h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Truancy - A743195
Author: Ste - U172039

A small and important entry.

I'd love to hear any other synonyms for skiving that people know of.



Ste

Hi Ste,

I've a couple of questions and a comment.

What's the origin of the term 'playing truant'? It would be good to include that in the entry.

Do yo have any figures relating to truancy, either in the UK or the US?

I'd be inclined to reword the bit about children turning out stupid if they wag school. Certainly, they may be perceived as that and it will undoubdedly affect their future chances in life if they do it often enough - they are likely to have attitudinal problems as well as lack of qualifications. Plus, there's the chances of getting into 'bad company' (the devil finds work for idle hands)

this is a bit sparse for you ste.

It would be fine as an article about synonyms for truancy, but for an entry about truancy, it should really over the subject (at all would help).

In particular, you will never get 100% attendance if there is something more interesting going on. I have missed school quite a few times because there have been specific events that I prefered to be at, and apart for spoiling an almost perfect attendance record, it didn't affect the general level of my education.

On the other hand, persistant truancy is the sign of a serious problem that needs dealing with.

The majority of british truants (80% according to the labour government) are escorted by an adult. unless this attitude is fixed, then no general solution will work.

The other 20% have a more serious problem. sometimes it is bullying (either by other pupils or bad teachers, and I have seen both).

This is solved by having a zero tolerance level for bullying from anyone, and by weeding out the bad teachers (contrary to popular opinion, there is only a small number of bad teachers, but that is too many).

Most of the other problems which cause truancy can be spotted using the intelligence mismatch.

This is when you find a massive difference in the perceived intelligence of someone upon talking to them and reading their written work.

This usually indicates a generally solvable problem, and the key there is fast detection and diagnosis. (if you get this wrong, it can seriously screw someone up. I know, as due to bad procedure about this I am still having problems with dysgraphia diagnosed when I was at junior school, but not told to anyone).

I hope this lot helps you improve the article.

Thanks for the imput you two .

Maybe it is a bit sparse, yeah, but it was never meant to be a fully comprehensive guide to truancy, more of a light-hearted approach. But if the Edited Guide requires that these days I suppose I'd be up for changing it. it could still be light-hearted and informative .

I typed and submitted it whilst under the influence of codeine-laced cough medicine (highly recommended by the way). So it was never really going to be my best work .

xyroth, I'll use that info you kindly provided if you don't mind . I'll do some more research when I get time. Keep your eyes peeled for another entry on the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), something which I *do* know an absolute ton about.

Thanks again

Ste