Month: September 2017

Nature Versus Nurture

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg Global Perspectives 0 Comment

‘Nature Versus Nurture’ has been the subject of intense debate among people around the globe for many years now. Much like ‘Did the chicken come first or the egg?’, however unlike this question, ‘Nature Versus Nurture’ is believed to have a concrete answer. We may not have disclosed the entirety of this concept yet, however  researchers and scientists alike are trying to answer this question piece by piece.

For example when it comes to sexuality, it is believed that sexual orientation takes place in the womb. Here the scale tilts more towards nature than nurture. Similarly if we look at violence and aggression, it is believed that your environment and role models can affect your actions as a child. An example could be the ‘Bobo Doll’ experiment conducted by Albert Bandura. During this experiment, it was recorded that the rate of mimicking increased when the gender was the same between both the adult and the child. Here the scale tilts more towards nurture.

I believe that both nature and nurture have a role in making us who we are. In some cases one may overpower the other, but both work together. After watching the presentation, my beliefs have only been further confirmed. I think that my thoughts are consolidated very well in this quote: ‘Nature is the seed of the plant, and nurture is the way you water it.’ Because you cannot change the plant the seed will grow to be, but you can influence the way it grows.

4. Identity (Fry’s Planet World)

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg English 1 Comment

Whilst watching a video on ‘Language Identity’, a question crossed my mind,

How does language include/exclude; represent/misrepresent?

Although before I delve deeper into this question, I would like to understand what defines us. Surely our language does, after all it is the way we communicate to the rest of the world. It both represents and defines us. Our own accents are shaped by where we are born or raised. Language alters the way we perceive the world around us. But how? And if this is true, then what about people who are bilingual?

Language and culture can have a relation to our cuisines, the food we eat. For example, the family in San Sebastian who ran a restaurant explained that their language Basque was represented through the food they made and was a way of making sure their language was preserved.

Or even the Occitane language of southern France which is endangered, because the French government only wants one central language, the ‘original’ language – French. The people who spoke Occitane however, felt that their language was linked to their culture and identity of their land. I believe that it is important to preserve Occitane and other languages in the same position as it, because it could be an important part of some people’s identity and culture. Although, I understand why the government would want one language, I don’t think it is okay to exclude other languages/dialects.

There was also the man who Stephen interviewed in the video, who said that he felt English was ‘invading’.  And the ‘French Academy’, where the ‘Immortals’ who are a group of writers, politicians, etc. came together and decided which words should be kept, added or declined in the French language. I can understand their need to not let a language like English invade their language and alter it, even if not in a major way.

Some languages such as Hebrew, were even re-invented. I think this is a really good way of not letting a language fade away, but re-creating it so that it can suit us better ‘today’.

After watching this video, I also wondered, ‘How would you feel about a teacher teaching a language that wasn’t native to them to someone whose mother tongue would be that language’?

 

1. Chemistry & Crime?

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg Science 0 Comment

Since I was young, I have always had an interest in watching shows such as CID (Criminal Investigation Department), Sherlock Homes, Doctor Who and Quantico, which have both/either  Criminal Investigation and/or Science/Science Fiction aspect in them. This has led for an ever growing interest in the field of criminal law and investigation for me.  So, when I was asked to explore how Chemistry linked to another subject, I wondered if Chemistry shared any connections with Criminal Investigation. Finally I ended up with the question: How does Chemistry relate to Forensic Science?

Image result for forensic scienceBefore we can answer this question however it is important to establish: What is Forensic Science? It is the application of scientific methods and techniques to matters under investigation by a court of law.

How does Forensic Science relate to Chemistry? After researching a bit, I learnt that forensic chemists analyse non-biological trace evidence found at crime scenes. This helps to identify foreign materials and match them to known substances. For example, the contents of blood found at a crime scene could be analysed to find out information such as the levels of substances such as alcohol or drugs in the blood, or perform a chromatography test. Another example could be using body cells (skin, hair or blood cells) and matching them to the DNA profiles of individuals.

Lots of the times what we watch in shows are very exaggerated  versions of what the real profession may look like and are very different from real life.  However, I think that for Science is just as interesting in real life as it is sometimes portrayed on shows.

After learning this, it makes me curios to know if there are any other areas of Chemistry that related to Criminal Investigation? Or perhaps how Biology or Physics could link to Criminal Investigation?

