school life
Daphne’s interview with her grandmother:
• How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 5 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
father: bookkeeper/librarian
mother: teaching children at rich families
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
Kennedy was murderd on november 22 1963, they heard it in class.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
Yes, girls at the front of the building and boys in the back.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
Differences: more kids with more respect, religion lessons, Bible teaching.
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
Yes, because I went to a catholic school.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had 7 hours per day.
• Were most subjects compulsory?
You had to take every subject.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
One schooltrip per year
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
9:00/16:00/16:30
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Not in the start, but eventually after 3 years a lot of homework came.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
On the bike.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, parents had a lot of respect to the teachers, the students sometimes had respect, but most of the time they did pranks to or annoy the teachers.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
NO / yes, but after school time and if the teacher felt like it was important enough.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
No personal relation, and it was just teacher and students.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
Very strict, sometimes they were locked in cupboards, needed to make coffee for lots of teachers or cleaning the whole school.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
No, if you had ‘dyslexia’ you had to go to a school for slow learning students they would just think you stupid. dyslexia wasn’t even a thing that existed.
Isa’s grandfather/ mother
• How many people were there in your parents’ family?
Grandfather: We were with 6 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
Grandmother: We were with 4 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
Grandfather: My father worked as a factory worker and my mother a housewife.
Grandmother: My father had a office job and my mother was a housewife
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
-
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
Both: I went to a school where boys and girls would be mixed together
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
Both: May have been stricter than certain other schools, but mainly the same.
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
Both: Yes, it was compulsory subject in which they had to sing for grades from time to time and this grade would be a part of the rapport cards.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
Both: Just as much as we have on a full day from the first till the eighth hour, only they had this schedule everyday. All lessons consisted of 50 min.
• Were most subjects compulsory?
Both: Yes, all of the subjects that were given were compulsory.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
Both: Nothing expect for the annual field trip and going to camp. But there weren’t many children that could go on the camping trip, because many couldn’t afford it as it was way too expensive.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
Both: Everyday started at around half past eight and ended at four o’clock.
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Both: Yes, there were lots of homework to do just like nowadays.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
Grandfather: by foot
Grandmother: by bike/foot
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Both: Yes, by both parents and children. Sometimes there were talks with parents and teachers. Parents really trusted teachers.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Both: Yes, but asking too much was annoying for the teachers. Teachers gave a lot of information.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
Both: Very serious, students looked up to teachers and some were even scared of them.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
Both: The same ones as we have these days. Cleaning the school, staying after school, writing a chapter, etc.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
Both: No, if you didn’t get it you would have to change schools or levels.
Sophie’s grandmother (71)
How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 3 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
My mother didn’t have a job and my father fixed cars.
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
I remember the Kennedy Assassination. It was a huge deal that the president had been shot but even more so that he was with his wife, he was sitting in an open car and he was just suddenly shot during the drive.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
There were schools for boys and girls together but also separate.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
Yes, mainly that religious schools studied and practiced religion.
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
At my school it was.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had 8 lessons per day.
• Were most subjects compulsory?
Yes, every subject was compulsory.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
At my school we didn’t have that.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
I started at 9:00, finished at 16:00, and got home at 16:30.
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Yes, I had to make a lot of homework.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
I cycled to school on my bike.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, quite a lot.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Yes, however it did have to be after the lesson ended.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
It was different for everyone. Some teachers were more distant than other teachers.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
There was a lot of discipline. As punishment you could get suspended from school for a few days, depending on what you did.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
No, there weren’t.
Sophie’s mother (48)
• How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 4 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
My father worked in the catering industry and my mother worked at the Shell (tank station).
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
The fall of the Berlin Wall, because due to that event the people in east Germany could finally go to the west.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
No, they were being mixed together.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
Only that religious schools studied and practiced religion, which non-religious schools did not do.• Was religion a compulsory subject?
No, it wasn’t.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had 8 lessons per day.
• Were most subjects compulsory?
Yes, every subject was compulsory.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
Unfortunately, I am unable to remember.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
Started at around 8:00 and finished at around 16:00. Therefore I was home at about 16:15.• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Unfortunately yes.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
I cycled to school.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, some teachers were very involved and they were highly appreciated.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Yes, we were free to ask any question.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
Different than present-day; there was more distance and respect towards teachers back then.• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
If you got into trouble, you’d have to stay after school, clean up the kitchen, etc.• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
Yes, you could always go and ask for help.
