Jenny Anderson, co-author of The Disengaged Teen, on why teens are switching off and what parents can do
When Jenny Anderson set out to understand why school felt so joyless for so many teenagers, she assumed she'd find a handful of familiar culprits. Whilst she wasn't necessarily wrong, she was shocked by the scale. Drawing on a landmark study of 68,000 students as well as thousands of parents and teachers, Jenny and her co-author Rebecca Winthrop uncovered something deeper than distraction – a generation quietly disconnecting from their learning. Her new book, The Disengaged Teen, has become a touchstone for anyone looking to make sense of this crisis in education.
Jenny unpacks what the data actually shows; from the startling number of teens stuck in what she calls "passenger mode" to the uncomfortable truth that many students feel totally anonymous in their own schools. She provides a clearer look at the pressures facing today's adolescents, the role of parents (even when they're being ignored...) and the subtle ways school systems are either amplifying or alleviating this disengagement. Her discussion with Henry Faber ranges from AI to classroom culture, and is always rooted in the same belief: young people need meaning, connection and genuine belief from the adults in their lives.
🎙️ Episode highlights
Jenny breaks down the four learning modes for teens and why the majority are stuck in 'passenger mode'.
She explains how parents retain an enormous influence on their teen children, even when it doesn't feel like it.
She reframes "problem children" as children with problems, making the case for curosity over condemnation.
She challenges the general belief that technology is the root cause – smartphones exacerbate disengagement, but they didn't create it.
Jenny highlights the risks of AI companions, cognitive offloading and emotionally manipulative tools designed by Silicon Valley companies that don't have a child's wellbeing at heart
She discusses what's next for her: building a trusted platform for parents who feel overwhelmed by the constant noise and nuance of modern childhood.