3 Ways to Get Your Teen Excited About School

A recent survey of over 2,000 Gen Zers enrolled in kindergarten through 12^th grade found that 25% to 54% of the students do not feel that what they’re learning is important or interesting. Just under half of those surveyed think their schoolwork positively challenges them, and even fewer think their schoolwork aligns with what they do best. Why do these numbers matter? Because according to the survey, students who feel engaged at school are more than twice as likely as students who report the lowest engagement to be thriving in their lives and are more than four times as likely to strongly agree they have a great future ahead of them (Gallup, 2024).

Essentially, we want our teens to be engaged in learning. We want them to feel passion for some of their subjects, to feel excited and challenged about material, and to think their education will help them in the future. From research on motivation, we know it’s not possible to always feel passionate, excited, and challenged when it comes to anything. These things will ebb and flow and that’s completely normal. In fact, I cover this in depth in my book, Helping Your Unmotivated Teen. But we want our teens to feel engaged in learning and to feel challenged at school, no matter their level of motivation.

How to Know Your Teen Isn’t into School

For some parents, this is a no-brainer. Your teen complains constantly about school, and you have to pull out every trick in the book to get them to do their homework or study. You’re painfully aware of how much your teen doesn’t like school or learning. But for other parents, it might not be as obvious. Your teen may not be as talkative or be able to articulate what’s bothering them. Or maybe you have a busy household or your teen has lots of different things going on and you just don’t have the time or space to really know what’s happening in every area of their life.

Here are some signs that your teen isn’t engaged in learning*:

• They put in very little effort on their schoolwork. Please know that this isn’t about grades though, this is about effort. Your teen could be in easy classes and getting high grades without putting in effort or your teen could be putting in a ton of effort but getting low grades. Pay attention to how much time and energy they’re exerting over their schoolwork and ask questions about what they did during their study hall. Get a sense of how hard they’re working to see if they’re interested or care about school.
• When given a choice, they take the easiest path. Maybe you’ve allowed your teen to decide which classes to sign up for and, despite knowing they’re capable of higher-level courses, they’re taking the ones that are easy for them. Or perhaps they can choose their topic for a class project, and you notice them recycling something from another class despite having plenty of free time.
• They shut down any conversation about school or show a negative attitude whenever it’s brought up. You try asking questions about their day, what they’re learning, or what projects they’re working on, but they change the subject, get angry, or completely shut down. You can’t find a way to bring up school without it resulting in an argument or being avoided altogether.

(*Please know that when teens are experiencing symptoms of mental health issues like depression or anxiety, they may also show these signs. However, the difference is that their apathy or lack of interest isn’t only confined to school. You notice it happening in other areas of their life too such as social withdrawal or not wanting to do things they were previously interested in.)

How To Get Your Teen Engaged in Learning

• Students feel more excited about learning when they have a teacher who's excited about what they're teaching (Gallup, 2024). If your teen complains that their teacher is boring, uninterested in the material, or doesn't make the material more exciting, it may be a good idea to find a different teacher, hire a tutor who can get excited about the topic, or help your teen find what's interesting in the material.
• Teens in the survey also reported that they're more engaged in learning when they like the subject matter (Gallup, 2024). This means making sure your teen has some say in what they're signing up for (when possible) or helping them connect the dots on how the information will help them in something they're truly interested in. For example, maybe your teen isn't so into their history class right now but is watching the political conventions and debates alongside you. Ask them how what they're learning in history is showing up in the debates or where they see connections to the past.
• Teens said they like it when the learning is hands-on or when it's connected to real world experiences (Gallup, 2024). If your teen isn't getting that at school, help them find ways to get it at home. Perhaps taking a weekend trip to a field museum, doing your own science experiment together in the kitchen, or having them shadow a relative at work could help bridge the gap.

Engaging your teen in learning may feel impossible. However, by understanding what drives their interest, and actively seeking ways to make learning more relevant and exciting, you can help reignite their passion for education. Remember, it's not just about pushing them to do well in school but helping them find meaning in what they learn. When teens see the value in their education—whether through passionate teachers, relatable subject matter, or hands-on experiences—they are more likely to stay engaged and motivated, setting them up for success both now and in the future.

With a little creativity and patience, you can support your teen in rediscovering their enthusiasm for learning and ensure that they view their education as a powerful tool for achieving their goals.