ChildhoodChildhood

Talking about childhood and Talking about childhood and related events in the pastrelated events in the past

Talking about your school yearsTalking about your school years Do you remember your Do you remember your

favourite teacher? Was favourite teacher? Was she or he a good she or he a good teacher?teacher?

What were your wife’s What were your wife’s favourite subjects?favourite subjects?

Did she enjoy school?Did she enjoy school?

Yes, I do. Ms Anderson wasn’t a good Yes, I do. Ms Anderson wasn’t a good teacher, but she was young and very teacher, but she was young and very pretty.pretty.

Her favourite subjects were English, Arts Her favourite subjects were English, Arts and PE. She loved PE. She played a lot of and PE. She loved PE. She played a lot of sports at school. She walked to school sports at school. She walked to school every day to exercise.every day to exercise.

Yes, she won all the prizes at school for Yes, she won all the prizes at school for PE, but in 1992 she didn’t because she PE, but in 1992 she didn’t because she broke her leg. Last year we had a school broke her leg. Last year we had a school reunion and I saw my old classmates reunion and I saw my old classmates again. again.

Talking about your childhoodTalking about your childhood

Can you tell us Can you tell us a special a special memory from memory from your childhood?your childhood?

I remember my family I remember my family holidays. They were holidays. They were always fun.always fun.

I loved my birthday I loved my birthday parties. My mum always parties. My mum always made a special cake.made a special cake.

Comparing schools in the 1970s Comparing schools in the 1970s and schools todayand schools today

In the 1970s everybody wore school In the 1970s everybody wore school uniforms and forty years ago the rules uniforms and forty years ago the rules were very strict.were very strict.

Students were at school from the age of 5 Students were at school from the age of 5 to usually 15 or4 16.to usually 15 or4 16.

In my day, about 7 per cent of students In my day, about 7 per cent of students went to university.went to university.

My favourite subject was PE, physical My favourite subject was PE, physical education. I played hockey in the winter education. I played hockey in the winter and tennis in the summer, and boys and and tennis in the summer, and boys and girls did exercise in the gym.girls did exercise in the gym.

In the 1970s I walked to school every day In the 1970s I walked to school every day and all my friends walked to school or and all my friends walked to school or rode their bikes to school.rode their bikes to school.

In the evening, I played in the street with In the evening, I played in the street with friends.friends.

When I was at school, we ate school When I was at school, we ate school dinners. They weren’t delicious, but they dinners. They weren’t delicious, but they were good for you.were good for you.

Today many schools don’t have uniforms. Today many schools don’t have uniforms. Students were their own clothes. Students were their own clothes.

Now nearly all students stay at school Now nearly all students stay at school until they are 18.until they are 18.

Today about 30 per cent of students go to Today about 30 per cent of students go to university.university.

Today PE is different. There are more Today PE is different. There are more options for students. For example, some options for students. For example, some students do yoga and boxing. But PE is students do yoga and boxing. But PE is important for students.important for students.

Today students don’t do much exercise. Today students don’t do much exercise. These days many parents take their These days many parents take their children to school by car.children to school by car.

These days a lot of students play video These days a lot of students play video games or watch TV.games or watch TV.

Many students are fat. This is a serious Many students are fat. This is a serious problem. Students these days eat a lot of problem. Students these days eat a lot of fast food. Schools are trying to offer fast food. Schools are trying to offer healthy food, but it isn’t always easy healthy food, but it isn’t always easy when there is a chip shop round the when there is a chip shop round the corner. corner.