I have done many things for service these past 2 years and i think the one that has had the most impact on me is teaching english at a convent near my house. I have undertaken this new challenge as i have had to figure out ways of teaching a language which is a big task and i have become aware of my strengths which are being firm but fair when teaching and not picking favourites-i like anyone that works hard. I have also become aware of my weaknesses which are being impatient with the children and losing my temper. This is where i consider the global impact of what i am doing. I am helping poor children to learn english which will help them to gain employment when they are older as english is very important not in Sri Lanka. I am happy to be helping them and i am even happier that the teaching has moved to a larger scale where more children can be helped.
Alzheimers and Habitat for Humanity are the two service groups i have been involved in in school. I feel i have contributed to the betterment of the lives of people that these cas groups are helping so i am aware of the global impact these activities have had. However, i have also understood the ethical implications of these are that some people do service so that they have something to write about for CAS and not becuase they really care about who/what they are helping. This bothers me as i am not one of these people but know many of them. I have become aware of the skills i have developed doing these things such as leadership skills, organisational skills and public speaking skills. Also the skills i know i must develop are getting along with all kinds of people as there were a few in my CAS i did not like and there was friction within the group. I also need to learn to be more patient and tolerant. Overall, i think i gained alot from these 2 groups and i have gained alot from participating in both of them.
Desi girl concert-this was for a charity concert and the time i spent preparing for it wiht my friends was considerable so i think i put in alot of perseverence and commitment to it. I am also happy as i made some steps up in a genre i have never done before and they looked good so i am happy with my contribution. In this respect it was also a new challenge that i undertook.
Mannar trip-i went to Mannar and i think i gained alot of insight into the lives of the less fortunate. I do not think i did a good job of folllowing it up with the bicycle project as i have been very busy but maybe during my gap year i hope to continue with more planned and initiated activities such as this one. I also had a chance to consider the global impact f what i was doing-i was helping patients in a health camp.
Week Without Walls: This really experience contributed to the development of my skills with children and entertaining them. It also showed me how patient i could be when doing something worthwhile like painting the school (which we had to do the whole day). I was forced to consider some ethical implications of this trip we may not really have done anything to help the community except make the walls of the preschool look nicer. We could have used all that money and time on something that would have had a more profound effect on the community. Also, the fact that we did all the work and did not involve the children and parents of the children was not a good idea in my mind because it is when a community contributes to something for themselves that they truly appreciate it, not when it is dumped in their lap. However considering that we are only high school kids and have a limited time, there was not much else we could do.
CHA: The experinece at the CHA i did not feel contributed to any one directly as we were helping to compile a database but i know that indirectly it will help someone.
This experience was a new challenge that i undertook because i am an impatient person and this job required sitting in one place and typing on a computer as well as using the telephone alot. I became aware of my strengths- being patient when i have to and being polite constantly even though i became exasperated with the work. I thought i would hate the office environment but it was not as chlaustrophobic as i expected. The areas for development of my skills that i became aware of were that i need to be more proactive if i am to be fully involved in something, as i found that i was so distracted because i didnt think i was doing anything to really help anyone. This is something i need to work on if i am to pursue a career in humanitarian aid. I will not always be helping people directly but what i do can still make a difference. I found that after a few days it was easy and i didnt have to bite my tongue everytime i got an irritating person on the line. Overall i am happy with this experience and what i learnt from it as i think i can use it in my future and it showed me how i can hava an impact.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Final Reflection-Action
Action:
I have done exercise at home and zumba! I have developed the skill of being disciplined and becoming more strict with what i do. I am also aware that the area of growth for me is that i become lazy towards the end of the day and do not feel like doing exercise then.
Swimming went well for me as it was also a new challenge that i undertook but i went every wednesday for a period of time last year. Although i retain the advice and critisism my instructor gave me, the area for growth is my lack of tenacity because as soon as i felt i had too much work to cope with i stopped going. This is an example of how i have failed to fulfill the criterion of persevering and being commited to something.
However, i was very happy with myself for participating in the school swimming meet. This really was an entirely NEW CHALLENGE for me as i had never even thought about participating in a meet. I did though and i did much better than i thoguht i would so i am happy with my effort!
Dancing is another activity that i did not continue as i found the classes boring and a waste of my time. I do not consider this a lack of commitment on my part asi attended the class every week but we did not learn alot at all and it was boring for me. However, i was complacent regarding finding a new class as i could have but i decided to focus on my academics as the other class was far frim my house and on saturdays which is when i go to the convent to teach english.
Alzheimers 5k walk: i am happy with my commitment to the program and i am also happy that i completed the walk. It was hot and humid but i showed perseverence and completed it.
Latin Dancing:
One of the after school activitites (ASA's) that i took part in was latin dancing. As i love dancing this was exciting for me but i had never done it before so it was a new challenge. I do not feel as i showed perseverence and commitment in this activity as i had my exams and i do not think went enough times. I am disappointed in my lack of commitment.
Natanda dancing: As above this was only on for a few weeks i thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a new challenge for me as i t was VERY difficult to grasp the technique as the movements were so painful to do.
For the two above i recognized that the area i need to develop is my commitment to things that are not compulsory but that i sign up for. I tend not to miss charity events etc but if it is an activity like dancing and my not being there doesnt affect anyone then i sometimes miss the activities which i think i a horrible thing to do.
