In this episode, Stephen Carter sits down with award-winning journalist Jenny Anderson, former New York Times reporter and co-author of The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better.

Together, they explore one of the biggest challenges facing schools today: student disengagement. But this conversation does more than diagnose the problem. It offers a powerful framework for understanding why so many students feel disconnected from school and what educators can do to help them come alive again.

Jenny unpacks the shift from an age of achievement to an age of agency, explaining why success in today’s world requires more than students simply jumping through hoops. She introduces the four modes of learning from the book: Passenger, Achiever, Resistor, and Explorer, and makes a compelling case that schools must create more opportunities for students to step into Explorer mode, where engagement and agency come together.

Stephen and Jenny also discuss the power of real-world learning, why relevance matters more than ever, how struggle actually strengthens students, and what it looks like for teachers to move from traditional instruction toward a more mentor-driven model.

This episode is especially important for school leaders, teachers, and parents who want to build schools where students do more than comply. They grow, contribute, take ownership, and discover what matters to them.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

-How Jenny defines agency and why it matters so much in an AI-shaped world

-Why achiever mode is no longer enough for student success

-The four modes of learning: Passenger, Achiever, Resistor, and Explorer

-Why fewer than 4% of students regularly experience Explorer mode

-How real-world learning helps close the relevance gap for students

-What parents and educators often get wrong about struggle

-Practical ways teachers and school leaders can build more autonomy, ownership, and engagement into school

-Why mentorship matters so much in helping students grow

LINKS:

Jenny’s Substack, How to Be Brave: https://howtobebrave.substack.com/

The Disengaged Teen website: https://www.thedisengagedteen.com/

Jenny Anderson’s page: https://www.jennywestanderson.org/

Seed Tree Group: https://www.seedtreegroup.com/

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

In this episode, Adam Richardson of Jupiter Christian School and I explore why entrepreneurship education is one of the most powerful ways to prepare students for life right now. This conversation highlights what happens when students move beyond theory and into real-world building—learning how to solve problems, create value, communicate clearly, and grow through challenges. We also talk about how hands-on entrepreneurship experiences help shape the entrepreneurial mindset in meaningful ways, including growth mindset, grit, redefining failure, and opportunity seeking.

You’ll hear practical insight for school leaders and educators who want to engage students more deeply and create learning experiences that are relevant, formative, and future-ready.

Learn more about Jupiter Christian School: https://www.jupiterchristian.org/

Learn more about Seed Tree Group: https://www.seedtreegroup.com/

Connect with Stephen Carter: Stephen@Seedtreegroup.com

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

For decades, schools have been designed around achievement—grades, test scores, and carefully mapped pathways to success. But the world our students are entering no longer rewards compliance or perfection. It rewards agency.

In this episode, Stephen Carter explores the growing shift from the Age of Achievement to the Age of Agency, drawing on research from the National Association of Independent Schools, David Yeager’s Mentor Mindset framework, and emerging insights about learning in an AI-driven world.

You’ll hear why high expectations alone are not enough, why struggle is not a sign of weakness but of growth, and why the Mentor Mindset—high expectations paired with high support—is essential for developing resilient, adaptable learners.

We’ll unpack the difference between Resisters, Passengers, Achievers, and Explorers, examine why so few students are given real opportunities to explore, and challenge the assumption that a perfectly mapped path is the best preparation for life.

If we want students who can set meaningful goals, navigate uncertainty, ask for help, and thrive in a rapidly changing world, we must intentionally design for agency.

Because when schools shift from maps to compasses, real learning begins.

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium