By now, most of us are familiar with the basic elements of the Harry Potter book and movie series. Therefore, we are aware that much of the different stories take place at Harry’s school, “Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” This is a very special school, to say the least.
Like many traditional British boarding schools, students are separated by their residences. The four houses in the Harry Potter series are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
These groupings encourage the formation of “team mentalities,” with friendly and not-so-friendly competitions between the houses.
In 2005, a comparable online community was formed. Children and adults alike can open online accounts, set up fictional characters, and register for classes. There is a six-part grading system, divided into groups that are passing (rated either “Outstanding,” “Exceeds Expectations” and “Acceptable”) and those that are failing (rated either “Poor,” “Dreadful” and “Troll”) their courses. Successful completion of a course earns a Quill. There are Quill requirements that must be met, to move from one year of study to the next.
The vocabulary combines real and fictional terms and is quite advanced. Of course, as with all things magical or metaphysical, there has been a backlash from certain parent groups. Before raising such vigorous opposition to the teachings of this site, these groups might consider that these fictional studies are “templates” for the formation of genuine study skills and discipline, which could easily apply to academic subjects taught in the real world. The creation of an academic work ethic created in this fictional realm could easily help a student throughout his or her academic life.
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