Desi girl dance: the practcing and the performance of this dance took an immense amoutn of effort. This was a collaborative effort and all the dancers had to be commited and persevere to finish it. It was also a new challenge for me as i had never danced bollywood before and i want sure that i would grasp the steps properly. This was also the planned and initiated activity that i did with my friends the fellow dancers. It taught me that i needed to develop the skill of being patient and accepting others opinions but also that i could grasp the steps others choreographed fast and i kept to the beat of the song.
track and field: i did track and field but as i twisted my ankle i found i could not run so i never made the team as i stopped going for practices. As this was a result of an injury and not a lack of interes on my part i cannot comment on it.
wall climbing elective: i chose the wall climbing elective on wednesdays as i wanted to do exercise as much as possible, and i did it every wednesday until it was removed as an option for an elective. Thus i was commited and developed this skill becasue i found i could climb higher than some people and faster than i could before.
I have done exercise at home and zumba! I have developed the skill of being disciplined and becoming more strict with what i do. I am also aware that the area of growth for me is that i become lazy towards the end of the day and do not feel like doing exercise then.
Swimming went well for me as it was also a new challenge that i undertook but i went every wednesday for a period of time last year. Although i retain the advice and critisism my instructor gave me, the area for growth is my lack of tenacity because as soon as i felt i had too much work to cope with i stopped going. This is an example of how i have failed to fulfill the criterion of persevering and being commited to something.
However, i was very happy with myself for participating in the school swimming meet. This really was an entirely NEW CHALLENGE for me as i had never even thought about participating in a meet. I did though and i did much better than i thoguht i would so i am happy with my effort!
Dancing is another activity that i did not continue as i found the classes boring and a waste of my time. I do not consider this a lack of commitment on my part asi attended the class every week but we did not learn alot at all and it was boring for me. However, i was complacent regarding finding a new class as i could have but i decided to focus on my academics as the other class was far frim my house and on saturdays which is when i go to the convent to teach english.
Alzheimers 5k walk: i am happy with my commitment to the program and i am also happy that i completed the walk. It was hot and humid but i showed perseverence and completed it.
Latin Dancing:
One of the after school activitites (ASA's) that i took part in was latin dancing. As i love dancing this was exciting for me but i had never done it before so it was a new challenge. I do not feel as i showed perseverence and commitment in this activity as i had my exams and i do not think went enough times. I am disappointed in my lack of commitment.
Natanda dancing: As above this was only on for a few weeks i thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a new challenge for me as i t was VERY difficult to grasp the technique as the movements were so painful to do.
For the two above i recognized that the area i need to develop is my commitment to things that are not compulsory but that i sign up for. I tend not to miss charity events etc but if it is an activity like dancing and my not being there doesnt affect anyone then i sometimes miss the activities which i think i a horrible thing to do.
Desi girl dance: the practcing and the performance of this dance took an immense amoutn of effort. This was a collaborative effort and all the dancers had to be commited and persevere to finish it. It was also a new challenge for me as i had never danced bollywood before and i want sure that i would grasp the steps properly. This was also the planned and initiated activity that i did with my friends the fellow dancers. It taught me that i needed to develop the skill of being patient and accepting others opinions but also that i could grasp the steps others choreographed fast and i kept to the beat of the song.
track and field: i did track and field but as i twisted my ankle i found i could not run so i never made the team as i stopped going for practices. As this was a result of an injury and not a lack of interes on my part i cannot comment on it.
wall climbing elective: i chose the wall climbing elective on wednesdays as i wanted to do exercise as much as possible, and i did it every wednesday until it was removed as an option for an elective. Thus i was commited and developed this skill becasue i found i could climb higher than some people and faster than i could before.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Final Reflection-creativity
The time has come for my final reflection and i think i have achieved most of the aims i set for myself at the beginning of grade 12. I will assess what i have done regarding each criterion and each component of CAS.
Creativity:
Regarding playing the piano, i have an increased awareness of my strengths and weaknesses as i know that i am good at tone and fingering but i am also aware that i need to improve sight reading and speed and rhythm. With sightreading i think i have fully achieved my goal as i sat the exam in march and i was happy with the paper, i had no surprises and i am currently awaiting my results.
Piano concert: i played well in the concert and did not make any mistakes. I was proud of this achievement as i had put alot of time practising at home. I was commited to all the practices, so again i think this is an aim i achieved. Another Skill i developed here was staying calm in front of an audience and not panicking!
Also in the piano concert was a dance that we had to do with all the children in it. This collaborative activity benefitted me as i had to work with another person and accomodate that person's strengths and weaknesses. Although my dance partner was very good, i often had to dance with others for practice and this made me more patient as they often had no idea what they were doing. The new skill i developed is learning the jive steps and the basic step so now i can add that to my list of dancing techniques i have learnt.
Regarding playing the guitar, i do not think i have fulfilled this task. Although i have learnt a few more chords and am able to play very simple songs i do not think i have made much progress so i think my levels of commitment and perseverence in this task were poor and i am thoroughly disappointed with myself.
Regarding choir, i think i fulfilled my aims as i learnt how to control my voice and work collaboratively with others. I thik this was a new challenge for me as i had not sung in 4 years so i was unsure about how my voice would sound. I attended many practices, much more than my friends and i think my perseverence in this area is also something to be proud of for me.
Concert at food and fun fair: I think this was another goal i achieved as i had to sing for an audeince again. Again, collaboration was necessary as we sang without music so our voices needed to be perfectly in key and in harmony with the other voices.