Zanna’s interview with her dad:
• How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 3 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
My father worked as a truck coordinator and my mother worked in a store.
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
I know that Indirigandi was the president of India. Indirigandhi and Negro had a meeting with Tito in former Yugoslavia.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
No, they were all being educated in the same building.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
No, because there was not a religious school
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
No, because that wasn’t a subject .
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had 6 to 7 lessons per day .
• Were most subjects compulsory?
Every subject that was given was compulsory .
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
There were extra-curricular activities, but you could join it by choice.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
I had two shifts. The first one was in the morning and was from 8:00 till 13:00 and in the afternoon you started from 13:00 till 19:00. Depending on the shift I had, I came home around 2 in the morning or 8 in the evening.
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Yes, we had a lot of homework but compared to what students nowadays get, it’s not that much.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
At first I walked 25 min to school, but because I moved I took the bus for 30 min.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, of course.In my time my parents went to my school to talk about the things I did wrong. My teachers with that also kind of ‘raised me’. Nowadays that has changed a bit. Parents come to school to also talk about what the teacher does wrong.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Yes, but only if it had something to do with the subject that teacher gave.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
It was a good relationship. The teacher told the things that he/she was allowed to tell.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
The worst punishment was if they told the thing you were doing to your parents.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
If you wanted help with school problems you could ask for extra lessons of a certain subject and if you had personal problems you could go to the school psychologist.
Eden’s mother (44)
How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 8 people in my family in total. We all lived in the same house as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
My father worked at his own farm and my mother helped him with it. They maintained the farm together as you can say.
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
When I was about 15, there was a conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia which eventually led to a war. I was impressed by that because I lived in true a war which I can’t easily forget.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
No, there were only schools with boys and girls together. That is because not everyone did go to school then.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
In my area there were only orthodox people and that was the only belief then. That caused it for the school to be religious in a certain kind of way.
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
Religion was not a compulsory subject, because the whole town (folk) had the same belief.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had about 4/5 lessons per day
• Were most subjects compulsory?
No, there were 2 compulsory subjects which are maths and English, aside from that there were 3 subjects that you could chose from out of 10.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
Depending on the 3 subjects you chose, you were going on 1 or 2 excursions per year. I went for example to the University of Asmara as a school trip.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
We started at about 8 in the morning and school ended around 2/3 in the afternoon. I got home around 4 pm.
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
We had a lot of homework but most of it I did on school and during the lessons.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
I went to school with the bus and by foot. I had to walk a bit my house to the bus stop and from the bus stop to my school.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, the teachers were esteemed by parents and student. Also due to the fact that they were diplomats in some kind of way and expected academic results.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Yes, most things were we able to ask. In that way we also have learned a lot.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
There was a high expectancy from the teachers towards the students but they were nice.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
We had to do what was asked of us and there was sometimes harsh punishments when a child was misbehaving.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
No, there weren’t.
• How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 5 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
father: bookkeeper/librarian
mother: teaching children at rich families
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
Kennedy was murderd on november 22 1963, they heard it in class.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
Yes, girls at the front of the building and boys in the back.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
Differences: more kids with more respect, religion lessons, Bible teaching.
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
Yes, because I went to a catholic school.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had 7 hours per day.
• Were most subjects compulsory?
You had to take every subject.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
One schooltrip per year
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
9:00/16:00/16:30
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Not in the start, but eventually after 3 years a lot of homework came.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
On the bike.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, parents had a lot of respect to the teachers, the students sometimes had respect, but most of the time they did pranks to or annoy the teachers.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
NO / yes, but after school time and if the teacher felt like it was important enough.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
No personal relation, and it was just teacher and students.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
Very strict, sometimes they were locked in cupboards, needed to make coffee for lots of teachers or cleaning the whole school.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
No, if you had ‘dyslexia’ you had to go to a school for slow learning students they would just think you stupid. dyslexia wasn’t even a thing that existed.
Isa’s grandfather/ mother
• How many people were there in your parents’ family?
Grandfather: We were with 6 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
Grandmother: We were with 4 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
Grandfather: My father worked as a factory worker and my mother a housewife.
