In this book the author has related the stories that young people have told him about their schooling and learning experiences. The data was gathered through two doctorates that used unstructured interviews to gather the voices of young people on the topics. He has provided an extensive number of quotations to allow a breadth of responses to be available to the reader so they may be able to relate them to their context.

The methodology, used in the second study, of drawing themes from the responses and then creating categories of description is included. This allows descriptive diagrams to be formed as the analysis takes form and to illustrate the distinct diversity in experiences with the final outcomes. The nature of a learning hierarchy as described in the first study illustrates the way a relationship model of schooling can meet the needs of students.

Far too often research into learning and schooling involves an investigation into a hypothesis established by an academic to describe a particular phenomenon in response to a perceived need by society. Infrequently is the research done from the bottom up and the real needs of the young people, as described by them, used to create outcomes that could direct future directions in learning and schooling. The crisis in schooling described by many commentators may be resolved if the voice of the young people was more distinctly heard. This book is designed to support this voice.