Creativity:
Regarding playing the piano, i have an increased awareness of my strengths and weaknesses as i know that i am good at tone and fingering but i am also aware that i need to improve sight reading and speed and rhythm. With sightreading i think i have fully achieved my goal as i sat the exam in march and i was happy with the paper, i had no surprises and i am currently awaiting my results.
Piano concert: i played well in the concert and did not make any mistakes. I was proud of this achievement as i had put alot of time practising at home. I was commited to all the practices, so again i think this is an aim i achieved. Another Skill i developed here was staying calm in front of an audience and not panicking!
Also in the piano concert was a dance that we had to do with all the children in it. This collaborative activity benefitted me as i had to work with another person and accomodate that person's strengths and weaknesses. Although my dance partner was very good, i often had to dance with others for practice and this made me more patient as they often had no idea what they were doing. The new skill i developed is learning the jive steps and the basic step so now i can add that to my list of dancing techniques i have learnt.
Regarding playing the guitar, i do not think i have fulfilled this task. Although i have learnt a few more chords and am able to play very simple songs i do not think i have made much progress so i think my levels of commitment and perseverence in this task were poor and i am thoroughly disappointed with myself.
Regarding choir, i think i fulfilled my aims as i learnt how to control my voice and work collaboratively with others. I thik this was a new challenge for me as i had not sung in 4 years so i was unsure about how my voice would sound. I attended many practices, much more than my friends and i think my perseverence in this area is also something to be proud of for me.
Concert at food and fun fair: I think this was another goal i achieved as i had to sing for an audeince again. Again, collaboration was necessary as we sang without music so our voices needed to be perfectly in key and in harmony with the other voices.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sacred Hearts for Little Hearts
(thats me on the right in green)
About a month and a half ago, the nuns at the convent i teach english at every saturday told me that the classes at the convent would be stopping but clases on a larger scale would be starting at a larger church in Rajagiriya (about 5 minutes away from the original location).
It is called sacred heart to little hearts as the church is called Sacred Heart Church. It is a programme for children of low income families who cannot afford tuition and are weak in their academics. It is from 2.30 to 5.30 every saturday and there are 3 45 minute blocks. They learn enlgish, maths and either sinhalese or tamil depending on which language is their first and which they are educated in.
I go for 2 hours and teach english for both periods. I help to teach grades 7,8,9 and 10 in the first period, a class of around 18 and grade 5 and 6 in the 2nd period. the second classes is a little smaller.
The skills i have developed doing this service are speaking in sinhalese more which was one of my initial goals and learning to be patient with younger children. Additionally i have realized that i need to work on the way i explain certain concepts and this is an area i need to work on if my teaching is to be effective.
This service has really shown me how much of an impact i can have on other people. With a little time and effort it is possible to really impact the education of young children. I have been consistently committed to this programme so i think i have achieved that goal. This also links to being aware of the problems facing portions of our community which must be addressed. Not only has this service made me aware of the problems these children face but it has made me appreciate what i have and made me want to help them.
Zumba
My cousin introduced me to Zumba, (a south american style of dance) as she had a DVD and told me that it was a good work out. As i have not done any exercise for a while, i decided to do some.
On days that i have time, i do it for an hour and as it really tires me i feel much healthier after i finish!
I think the skill i haev developed by doing this is discipline. Even when i am in pain and feel like stopping, i force myself to carry on until the routine has finished. After having to force myself a few times, i get to the point where i don't have to think about what i'm doing and i dance without thinking. would like to apply this discipline to all other areas of my life as i am too relaxed and disorganised about everything e.g. doing assignments on time and i think the key to solving that problem is through discipline.
So not only am i gettin exercise, but i am also learning to descipline my self.
On days that i have time, i do it for an hour and as it really tires me i feel much healthier after i finish!
I think the skill i haev developed by doing this is discipline. Even when i am in pain and feel like stopping, i force myself to carry on until the routine has finished. After having to force myself a few times, i get to the point where i don't have to think about what i'm doing and i dance without thinking. would like to apply this discipline to all other areas of my life as i am too relaxed and disorganised about everything e.g. doing assignments on time and i think the key to solving that problem is through discipline.
So not only am i gettin exercise, but i am also learning to descipline my self.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Piano
Practical: Although i officially stopped playing the piano (having lessons) i have continued to play at home. I found that i learn better on my own and the only aspect of playing piece of music that i need help with is the tone.
I have also improved in sight reading -ALOT! Before i started playing on my own at home, my sight reading was abysmal. Now i can easily read pieces on my old exam books.
I have learnt a few new pieces, namely the first and second movements of the moonlight sonata, Tristesse and i am starting to learn the Hungarian dance and swan lake.
Moonlight sonata 2nd movement:
I am very happy with my progress.
Me playing the piano:
Theory:
I had my theory exam 5 days ago and i am satisfied with my effort. I thjink i should have spent more time learning the italian terms as i learnt them in the car on the way to the exam so i was disappointed at my lack of organisation.
BUT i am happy it is over as i prefer playing and can concentrate on that now.
I have also improved in sight reading -ALOT! Before i started playing on my own at home, my sight reading was abysmal. Now i can easily read pieces on my old exam books.
I have learnt a few new pieces, namely the first and second movements of the moonlight sonata, Tristesse and i am starting to learn the Hungarian dance and swan lake.
Moonlight sonata 2nd movement:
I am very happy with my progress.
Me playing the piano:
Theory:
I had my theory exam 5 days ago and i am satisfied with my effort. I thjink i should have spent more time learning the italian terms as i learnt them in the car on the way to the exam so i was disappointed at my lack of organisation.
