

March 3, 2025
Tue., February 25, 2025, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
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Jon Becker, upper school history and English teacher, has 9th grader Demetrios Karavedas stand on a chair and apologize for forgetting his book during their 9th grade English class at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland on Oct. 24, 2024 in Baltimore, Md.
Jon Becker, a history and English teacher at Boys' Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore, has 9th grader Demetrios Karavedas stand on a chair and apologize for forgetting his book on Oct. 24, 2024. Positive relationships with teachers matter for boys' academic motivation and success.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Boys Want a Strong Relationship With Their Teachers. That Doesn't Always Happen
The key to inspiring boys in the classroom is a strong student-teacher relationship, experts say. Here's how to make it work.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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7 min read
Jessica Arrow, a play-based learning kindergarten teacher, leads her kindergarten class back into their classroom from forest play time at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H. on Nov. 7, 2024.
Jessica Arrow, a kindergarten teacher at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H., leads her students back into their classroom from forest play time on Nov. 7, 2024. Boys crave strong relationships with their teachers, experts say.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Teaching Download Teachers, Here's How to Build Stronger Relationships With Boys (Downloadable)
Boys are relational learners, experts say. Here are eight key strategies for how to reach them.
Elizabeth Heubeck & Francis Sheehan, January 27, 2025
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5 min read
Students play in the creativity corner during recess at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland on Oct. 24, 2024 in Baltimore, Md.
Students play in the creativity corner during recess at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore on Oct. 24, 2024. When schools offer students more independence and choice, boys in particular tend to thrive, experts say.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
School & District Management How These Schools Get Boys Excited About Learning
These four schools are reimagining their schedules and operations to better serve boys.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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2 min read
011725 Boys Charlottesville BS
Middle school boys chat in the hallway at the Community Lab School in Charlottesville, Va. The public charter school prioritizes student autonomy and collaboration, which educators say motivates boys to want to learn.
Courtesy of Don Barnes
Student Well-Being & Movement Middle School Is Tough for Boys. One School Found the 'Secret Sauce' for Success
Hands-on learning, choice, and other evidence-based practices help boys thrive.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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9 min read
High school student Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on October 15, 2024.
High schooler Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. His high school offers career pathways so students can get a taste of real-world, experiential learning.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Boys Think School Is a Waste of Time. Career Pathways Prove Them Wrong
Real-world, experiential learning appeals to how boys learn best, educators say.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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7 min read
A kindergartener in a play-based learning class prepares for outdoor forest play time at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H. on Nov. 7, 2024.
A kindergartener prepares for outdoor forest play time at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H., on Nov. 7, 2024.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement From Our Research Center Why School Isn't Working for Many Boys and What Could Help
Teachers report in a new survey that boys are less focused and engaged than their female counterparts.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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8 min read
Kindergarteners in a play-based learning class react when asked to find their shadows on the ground while following teacher Jessica Arrow back from forest play time at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H., on Nov. 7, 2024.
Kindergarteners react when asked to find their shadows on the ground while following teacher Jessica Arrow back from forest play time at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H., on Nov. 7, 2024.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Early Childhood Kindergarten Play Makes a Comeback, and Boys Benefit
The modern kindergarten has little time for movement and play. Not so in this teacher's classroom.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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9 min read
A student sits quietly, contemplating life while others chat nearby in a bustling school hallway.
iStock/Getty
Families & the Community Parents Think Their Kids Are Learning a Lot at School. What Do Students Say?
The perception gap between parents and their kids widens as students get older. Does it matter?
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, January 24, 2025
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5 min read
Tue., January 21, 2025, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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Education and Learning icons in the classroom or online. Idea knowledge of innovative technology, science, and mathematics.
iStock/Getty Images + Education Week
Teaching Opinion How Teachers Can Care for Their Students and Themselves This Year (Downloadable)
A veteran teacher suggests 8 essential practices to benefit everyone in the classroom.
Justin Parmenter, January 15, 2025
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1 min read
Mathematics Spotlight Spotlight on Innovative Approaches to Math Engagement
This Spotlight will help you discover how to create motivating classroom environments, connect math to potential careers, and more.
January 15, 2025
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion Student Motivation Is a Perennial Concern. What Are We Missing?
Even if we want to achieve a goal, there are reasons why we don't. This can explain what's happening with students.
Larry Ferlazzo, January 15, 2025
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5 min read
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