Grandmother: My father had a office job and my mother was a housewife
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
-
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
Both: I went to a school where boys and girls would be mixed together
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
Both: May have been stricter than certain other schools, but mainly the same.
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
Both: Yes, it was compulsory subject in which they had to sing for grades from time to time and this grade would be a part of the rapport cards.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
Both: Just as much as we have on a full day from the first till the eighth hour, only they had this schedule everyday. All lessons consisted of 50 min.
• Were most subjects compulsory?
Both: Yes, all of the subjects that were given were compulsory.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
Both: Nothing expect for the annual field trip and going to camp. But there weren’t many children that could go on the camping trip, because many couldn’t afford it as it was way too expensive.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
Both: Everyday started at around half past eight and ended at four o’clock.
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Both: Yes, there were lots of homework to do just like nowadays.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
Grandfather: by foot
Grandmother: by bike/foot
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Both: Yes, by both parents and children. Sometimes there were talks with parents and teachers. Parents really trusted teachers.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Both: Yes, but asking too much was annoying for the teachers. Teachers gave a lot of information.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
Both: Very serious, students looked up to teachers and some were even scared of them.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
Both: The same ones as we have these days. Cleaning the school, staying after school, writing a chapter, etc.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
Both: No, if you didn’t get it you would have to change schools or levels.
Sophie’s grandmother (71)
How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 3 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
My mother didn’t have a job and my father fixed cars.
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
I remember the Kennedy Assassination. It was a huge deal that the president had been shot but even more so that he was with his wife, he was sitting in an open car and he was just suddenly shot during the drive.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
There were schools for boys and girls together but also separate.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
Yes, mainly that religious schools studied and practiced religion.
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
At my school it was.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had 8 lessons per day.
• Were most subjects compulsory?
Yes, every subject was compulsory.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
At my school we didn’t have that.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
I started at 9:00, finished at 16:00, and got home at 16:30.
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Yes, I had to make a lot of homework.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
I cycled to school on my bike.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, quite a lot.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Yes, however it did have to be after the lesson ended.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
It was different for everyone. Some teachers were more distant than other teachers.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
There was a lot of discipline. As punishment you could get suspended from school for a few days, depending on what you did.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
No, there weren’t.
Sophie’s mother (48)
• How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 4 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
My father worked in the catering industry and my mother worked at the Shell (tank station).
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
The fall of the Berlin Wall, because due to that event the people in east Germany could finally go to the west.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
No, they were being mixed together.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
Only that religious schools studied and practiced religion, which non-religious schools did not do.• Was religion a compulsory subject?
No, it wasn’t.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had 8 lessons per day.
• Were most subjects compulsory?
Yes, every subject was compulsory.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
Unfortunately, I am unable to remember.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
Started at around 8:00 and finished at around 16:00. Therefore I was home at about 16:15.• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Unfortunately yes.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
I cycled to school.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, some teachers were very involved and they were highly appreciated.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Yes, we were free to ask any question.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
Different than present-day; there was more distance and respect towards teachers back then.• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
If you got into trouble, you’d have to stay after school, clean up the kitchen, etc.• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
Yes, you could always go and ask for help.
Zanna’s interview with her dad:
• How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 3 in total. We lived as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
My father worked as a truck coordinator and my mother worked in a store.
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
I know that Indirigandi was the president of India. Indirigandhi and Negro had a meeting with Tito in former Yugoslavia.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
No, they were all being educated in the same building.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
No, because there was not a religious school
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
No, because that wasn’t a subject .
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had 6 to 7 lessons per day .
• Were most subjects compulsory?
Every subject that was given was compulsory .
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
There were extra-curricular activities, but you could join it by choice.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
I had two shifts. The first one was in the morning and was from 8:00 till 13:00 and in the afternoon you started from 13:00 till 19:00. Depending on the shift I had, I came home around 2 in the morning or 8 in the evening.