BUT i am happy it is over as i prefer playing and can concentrate on that now.
Monday, February 28, 2011
CAS evening
There was a CAS evening in school.
On the 8th of January, there was a CAS evening after school. Parents were to attend it and each group had to put together a board displaying pictures of what we do and information about the objectives of the electives. Harini and Hee Soo. next years leaders as wel as myself made the board and stayed on the night to inform parents about our CAS. I think I did an average job of the way i presented what we do but as usual my speaking skills need improving. I also noticed that one of next years leaders seems to always dominate the situation and the other one allows her to do so. I must (diplomatically) sort this out as the same thing happened to me last year. The responsibility is shared and at the moment they do not seem to be acknowledging this. Working with these people has also been somewhat like a character building exercise. I need to learn how to deal with all kinds of people in the world and not only people that i know i am similar to and find it easy to get along with.. Despite this i am happy with how the board turned out.
Me Helping to Make Board:
People Were interested in the board. We made it interesting to look at !
The Whole CAS Group:
On the 8th of January, there was a CAS evening after school. Parents were to attend it and each group had to put together a board displaying pictures of what we do and information about the objectives of the electives. Harini and Hee Soo. next years leaders as wel as myself made the board and stayed on the night to inform parents about our CAS. I think I did an average job of the way i presented what we do but as usual my speaking skills need improving. I also noticed that one of next years leaders seems to always dominate the situation and the other one allows her to do so. I must (diplomatically) sort this out as the same thing happened to me last year. The responsibility is shared and at the moment they do not seem to be acknowledging this. Working with these people has also been somewhat like a character building exercise. I need to learn how to deal with all kinds of people in the world and not only people that i know i am similar to and find it easy to get along with.. Despite this i am happy with how the board turned out.
Me Helping to Make Board:
People Were interested in the board. We made it interesting to look at !
The Whole CAS Group:
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Alzheimers
Alot has happened in the Alzhiemers elective since the walk last December:
There was a 5 km run.
A 5 km/10 km run and walk was organised by the Alzheimers foundation in conjunction with the Hash House Harriers. I walked the 5 km in preferance to running the 10 km as i was not well but wanted to participate in the event nonetheless. I took my mother and some friends and we all enjoyed it. However, we did get lost. One thing i would improve would be the trail as my friends and i got lost. This will be a significant point that will be considered if such a run is to be hosted by OSC.
There was a 5 km run.
A 5 km/10 km run and walk was organised by the Alzheimers foundation in conjunction with the Hash House Harriers. I walked the 5 km in preferance to running the 10 km as i was not well but wanted to participate in the event nonetheless. I took my mother and some friends and we all enjoyed it. However, we did get lost. One thing i would improve would be the trail as my friends and i got lost. This will be a significant point that will be considered if such a run is to be hosted by OSC.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Mama Papa Home
During the october holidays i went to kalutara with some other 12th and 11th graders to the Mama Papa home. we spent the morning there and played with the children. We took biscuits and ther snacks as well as drawing books and pencils to colour in the pictures in the books.
Although it was a short visit we were happy to help make the days of the children a little brighter. As a group we worked together to play with the children and we are going to formulate a way of donating matresses, sheets etc to the home. The lady there told us that donating money is not the most constructive way to help as the money is not as useful as the commodities we could give them.
Although it was a short visit we were happy to help make the days of the children a little brighter. As a group we worked together to play with the children and we are going to formulate a way of donating matresses, sheets etc to the home. The lady there told us that donating money is not the most constructive way to help as the money is not as useful as the commodities we could give them.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
saturday english classes
2 saturdays ago at the convent, my sister was complaining that her group of children is lazy and doesnt learn anything. I am convinced that an intelligent student can learn from even the worst teacher with abit of motivation and initiative, but these children lack these two qualities and are rather lazy. In situations such as these, it is important that the teacher motivates the students and makes them want to learn. I do not think the reason my students are the best at english is because of me, i think it is because they WANT to improve and persevere untill they do so. When i told my sister this, she told me to take her group and to test them the next week on what i had taught them the previous week and she guaranteed that they would have forgotten.
So..i took her class. I told her what i had been teaching my students-how to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense, and told her to carry on with that. I went to her group and sure enough, they didnt know half of the letters of the alphabet. So as not to overwhelm them, i taught them a, b, c, A, B and C. This may seem simple but as they write in sinhalese and tamil, the characters are completely different and one cannot decipher the sound of an english character by linking the shape to a sinhalese/tamil one and that characters sound. Also, sinhalese and tamil are phonetic.
Last week i taught the children where to use capital letters as in sinhalese and tamil there is no such thing.
My goal is to teach them the whole alphabet and get them to start speaking enlgish more. By the end of the year i hope my group can write in sentences using verbs and my new group can immediately recognise a letter and which form it is in (capital or simple) when shown one. I also want them to be able to write a little.
Me helping them to read:
So..i took her class. I told her what i had been teaching my students-how to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense, and told her to carry on with that. I went to her group and sure enough, they didnt know half of the letters of the alphabet. So as not to overwhelm them, i taught them a, b, c, A, B and C. This may seem simple but as they write in sinhalese and tamil, the characters are completely different and one cannot decipher the sound of an english character by linking the shape to a sinhalese/tamil one and that characters sound. Also, sinhalese and tamil are phonetic.
Last week i taught the children where to use capital letters as in sinhalese and tamil there is no such thing.
