On this episode of Mind the Gap, Jon Hutchinson is joined by journalist and author Jenny Anderson to discuss her acclaimed new book The Disengaged Teen—a powerful exploration of why so many young people are tuning out of school and what we can do about it. Drawing on extensive research, real-world stories, and her own experience as both a parent and reporter, Jenny introduces her framework of four learner modes—passenger, achiever, resistor, and explorer—and explains how these shifting states shape young people's engagement. Together, Jon and Jenny delve into the mental health crisis, the limitations of hyper-achievement, and why motivation and agency matter more than ever in the age of AI. Jenny argues that school systems must evolve to reflect the world students are entering, without sacrificing depth or rigour. “How you feel about learning,” she says, “is inseparable from how well you learn.” This conversation is both a wake-up call and a hopeful invitation—for educators, parents, and policymakers alike—to reimagine what it means to truly engage today’s children and young people.
Jenny Anderson is an author and an award-winning journalist who spent over a decade at The New York Times before pioneering coverage on the science of learning at Quartz. She contributes to TIME, The New York Times and The Atlantic, among other publications. Most recently, she has written The Disengaged Teen, which you can find at https://www.thedisengagedteen.com/. You can find Jenny on LinkedIn here.
Jon Hutchinson is a former assistant headteacher of Reach Academy Feltham and is now a Director at the Reach Foundation. He has taught across primary and secondary and HE. In his spare time, Jon runs www.meno.acacdemy, a platform with free videos to support primary teachers to build their subject knowledge. Follow Jon on X @jon_hutchinson_ or Bluesky @jonhutchinson.bksy.social.
This podcast is produced by Haringey Education Partnership. Find out more at https://haringeyeducationpartnership.co.uk/