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

The one thing about school sites is, they still relate to school. I'll admit up front here, I hated school. Really hated it. I was the victim of bullying from about the age of four or five. I never got over it, but I never had a break from it.
There is no matter what can be put online to help kids study, unless it's a direct link to put certain people out of our misery.
No matter what guidelines are posted on how to deal with bullies, they will always find a way around them. They basically don't work.
You can put up what ever study guides you like, but if the torture of the class room is too much to bear, then how can kids be expected to actually perform? And in a way that's all kids are asked to do, perform.
But here comes the joy of the internet. You don't know me and I don't know you. And as such, you can't say anything about me, one way or the other.

B'jesus but that sounded depressing, and a bit of a downer to start with. Sorry, but it was. That's the way I see school and education in general. The teachers aren't much better either. Too many prejudices, too many worries. We aren't really free to learn until we free ourselves of the education system.

So as such, when ever doing anything web wise to help people learn, don't aim it soley at kids. There are those of us out here that weren't allowed to learn at school while we were there. I personally wasn't allowed to take English Language at gcse because I didn't know the difference between a verb and a noun. I was however reading around six books a week from authors such as Anne McCaffrey, Douglas Adams and Larry Niven. I could, and did, out quote my English teacher on Shakespeare.

Kids should not be judged on the shallow levels of tests, but on the general level of them.

Oh, and the net allows people to lie. People are not always as they seem, people pretend. Often to escape their dull and meaningless live. Not in any sick sense, just in the way of life.

So, my words when working on a learning site?
Don't aim it soley at kids.
Don't patronise kids.
Don't believe the teachers.
Don't believe the kids.

GOod luck though, I really hope it works, then kids using it won't turn out to be the cynic I am.

Thanks Magpie,

I had the same problems (being badly bullied and hating school right through). I also know what you mean about people being pigeon-holed on the wrong parameters sometimes. There are so many people around who think they can't write well / do maths / be creative because of a throwaway comment made at school. I think that's actually why I want to do this site so much. It gives people who aren't getting the collaboration / support they need through school a chance to get it elsewhere. Somewhere they won't be judged by their height / weight / inability to keep their socks pulled up, and hair tidy. I think it's something that I would have found really useful when i was at school, if it had existed.

In the first stage, the site is going to have to be mainly for kids - though we'll be adding parents and teachers communities as we go. Adult learning is indeed a big issue - but in a way that's where places like H2G2 work so well - I've only been here a while, and I've learnt stacks already. Am so impressed with the scope of the writing workshops etc.

I take your points about not being exclusive or patronising, and not taking anyone at face value. They are all things we will give careful consideration too. Thanks heaps for your comments - I didn't actually find them depressing or negative at all. they were just describing a state of play that is too common (it's too common even if its just the 2 of us that have had problems, and it isn't).

Thanks again, speak soon I hope, Ellie