My goal is to teach them the whole alphabet and get them to start speaking enlgish more. By the end of the year i hope my group can write in sentences using verbs and my new group can immediately recognise a letter and which form it is in (capital or simple) when shown one. I also want them to be able to write a little.
Me helping them to read:
Piano exam
I have been revising for my piano exam-grade 3-at the end of the month and i think i will be ok. My piano teacher says i should score in the 90’s. I better, as the content is simple and i should be at a much higher level at my age. I will continue to study the musical terms but it think i have a solid grasp of the other concepts in the syllabus. This is the first theory exam i have taken in music. My goals are: to remain calm and think carefully during the exam. To write neatly and use a ruler at all times. To check my answers as i have plenty of time. To be completely prepared on the day. I really hope i do well!
Alzheimers walk
As i am the leader of Alzheimers, i was in charge making sure that all the people in the group turned up at the walk on the 25th of september. As it was a little last minute because the CAS activities in school started late, it was hectic and only 3 people out of the 12 in the group could make it. The purpose of the walk was to raise awareness about the disease my walking along one of Colombo’s busiest roads with music, balloons and banners. We also distributed leaflets to passersby and put them into the cars that were passing. As well as being fun, the walk was good exercise as it took two hours and most of us were jumping around and carrying signs that got heavy after a while! i think i have been commited to this elective the whole year and done as much as i can for it so i am happy that i was able to make it to this walk!
I did not stay for the raffle as i had to get home, but i was happy with the money that the group in school raised and the tickets they sold. Overall, the group in school made 15000 rupees in less than a week. I was very happy with that, although some people just bought the tickets themselves and didn’t attempt to spread awareness through the raffle tickets. I made around 4000 on my own as i asked for some books in july, so i was also satisfied with my personal contribution.
In the future, i would like more of the members of the group i school to participate and make more of an effort to commit to this cause as at the moment i feel as though some of them may be there to waste time after school and to say that they are in a CAS group, yet do nothing for that group. I need to help motivate them which is a skill i need to develop.
Me selling raffle tickets during the summer at majestic city shopping mall:
I did not stay for the raffle as i had to get home, but i was happy with the money that the group in school raised and the tickets they sold. Overall, the group in school made 15000 rupees in less than a week. I was very happy with that, although some people just bought the tickets themselves and didn’t attempt to spread awareness through the raffle tickets. I made around 4000 on my own as i asked for some books in july, so i was also satisfied with my personal contribution.
In the future, i would like more of the members of the group i school to participate and make more of an effort to commit to this cause as at the moment i feel as though some of them may be there to waste time after school and to say that they are in a CAS group, yet do nothing for that group. I need to help motivate them which is a skill i need to develop.
Me selling raffle tickets during the summer at majestic city shopping mall:
Daily Exercise
For about 2 weeks now i have been exercising on my own. I usually start at around 7.00 and finish at 8.00 pm. As i used to dance i remember the routines that we used to do in dance class, especially the warm ups. It is more like aerobics than it is like jazz (which the class was). One of my aims is to become more fit and also to not give up when im in physical pain. When i get tired and i get cramps, as much as i want to continue i usually stop. I need to stop doing this and work on my stamina.
Flexibility warm up:
High Kicks: streching, and preparation for windmill step.
'Flat back' exercise-strength:
Flexibility warm up:
High Kicks: streching, and preparation for windmill step.
'Flat back' exercise-strength:
Saturday, October 2, 2010
CAS
Alzheimers:
This year i am the sole leader of the Alzheimers elective-my co-leader is not in the group as he is busy and i got a chance to improve in this as he often did the planning as he often did the talking in the meetings as he had experience being a leader when i had not. the main skill i needed to develop was to become more confident about myself and learn how to talk to an audience without being intimidated by them. Tho other skills i need to develop are being more organised and being responsible for the group as a whole. The first thing i did was to talk to the group about what we should do. Then i contacted the lady in charge and asked her what she expected of us. In an attempt to reconcile the two i shared the ideas in the group. Although it was last minute, she told me there we should sell raffle rickets for the annual raffle draw on the 25th. I didn’t realize how organised i would have to be and asked peopel to sell as many tickets as theyy could and return what tney sold. I soon discovered that i was all wrong and that each ticket had to be accounted for. I had returned booklets with tickets missing and some books had no names on them etc so i had to run around asking everyone to return what they had sold and what they had left. I learnt from this experience that i needed to develop my skills of co-ordination when doing things like this. However, i was pleased with the way i introduced the group to the task and spoke to the organisation itself about what they wanted done.
I attended the walk and saw some people there from the group. We all had fun and it was great exercise spreading awareness about the disease. I am pleased with my commitment to this elective. The next thing to do is to arrange a presentation and a visit to the home being built as i think the most important part is the 'hands on' contact stuff that shows people you care. It easy to give money but to go and spend time with them is more difficult.
This year i am the sole leader of the Alzheimers elective-my co-leader is not in the group as he is busy and i got a chance to improve in this as he often did the planning as he often did the talking in the meetings as he had experience being a leader when i had not. the main skill i needed to develop was to become more confident about myself and learn how to talk to an audience without being intimidated by them. Tho other skills i need to develop are being more organised and being responsible for the group as a whole. The first thing i did was to talk to the group about what we should do. Then i contacted the lady in charge and asked her what she expected of us. In an attempt to reconcile the two i shared the ideas in the group. Although it was last minute, she told me there we should sell raffle rickets for the annual raffle draw on the 25th. I didn’t realize how organised i would have to be and asked peopel to sell as many tickets as theyy could and return what tney sold. I soon discovered that i was all wrong and that each ticket had to be accounted for. I had returned booklets with tickets missing and some books had no names on them etc so i had to run around asking everyone to return what they had sold and what they had left. I learnt from this experience that i needed to develop my skills of co-ordination when doing things like this. However, i was pleased with the way i introduced the group to the task and spoke to the organisation itself about what they wanted done.
