1. I think that school has changed quite a bit since I was there because when I was in school they didn′t have computers. And now these little kids are learning how to use computers and the Internet, and it′s amazing. It′s really wonderful.
I think school is the most different because the kids all have now. And when I was in school we had to go to an encyclopedia and learn how to find a book in the library. And with the Internet, I don′t think kids have to learn the same now.
I went to school in Portugal – I grew up in Portugal – and we had rules about how to behave. And one of the rules that I remember is “No running in the halls.” So we were very careful not to run. We would – if we thought we might want to run, we would probably look around and make sure there were no teachers around.
I′ve seen with my children, they also have the same rule: “Do not run, no in the halls.” It′s on the walls, it′s in their books, it′s everywhere. But every time I go to pick up my children at school, they′re always running down the halls. I would think to do that. So I find it interesting that if you have signs everywhere telling you not to run, kids seem to run more, whereas with me we had no signs and we ran less.
I think that school is different now from when I was a child in that there′s – the children have a lot more that they have to do after school. Really, they′re in a lot more programs. I think there′s more pressure. I think when I was growing up, we – school was maybe a little easier.
I′m actually a teacher now, so I get to experience it every day, and I actually see more than differences now and from the time I went to school. Kids still are on the same schedule. Kids still have to get up very early. Kids still take reading, science, math, foreign language – most of the same things I had to take when I was in school.