Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
INTERvIEWS36GoodbyeMrArnoldQOveryour26yearsatHGShowhastheschoolchangedAThebuildingshaechangedtheyarecleanerandbetterequipped.WhenIrstcameheretherewerenocomputersAndtherearenowgirlsintheschool.QWhatwillyoumissmostwhenyouleaveAAllthemembersostathataremyriends.IhaeenjoyedworkingwithyoungpeopleastheykeepyouyoungQWheredidyoustudyAAlsagerCollegeoEducationAlsagerTrainingCollegeinManchester1973-1976.QFunnyteachingmomentsATherehaebeentoomany.QWhatsubjectsdidyoustudyatA-LevelAEnglishLiteratureGeographyandHistory.QHowdidyoubecomeaBiologyteacherAAterteachingEnglishIchangedtobecomeaBiologyteacher.IdidanOpenUniersitydegreeinScience.QWhydidyoubecomeaBiologyteacherAIhaealwaysbeeninterestedinthenaturalworld.QDidyouplayanysportsatschoolASwimmingAthleticsIwasaeryastrunnerandRugbyIplayedinsidecentreandwings.QWhatmemorydoyouhaveofyourteachersAInA-Leelgeographywehadashortplumpteacherhewalkedabitlikeapenguin.MyriendsandIwoulddrawcartoonsabouthimandhisadentureswecalledthemTheAdenturesoPeng.QHaveyoueverhadaYOLOmomentAAllthetimeEeryFridaynightwhenIopenabottleowine.QWhatisoneofyoufavouritebooksACatch-22byJosephHeller.QWhatwasthelastreallygoodlmorTVprogrammeyouwatchedABreakingBadthelastseries.QIfyouhadonesuperpowerwhatwoulditbeATobeabletofylikeSuperman.QWhatisoneofmostbeautifulplacesyouhavetravelledtoAIslayScotlandIgocyclingandwalking.Itiswildbeautiulquietandhassixwhiskydistillers.Ihaebeentherealotandwillbegoingthissummer.QDoyouhaveasayingyoulivebyALieyourliehonestlyandworkhardandplayharder.SweetsixteenWhenIwasaskedtoconsiderhowIwouldlivemylifedifferentlyifmagicallywhiskedbackintimetotheageof16awholeraftofideascameintomymind.Howeveraftermoreconsideredthoughtitbecameapparentthatthehardestpartofthisexerciseisrememberinghowdifferenttheworldwasthentonow.Iwas16in1971yesImveryoldandtheworldwasadifferentplace.Theplanetwassmallerthennotphysicallybuttravelwasrelativelymoreexpensiveandlessavailable.TheRyanairsofthisworlddidntexistsomyrstthoughtthatIwouldliketohavetravelledmoreextensivelymighthavebeenlesseasy.Wewerealllessafuentthannowandtheideaofgapyearsandthelifestylethatstudentslivetodaywasnotareality.IwasexpectedtositmyAlevelsthengointohighereducationstraightaway.Therewasntreallyanalternativeexceptforthericherfew.Therewerenostudentloanstospendontakeawaysalcoholcinemaandnightclubs.Ifyouwerepoorwhichwewerentyougotafullgrant.Ifyouwererichwhichwewerentyouhadenoughmoneyanyway.Forthoseofusinthemiddlewereliedonwhatourparentscouldaffordorwerepreparedtogiveus.Formethatwas4aweekinmyrstyearatAlsagerCollegeofEducationteachertrainingcollege.4didntgofareventhoughbeerwasonly14penceapintandpricesofeverythingwereconsiderablylessthannow.Buyingbooksforcollegewassomethingthatwasdonereluctantly.Ipreferredtospendmysmallallowanceinthebaroronrecordsandmusicgigs.ButwhatifIdhadalittlemoremoneyMusichasalwaysbeenoneofmygreatestinterests.IwouldhavedearlylikedtoseemoreofmyfavouritebandsandboughtmoreoftheirrecordstoplayonmymonoDansetterecordplayerwithitssapphirestylus.Therewasthisrichkidintheroomnexttomineatcollegeandhehadthisfantasticsystemwithareel-ro-reeltapemachineandilluminatedgreenbuttonsstateoftheartnodoubt.Thebuttonswerenttheonlythingsthatweregreen.Oneofthegreatestdecisionsonemakesinlifeisachoiceofcareer.WouldIstillbeateacherifIhadmytimeagainTherehavebeentimesinmycareerwhenIhavethoughtIwouldhavepreparedtodosomethingelse.ThereareplentyofcareersthatwouldhaveearnedmemoremoneyandImighthaveenjoyedmore.Thereareofcoursemanyjobsthatareharderandpayless.IhavetoadmitIdoliketheacademicholidaysandwouldhatetohavethestandardfourweeksayear.MorerecentlyIlookbackonmyyearsinteachingwithsomeprideandfeelthatifIvemadeapositivecontributiontoyoungpeopleslivesthenithasbeenveryworthwhile.Sotobe16againsoundsallverywellbutisthat16thenor16nowMostolderpeoplewouldsayYesOKbutonlyknowingwhatIknownow.Remember16-year-oldsstillhavealottolearnandthewisdomofolderyearsisalongwayoff.OverallImfairlyhappywithmylotevenifmytimeonthisEarthislessthanitusedtobe.Ivelivedthroughaperiodofprolongedpeaceinthiscountryandrelativeafuence.IllstayasIamthanks.