I attended the walk and saw some people there from the group. We all had fun and it was great exercise spreading awareness about the disease. I am pleased with my commitment to this elective. The next thing to do is to arrange a presentation and a visit to the home being built as i think the most important part is the 'hands on' contact stuff that shows people you care. It easy to give money but to go and spend time with them is more difficult.
ASA's
This term in school some after school activities have been introduced. On mondays i am attending choir practices and on friday Latin dancing.
I am continuing choir this year, however, i am the only person who was there last year so i have to adjust to the new range of pitches in the choir. I am the oldest person in the choir and i am not generally good at making friends with people significantly younger than i am as they tend to irritate me. I know that i need to have patience with them and that learning to get along with people of all ages is a skill i need to develop. once again, patience comes into it. It is extremely important that the people in choir get along as we all need to sing together and our voices will have to blend. However, i am happy that one of the older girls is not at all annoying and is mature so i do not feel all alone (maturity wise). We are learning the national anthem of sri lanka (o know it but the others need to learn it) and love changes everything, which is a song i really like. I am still and alto. we are planning on performing it at assembly when we feel we are ready as a choir.
Latin dancing is taught by my Spanish teacher, ms eva. She is from paraguay and loves dancing so it is alot of fun learning from her. Although i have done salsa briefly at school, i have never learnt latin dancing properly. We learn which exercises stretch which muscles and then practice routines to latin american music. I am happy that i have learnt a new style of dance and also that i am continuing dancing like i wanted to!
I am continuing choir this year, however, i am the only person who was there last year so i have to adjust to the new range of pitches in the choir. I am the oldest person in the choir and i am not generally good at making friends with people significantly younger than i am as they tend to irritate me. I know that i need to have patience with them and that learning to get along with people of all ages is a skill i need to develop. once again, patience comes into it. It is extremely important that the people in choir get along as we all need to sing together and our voices will have to blend. However, i am happy that one of the older girls is not at all annoying and is mature so i do not feel all alone (maturity wise). We are learning the national anthem of sri lanka (o know it but the others need to learn it) and love changes everything, which is a song i really like. I am still and alto. we are planning on performing it at assembly when we feel we are ready as a choir.
Latin dancing is taught by my Spanish teacher, ms eva. She is from paraguay and loves dancing so it is alot of fun learning from her. Although i have done salsa briefly at school, i have never learnt latin dancing properly. We learn which exercises stretch which muscles and then practice routines to latin american music. I am happy that i have learnt a new style of dance and also that i am continuing dancing like i wanted to!
Reflection on Mannar Trip
The trip to Mannar opened my eyes to the suffering people are still enduring in war torn areas of the country. My mother took me with her to a health camp in the north to help. Around 50 people went all together.
Briefing. The man in charge told us what we would be doing for the next 3 days:
Mother (left) with Patients:
The job i did was not help out with a school as i was told but it did require the same skills.I had to direct patients to the correct rooms in a hospital where the doctors were treating them. This may seem like an insignificant job but there were more than a thousand people who came and i was on my feet for almost the whole day. I think i achieved my goals.
I was co-operative and helpful, listening to all the instructions i was given.
I did speak more sinhala than i usually do as alot of the people who came from colombo conversed in sinhala and i spoke to them in sinhala too.
I was also asked to help paint a mural type painting on the wall of the hospital as a symbol to the people of the area (Viduvaltivvu) that the people of the south do care about them and did come to the north to help the people there. I learnt how to blend and balance colours and i was happy with my contribution to the painting.
Me painting mural:
The finished mural:
The Painters:
As i was standing at the front of the hospital directing people to the correct rooms i spoke to some of the soldiers that were there to help. They were very young, maybe a few years older than me so it was hard for me to grasp how they could be so far away from home living in an army camp and doing all jobs they have to do.
I realised that in the south of the country, especially in colombo alot of people critisize the army and the role they play in the north, without having seen first hand what they do.
We also went to a school. It was a sad experience as the roof was broken and this would obviously disrupt lessons if it started to rain. On the way to the school we passed many shells-the remains of bombed houses. They had been destroyed and people had to move.
School Children:
The whole group:
We noticed that there were vast expanses of land on which there was nothing for miles around. People had to walk miles to get to the nearest commercial centres. Children had to walk miles to school. My mother suggested that i contact the man in charge of organising these trips and ask if we could raise money to buy some bicyles or ask people to donate old bicycles to these children so that they can get to school faster. Unfortunately, he did not reply to the email, so i will attempt to initiate the project on my own.
Briefing. The man in charge told us what we would be doing for the next 3 days:
Mother (left) with Patients:
The job i did was not help out with a school as i was told but it did require the same skills.I had to direct patients to the correct rooms in a hospital where the doctors were treating them. This may seem like an insignificant job but there were more than a thousand people who came and i was on my feet for almost the whole day. I think i achieved my goals.
I was co-operative and helpful, listening to all the instructions i was given.
