Database design help

I'm designing a database for the school district I work for with php/mysql which allows teachers to maintain their own class web site which has the following sections. The front page, pretty much a section for a newsletter from the teacher. A student showcase section where they can scan works that the children do and display them on the web. A homework section with current homework so parents can keep up do date on what their children are doing. A useful links section, pretty much a section of links the teacher finds are helpful. Lastly, a calendar section, the one I'm most confused about, where a teacher can keep a class schedule updated.

Right now, here's how I have everything setup.

The main database is named teachers. Inside the database, right now every teacher gets 2 tables, username_content, where all the content for their pages is stored.

username_images, a table with information about images they have stored currently in their image library. The actual images are kept on the web server. This table just has 3 columns, image identifier, image name, image description.

username_content right now right now has 5 columns. An id column, just a numeric id for the current content, a headline, an image for the post, the content section, and a category column which just tells which section of the web page the content is for.

I want to make 1 more table for teachers, username_calendar, which will store the calendar, but I'm not sure quite how I should set this up.

There's one other table, users which just has 3 columns, username, password, and which sections the user has access to.

Here's my question, is what I'm doing right now bad database design, should I have every teacher use 1 table? I'm new to database design so I'm doing this off of what I think is correct.

Secondly, how should I setup my calendar table? I'm lost as to how I can set it up. I know this is more of a php/mysql question, but I think it's more related to mysql so I posted it here.

Thanks for any help which you may provide in advance,

-Justin

trahma,

i would suggest you to write down all the table names ,field names in a sheet of paper.
and work it out.that is the easy way to create a very good database system.

Here you can write some thing like this.

teachers
-------
table names
1) username_content
2) username_images
3) username_calendar
4) users

then write down field names for each table:

1) username_content
a)id (PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL)
b)headline
c)imag
d)content
e)category

2).....

(like this way you can write the fields for all the tables)

After writing the field names,you may decide the size and type of the fields(eg: varchar(30)).


Hope this may help you to create your database.

GOOD LUCK!!!



------------------
SR -
shiju.dreamcenter.net

trahma, I am doing some simular for the local boy scouts but I am going to use a php driven calendar program writen by a 3rd party. This will provide more options than just schdule info stored on a db.

D. E. L.

[This message has been edited by Dr_E_lectric (edited May 16, 2000).]