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
Yes, we had a lot of homework but compared to what students nowadays get, it’s not that much.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
At first I walked 25 min to school, but because I moved I took the bus for 30 min.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, of course.In my time my parents went to my school to talk about the things I did wrong. My teachers with that also kind of ‘raised me’. Nowadays that has changed a bit. Parents come to school to also talk about what the teacher does wrong.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Yes, but only if it had something to do with the subject that teacher gave.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
It was a good relationship. The teacher told the things that he/she was allowed to tell.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
The worst punishment was if they told the thing you were doing to your parents.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
If you wanted help with school problems you could ask for extra lessons of a certain subject and if you had personal problems you could go to the school psychologist.
Eden’s mother (44)
How many people were there in your parents’ family?
We were with 8 people in my family in total. We all lived in the same house as a nuclear family.
• What was the profession of your father / mother?
My father worked at his own farm and my mother helped him with it. They maintained the farm together as you can say.
• Do you remember any historical fact / event when you were a teenager (between 12 and 16 years old) either in India or in EU or worldwide? Why were you impressed by that event?
When I was about 15, there was a conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia which eventually led to a war. I was impressed by that because I lived in true a war which I can’t easily forget.
• Were there schools for boys and separate schools for girls?
No, there were only schools with boys and girls together. That is because not everyone did go to school then.
• Was there a difference between religious schools and non-religious schools?
In my area there were only orthodox people and that was the only belief then. That caused it for the school to be religious in a certain kind of way.
• Was religion a compulsory subject?
Religion was not a compulsory subject, because the whole town (folk) had the same belief.
• How many lessons did you have per day?
We had about 4/5 lessons per day
• Were most subjects compulsory?
No, there were 2 compulsory subjects which are maths and English, aside from that there were 3 subjects that you could chose from out of 10.
• What kinds of extra-curricular activities were organised at your school?
Depending on the 3 subjects you chose, you were going on 1 or 2 excursions per year. I went for example to the University of Asmara as a school trip.
• When did you start and finish school every day? When did you get home?
We started at about 8 in the morning and school ended around 2/3 in the afternoon. I got home around 4 pm.
• Did you have a lot of homework to make?
We had a lot of homework but most of it I did on school and during the lessons.
• How did you go to school (bus, on foot)?
I went to school with the bus and by foot. I had to walk a bit my house to the bus stop and from the bus stop to my school.
• Were teachers esteemed by parents and students? Explain.
Yes, the teachers were esteemed by parents and student. Also due to the fact that they were diplomats in some kind of way and expected academic results.
• Were you allowed to ask about everything you wanted to know?
Yes, most things were we able to ask. In that way we also have learned a lot.
• What was the relationship between teachers and students like?
There was a high expectancy from the teachers towards the students but they were nice.
• What about discipline at school? What types of punishment were used?
We had to do what was asked of us and there was sometimes harsh punishments when a child was misbehaving.
• Was there any kind of coaching for students with problems?
No, there weren’t.
Subquestions:
To what extent have the expectations towards students and the pressure they feel changed in the last decades?
According to the information we collected from our interviews, there used to be more pressure to do well in school than there is now. Our grandparents were highly motivated by their schools to get good grades and do well in school, as well as our parents. Nowadays, we grow up in the Netherlands with a mindset that 55% on a test or project is sufficient. But in reality, 55% on a test isn’t much. Unfortunately, some teachers don’t really motivate us to do much better.
How has the school system changed?
In certain ways, the school system has changed a lot. In others, it's hardly changed at all. There used to be more respect for teachers and vise versa when our grandparents went to school. Quite a huge change in the school system is the use of technology. Our parents and grandparents didn't have digital touch screens when they went to school. They had to use books, no matter what. If they did not know the answer to a question, they could not Google the answer like we do today. Not everything changed, however. Back when our grandparents and parents went to school, there were schools for both boys and girls but also schools for boys or schools for girls. In the Netherlands, that is still how it is today (though the majority of schools have both boys and girls). There are also still religious and non-religious schools throughout the Netherlands.
How have the subjects changed?
The subjects themselves haven't changed too much over the years. Our research did show, however, that there are more subjects now than there used to be. When Sophie's grandmother went to school, there were only 8 subjects which were all compulsory. Now, students are offered over 15 different subjects. Some subjects like philosophy and business economics you can only choose in later years. The subjects we are offered in the lower years of school are all compulsory, while in later years we have more freedom in the subjects we choose. For example, you can choose if you would like to take subjects like biology, chemistry, and physics, or you could choose to take philosophy, economics, and geography.