I did speak more sinhala than i usually do as alot of the people who came from colombo conversed in sinhala and i spoke to them in sinhala too.
I was also asked to help paint a mural type painting on the wall of the hospital as a symbol to the people of the area (Viduvaltivvu) that the people of the south do care about them and did come to the north to help the people there. I learnt how to blend and balance colours and i was happy with my contribution to the painting.
Me painting mural:
The finished mural:
The Painters:
As i was standing at the front of the hospital directing people to the correct rooms i spoke to some of the soldiers that were there to help. They were very young, maybe a few years older than me so it was hard for me to grasp how they could be so far away from home living in an army camp and doing all jobs they have to do.
I realised that in the south of the country, especially in colombo alot of people critisize the army and the role they play in the north, without having seen first hand what they do.
We also went to a school. It was a sad experience as the roof was broken and this would obviously disrupt lessons if it started to rain. On the way to the school we passed many shells-the remains of bombed houses. They had been destroyed and people had to move.
School Children:
The whole group:
We noticed that there were vast expanses of land on which there was nothing for miles around. People had to walk miles to get to the nearest commercial centres. Children had to walk miles to school. My mother suggested that i contact the man in charge of organising these trips and ask if we could raise money to buy some bicyles or ask people to donate old bicycles to these children so that they can get to school faster. Unfortunately, he did not reply to the email, so i will attempt to initiate the project on my own.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Versus Cancer concert
6 of us, from grades 10 to 12 took part in a bollywood dance. it was an item in the concert which raised money for the childrens ward at the maharagama cancer hospital. It also allowed me to gain insight into some pretty basic (but still!) bollywood steps. I appreciate dancing of any kind so it was interesting for me as i have never danced bollywood before. I also had a problem with choreographing because 1) i have not learned/danced this kind of dance before and 2) i have always been taught by some one and danced in groups, an environment in which knowledge about choreography is not needed. However, i managed to create some steps and formations, and although out of the 3 girls i choreographed the least, i am proud of the little i accomplished!
Us Practising!:
The performance also opened my eyes to the amount of dedication and perseverence required to host and plan a concert. Although i am not a part of the cancer hospital cas group, i spent the entire day at school on the day of the concert, and i saw how much effort goes into it. I have been to many concerts where ive been frustrated with the timing or the performances, and i am quick to critisize, but after seeing what goes on behind the scenes, i will think twice before i dismiss the efforts of the planners etc However, there were a few inevitable glitches in the running of things, and as an 'outsider' i saw solutions to these problems that the people organising didnt as i was not under stress etc. i observed their methods of conducting themselves and overall, i learnt alot about how one goes about creating a show. i also learnt, in minor cases, what not to do. this knowledge will help me i the future if i wish to organise a similar event.
And Practising more!
Another aspect of the performance was the organising and buying of costumes. I feel i became more responsible and independant as i had to made numerous trips to the tailor and i observed the manner in which my friends looked for the right costumes and materials etc. as i have no experience in these kind of things i gained alot of knowledge form observing in this case as well. This is the second time in my life i have worn a sari-, shameful as i am sri lankan but i learnt how to put one on and now i can do it-(not well) if i needed to. Thanks pri and pri's mum :):):)
The last, and most important aspect of the dance was, for me, the teamwork involved in the choreography and organizing at practices. The fact that each performer spent time practicing the dance so as not to let down the other performers was something that happened and that eachh of us appreciated. Devansh let us use his house as the place we practiced in which made it easier for all of us to meet. Thank you! :) and priyanka, shashwat and thishakya did not of the choreography, although each of us contributed a little towards the final performance. Overall it was a rewarding experience, i got alot of excersise, made friends with people from other grades that i did not speak to before,and had ALOT of fun.
Thank you saj for everything you did for the performance. The choreography, burning CD's everytime the songs were changed and being there for every practice helping us out whenever we had problems, ctitiquing our dancing and suggesting improvements... and just being there! :)
At the concert:
Click here to see video
Us Practising!:
The performance also opened my eyes to the amount of dedication and perseverence required to host and plan a concert. Although i am not a part of the cancer hospital cas group, i spent the entire day at school on the day of the concert, and i saw how much effort goes into it. I have been to many concerts where ive been frustrated with the timing or the performances, and i am quick to critisize, but after seeing what goes on behind the scenes, i will think twice before i dismiss the efforts of the planners etc However, there were a few inevitable glitches in the running of things, and as an 'outsider' i saw solutions to these problems that the people organising didnt as i was not under stress etc. i observed their methods of conducting themselves and overall, i learnt alot about how one goes about creating a show. i also learnt, in minor cases, what not to do. this knowledge will help me i the future if i wish to organise a similar event.
And Practising more!
Another aspect of the performance was the organising and buying of costumes. I feel i became more responsible and independant as i had to made numerous trips to the tailor and i observed the manner in which my friends looked for the right costumes and materials etc. as i have no experience in these kind of things i gained alot of knowledge form observing in this case as well. This is the second time in my life i have worn a sari-, shameful as i am sri lankan but i learnt how to put one on and now i can do it-(not well) if i needed to. Thanks pri and pri's mum :):):)
The last, and most important aspect of the dance was, for me, the teamwork involved in the choreography and organizing at practices. The fact that each performer spent time practicing the dance so as not to let down the other performers was something that happened and that eachh of us appreciated. Devansh let us use his house as the place we practiced in which made it easier for all of us to meet. Thank you! :) and priyanka, shashwat and thishakya did not of the choreography, although each of us contributed a little towards the final performance. Overall it was a rewarding experience, i got alot of excersise, made friends with people from other grades that i did not speak to before,and had ALOT of fun.
