The Quest for Mastery: Positive Youth Development Through Out-of-School Programs by Intrator Sam M. Siegel Don (2014-03-01) Paperback

by Sam M. Intrator

In The Quest for Mastery, Sam M. Intrator and Don Siegel investigate an emerging trend: the growth of out-of-school programs dedicated to helping underserved youth develop the personal qualities and capacities that will help them succeed in school, college, and beyond.

Intensive programs from rowing to youth radio, from lacrosse to studio art, aim to create “communities of practice” that capture young people’s interest and support them as they strive to excel. Through richly detailed accounts, the authors describe the unconventional ways these programs have evolved and articulate the formidable challenges they face in operationalizing their aspirations.

By documenting the powerful effect out-of-school programs like these can have in transforming lives, the authors show how young people can become engaged in meaningful and productive learning experiences and highlight the poignant contrast between what these students experience inside and outside of school.

Genres: Education

Paperback

First published March 1, 2014

Reviews

[Renee Gall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting read for my Community Youth Development class

[Megan Scribner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been interested and involved in K-12 education, but didn't know about this dynamic world of out of school programs. In The Quest for Mastery, Intrator and Siegel highlight a wide range of exemplary and inspirational after-school programs. Through site visits and interviews with the founders, staff and students, they give a human face to these programs and invite the reader to see the full story – the challenges, struggles and successes – of the programs and the people involved in them. Through close examination, they illustrate how these programs not only lead to mastery of a particular sport or activity, but more importantly how the skills learned through this mastery transfer to success in school, work and life. This is an important, and very readable, book for all engaged in schools and striving to find innovative ways to spur youth development.