How has the time schedule changed?
According to the interviews we conducted, the time schedules at school hasn't really changed. Your time schedule obviously depends mainly on what school you go to, but here it can also depend on the day. We do not have the same classes every day and we don't have our classes at the same time every day. Therefore while you start at 8:20 on Monday, on Tuesday you might start at 9:10. It's almost always been this way in the Netherlands. Almost everyone goes to school by bike, mostly because it's easiest. It takes a bit longer than it does to drive, but most people don't live too far away from school so it's quite manageable.
How have the teachers changed?
Teachers are undoubtedly a crucial part of our education. So why don't we give them as much respect now as people did years ago? A lot of teachers used to be more strict than they are now, and that typically gained them more respect from their students. Additionally, we think that if the student gives the teacher respect, the teacher will also show the student more respect. Typically, you can ask teachers pretty much anything you want to know, and it's almost always been that. It of course depends a bit on the teacher, but most teachers are willing to help.
How has the appreciation of school changed?
In earlier generations people were very grateful for getting the chance to have a good education even though school could be boring from time to time. We think a lot of us still feel the same, but sometimes forget how great we have it and how much knowledge we get from going to school and the opportunities of getting a good job. And we should be really great full for it and try our very best at school.
~ We sadly don’t have any interview transcriptions because of privacy reasons. ~
To what extent have the expectations towards students and the pressure they feel changed in the last decades?
According to the information we collected from our interviews, there used to be more pressure to do well in school than there is now. Our grandparents were highly motivated by their schools to get good grades and do well in school, as well as our parents. Nowadays, we grow up in the Netherlands with a mindset that 55% on a test or project is sufficient. But in reality, 55% on a test isn’t much. Unfortunately, some teachers don’t really motivate us to do much better.
How has the school system changed?
In certain ways, the school system has changed a lot. In others, it's hardly changed at all. There used to be more respect for teachers and vise versa when our grandparents went to school. Quite a huge change in the school system is the use of technology. Our parents and grandparents didn't have digital touch screens when they went to school. They had to use books, no matter what. If they did not know the answer to a question, they could not Google the answer like we do today. Not everything changed, however. Back when our grandparents and parents went to school, there were schools for both boys and girls but also schools for boys or schools for girls. In the Netherlands, that is still how it is today (though the majority of schools have both boys and girls). There are also still religious and non-religious schools throughout the Netherlands.
How have the subjects changed?
The subjects themselves haven't changed too much over the years. Our research did show, however, that there are more subjects now than there used to be. When Sophie's grandmother went to school, there were only 8 subjects which were all compulsory. Now, students are offered over 15 different subjects. Some subjects like philosophy and business economics you can only choose in later years. The subjects we are offered in the lower years of school are all compulsory, while in later years we have more freedom in the subjects we choose. For example, you can choose if you would like to take subjects like biology, chemistry, and physics, or you could choose to take philosophy, economics, and geography.
How has the time schedule changed?
According to the interviews we conducted, the time schedules at school hasn't really changed. Your time schedule obviously depends mainly on what school you go to, but here it can also depend on the day. We do not have the same classes every day and we don't have our classes at the same time every day. Therefore while you start at 8:20 on Monday, on Tuesday you might start at 9:10. It's almost always been this way in the Netherlands. Almost everyone goes to school by bike, mostly because it's easiest. It takes a bit longer than it does to drive, but most people don't live too far away from school so it's quite manageable.
How have the teachers changed?
Teachers are undoubtedly a crucial part of our education. So why don't we give them as much respect now as people did years ago? A lot of teachers used to be more strict than they are now, and that typically gained them more respect from their students. Additionally, we think that if the student gives the teacher respect, the teacher will also show the student more respect. Typically, you can ask teachers pretty much anything you want to know, and it's almost always been that. It of course depends a bit on the teacher, but most teachers are willing to help.
How has the appreciation of school changed?
In earlier generations people were very grateful for getting the chance to have a good education even though school could be boring from time to time. We think a lot of us still feel the same, but sometimes forget how great we have it and how much knowledge we get from going to school and the opportunities of getting a good job. And we should be really great full for it and try our very best at school.
~ We sadly don’t have any interview transcriptions because of privacy reasons. ~