Thank you saj for everything you did for the performance. The choreography, burning CD's everytime the songs were changed and being there for every practice helping us out whenever we had problems, ctitiquing our dancing and suggesting improvements... and just being there! :)
At the concert:
Click here to see video
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Going to a health camp with my mother
Next weekend (friday, saturday and sunday) i am accompanying my mother (a doctor) on a health camp near Mannar (in the north of sri lanka). I will be in a group helping with setting up a school for the young children there.
My goals are:
to be co-operative and helpful whenever i can
improve my communication skills especially my sinhala which is abysmal :(
talk to the children and help to establish that it is VERY important that they study as that is their only hope for a better life for themselves and their families
attempt to fill the social and economic gap between 'colombo people' and people in remote areas.
i also think it is very important to show that the difference between the ethnicities: tamil and sinhala, is a socially imposed one and that there is no such thing as a superior ethnic group. i think that by so many people going to those IDP camps every month (there are 80 people on our bus alone) the next generation (hopefully mine too) will be able to identify themselves as sri lankan and not sinhala, tamil, burgher etc. as the people that go are of mixed origin-there are sinhala, tamil, burgher, muslim etc people helping in health camps, as translators, hepling to establish schools.. that is my long term goal, and i think most sri lankans share that goal with me.
My goals are:
to be co-operative and helpful whenever i can
improve my communication skills especially my sinhala which is abysmal :(
talk to the children and help to establish that it is VERY important that they study as that is their only hope for a better life for themselves and their families
attempt to fill the social and economic gap between 'colombo people' and people in remote areas.
i also think it is very important to show that the difference between the ethnicities: tamil and sinhala, is a socially imposed one and that there is no such thing as a superior ethnic group. i think that by so many people going to those IDP camps every month (there are 80 people on our bus alone) the next generation (hopefully mine too) will be able to identify themselves as sri lankan and not sinhala, tamil, burgher etc. as the people that go are of mixed origin-there are sinhala, tamil, burgher, muslim etc people helping in health camps, as translators, hepling to establish schools.. that is my long term goal, and i think most sri lankans share that goal with me.
CHA!
During the summer, myself and 3 of my friends went to the 'consortium of humanitarian agencies' or CHA to do some volunteer work in the summer. As well as developing our communication skills and giving us an opportunuty to work independantly as well as in cooperatively, we had a chance to help establish help lines for people in need.
This involved compiling databases of contact details of people the CHA could recieve sponsorship from in the future. We also had to call each of these contact and confirm all their details. The working hours were 3 times a week from 9 till 2. Although the job was tedious and boring at times, knowing that indirectly, we were helping people in need made it feel worth it. We also got the opportunity to accompany our supervisors to a village about 2 hours away from colombo as they were carrying out a need assesment of the place. This village is one of many that was created for the families of the soldiers who fought in the recent war in sri lanka. Some of the women there had lost their husbands, other's husbands had disabilities and were be physically unable to work. It was a sobering experience and made us all realize that we must all do something to help these people financially as they had their electricity cut off as they havent paid the bill for 2 months. This meant that the computer classes their children were recieving were terminated as the computers could not be used.
One of my goals this term os to keep in contact with the CHA and ask them what the general public could do to help the situation.
This involved compiling databases of contact details of people the CHA could recieve sponsorship from in the future. We also had to call each of these contact and confirm all their details. The working hours were 3 times a week from 9 till 2. Although the job was tedious and boring at times, knowing that indirectly, we were helping people in need made it feel worth it. We also got the opportunity to accompany our supervisors to a village about 2 hours away from colombo as they were carrying out a need assesment of the place. This village is one of many that was created for the families of the soldiers who fought in the recent war in sri lanka. Some of the women there had lost their husbands, other's husbands had disabilities and were be physically unable to work. It was a sobering experience and made us all realize that we must all do something to help these people financially as they had their electricity cut off as they havent paid the bill for 2 months. This meant that the computer classes their children were recieving were terminated as the computers could not be used.
One of my goals this term os to keep in contact with the CHA and ask them what the general public could do to help the situation.
Exercise!
During the summer, when i felt like i needed some exersize, i went for bike rides. This may seem a relaxing activity in which not alot of energy is consumed but i cycled near my house where the roads are steep so it was very tiring going up and down these roads.
I also went for some walks with my mother but i found that walking is not for me so i decided i would rather do something more active.
So, i decided to find some new things to do for excercise. To check if it was effective, i started excersizing in my house for an hour every day. I put on some music and found some space where i could move around. As i used to go for dance classes when i was younger, i know all the warm up routines by heart so i did a few of those stretches and excersises. I felt much better but once i started school i found i didnt have time. My goal is to become organised enough to be able to spare half and hour a day excersizing, whether it be a bike ride or dancing or any other form of excersize.
I also went for some walks with my mother but i found that walking is not for me so i decided i would rather do something more active.
So, i decided to find some new things to do for excercise. To check if it was effective, i started excersizing in my house for an hour every day. I put on some music and found some space where i could move around. As i used to go for dance classes when i was younger, i know all the warm up routines by heart so i did a few of those stretches and excersises. I felt much better but once i started school i found i didnt have time. My goal is to become organised enough to be able to spare half and hour a day excersizing, whether it be a bike ride or dancing or any other form of excersize.
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