3. Who Owns English?

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg English , , , 0 Comment

Ever since I was young I have had a certain question in the back of my head: Who owned English? At first I thought perhaps it was England. Wait! or was it Great Britain? Surely it originated from there but did they own it? Somehow this question was left unanswered until we watched this video by Think Fact in class one day.

After watching it I finally both understood the question as what it was and developed my own perspective on the matter. I own English. You own English. Everyone who speaks it, owns it: Their very own version of it. There around more than 1.5 billion English speaker in the world today and we all have a role in contributing to how it evolves. Originally created from the unique mixing of French Latin and Germanic, English is very different today then it was back in the 1600’s. English travelled the world borrowing words from all around the place to finally becoming what it is today. And each one of us who speak it can say we have had a part or will have a part in evolving it further along the line.

2. Language Assimilation

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg English , , , 0 Comment

       Scrolling through articles, I found a very interesting piece on ‘Forced Language Assimilation’ on The Guardian. After reading it I begin to wonder how both the journalist and I really felt about forced language assimilation (i.e. the view/expectation that everyone is America must learn English) and if there was a difference in what I and she believed was the relationship between accent, identity, and power?

After rereading the article I got the impression that, when she was younger she felt like she didn’t ‘belong’ or ‘accepted’ in America because she was Latino. Therefore she tried her best to wash away her Latino culture and assimilate as rapidly as she could. I can understand how she felt and once felt somewhat the same way, although now after having the #MyLanguageWorld unit in English, I believe that preserving your own language and culture is very important and there is nothing embarrassing about having a different accent from others. I agree with her when she then goes on to talk about how she feels that being ‘forced to assimilate’ is oppressive. I think your language and accent are both an significant and important part of your identity. They both have a role in constructing you as a person. And just because you live in another country, it does not mean you should be forced to assimilate, for example: her grandmother. She was proud of her heritage and refused to give up that part of her even after she became an American citizen. The one idea that I did not completely agree with though, was when she said her grandmother talked to everyone in Spanish, because if you are living in another country, even though you shouldn’t be forced to assimilate, you should still respect the language spoken there and put in some effort in trying to communicate basic expressions to them. One question I still wonder about is: How do accents and identities relate to power?

(Hover Mouse Over The Picture For The Attribution)

1. How Does My Language Define Me?

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg English , , , 1 Comment

Why do I speak as I do..

…and how does my language define me?

I speak as I do because I am me. I’m Indian. I was born in Delhi, and have lived in Beijing and Singapore. Each place that I’ve been has shaped and cultivated how I communicate and express myself to the world. I studied in Dulwich College for one year in Beijing, Casa Dei Bambini Montessori for two years in Singapore and then NPS for 6 years. Until I came to UWCSEA East 6 years ago, I always had an Indian accent. Although I began to develop an American accent after coming to UWC.

Living in Beijing, I learnt plenty of Mandarin since a young age, although at home my parents always spoke to me in my mouther tongue, Gujarati and sometimes English as well. I learnt both Hindi and Mandarin. Hindi and Gujarati have very simple writing technique, which is why I learnt to read both. After one year of Mandarin in UWC, I dropped Mandarin and started to learn Spanish. I really love exploring and learning new cultures and languages, although it is not always easy!

I think language can be thought of as a expression, a cultivator of cultural values, who you are and how you communicate. Without language expressing our feelings would be about impossible. I think language defines the way I am portrayed to others.

1: Introduction to Enterprise

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg Enterprise 0 Comment

I believe that in being a UWCSEA Entrepreneur, I will learn to take risks, be innovative, and solve problems to make the world a better place. I hope to develop the knowledge, understanding and practical skills associated with setting up and running a new business.

There are many skills an entrepreneur needs to run a successful business. After some research on previous successful entrepreneurs, I have come to the conclusion that the three most important skills I need to become a successful entrepreneur are passion, dedication and self management. Why are these three superior to the rest, you might wonder? Passion is really important, both to keep a business running through difficult times and to wake up everyday and love what you do. Dedication is important so that you are both working hard and are focused enough, in order to achieve your targets. Self management is important so that you are organised and can manage your time effectively.

I think I would like to focus on developing a mix of all three skills over the next two years. I hope to achieve this by scheduling time specifically for Enterprise, working hard, focusing and finally asking for support when I need it.