Posted on 1 Comment on Improving Writing Skills

Improving Writing Skills

I recently wrote an essay for English and wanted to make some notes here for what I could improve on to make sure I am developing my capabilities as a writer.

I feel like I got some creative ideas about the scene I was focusing on, but I didn’t have a strong overarching argument to put it all together, instead, I was pushing for varied points surrounding a  large concept that ultimately felt vague and disorganized. I would like to establish a clear, specific focus when writing my next essay and develop this one argument throughout each paragraph.

I also felt like I didn’t analyze my quotations that well, as I kind of deviated from the standard Point, Evidence, Explanation format recommended for writing essays. I would like to practice completely sticking to this guide.

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POTTERY #3

LO3-Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience. 

In season 2 of this activity, I was able to carry out my plan of making a unique cereal bowl after creating a demo version. The idea was to create a spiral on the top as a passageway for the milk to travel down to the cereal, and then have an opening in the front for the person to eat out of.

 

After reflecting on this demo version, I realized that this pot was going to need to be significantly larger to have any practical value and be able to fit a regular-sized spoon. Many problems arose. The overall design looked unattractive and confusing, you couldn’t even tell it was a cereal bowl. The milk wouldn’t properly go down the intended pathway as the slope was not very smooth. And there wasn’t a way to keep cereal inside in the first place! – how could I overlook this major flaw.

So I went back to the drawing board and came up with a modified design, and immediately got started (time seemed to go by much quicker each lesson maybe cause I had a goal). I asked for some advice from my pottery teachers and I learned the ‘coiling technique’ for making sure larger pots are stable.

It was a lot more time-consuming and tedious than the pinching technique which I normally used, but necessary for what I wanted to create.

After creating all the coils. I placed them on top of each other securely through the ‘score and slip’ method. Smoothening it all out was probably the hardest part of the full process.

I created the slope as a separate piece, allowing you to take it off in order to add more cereal. I had to make sure that it fits securely on the bowl though which was very challenging, but eventually, I got it to work.

I was actually very proud of my results, considering the complexity of the idea. There are a few issues, such as there not being enough space for the cereal without it actually falling out – but nevertheless, I’m glad I followed through with this plan as it feels great seeing my ideas come into reality. I really enjoyed my two seasons here at the pottery club.

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MINDS Tampines #2

LO6-Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance. 

For the second season of MINDS service, we gained a lot more experience organizing sessions for our clients and learning about the global implications of these issues. Prior to this service, I never really thought about the unique challenges that disabled people face every day in society. I always understood that there exist more hurdles for mentally challenged individuals to overcome throughout their lives, but realizing them in a modern-day context – fewer employment opportunities, lack of accommodation at work and public transportation – really made me commiserate. It’s already such a daunting task to manage your life effectively today, I couldn’t imagine how isolated and scared those with special needs feel. I am very grateful for organizations such as MINDS Tampines that attempt to solve this large but often overlooked issue, it truly is incredible and useful what they do. Practicing their social, independent, and recreational skills, we are making other people on this planet happier, and realizing that makes me fulfilled and proud. I feel that after understanding the global significance of this issue I am more empathetic towards those with special needs. I realize that throughout my life I haven’t had much experience communicating with intellectually disabled people. I think this is something that needs to be talked about more so instead of feeling uncomfortable or alarmed, we feel caring and understanding in their presence.

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Jakarta Street Kids #2

LO6-Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance. 

During the second season of Jakarta Street Kids, we learned more about the purpose of this Global Concern and why it is a significant issue. JSK works with XS Project, what we do is create employment for Jakarta’s trash picker communities by purchasing the trash. XSProject is able to upcycle the trash into a variety of useful products such as grocery and lunch bags, which is what we try to sell over here at UWC. The money we earn is invested into JSK’s scholarship program where they deliver social work, psychological support, accommodation, nutritious meals, and even more for the children of Trash Pickers. 

I am very passionate about this GC as I understand what’s at stake here. I feel that it is my duty to help those in need as I was fortunate enough to have many privileges and receive such great education at a young age. Even just looking at the pictures is shocking – let alone being there in person. They pick through mountains of waste, exposing themselves to infectious diseases and hazardous materials, looking for anything they can sell.

I think the fact that really stuck with me was that by day’s end, all of that hard work might earn them around 4 US Dollars. It really is disheartening knowing that we’ve had to come to such drastic measures due to not being able to solve the root problem – which just comes down to people littering and waste being generated. After spending time in this service, one thing I know for sure is that I will do everything in my control to promote a sustainable lifestyle for myself and those around me, the poor children in Jakarta forced to pick up our trash would be grateful for it.

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Act 3 Scene 3 – The Temptation Scene

During this scene in the play, Othello transformed from his stable mental state to a completely broken one, through Iago’s ways of manipulation and deception.

In the moments leading up to Othello’s breaking point, Iago remained very constrained which made it feel as if the idea of Desdemona cheating on Othello sprouted in Othello’s head instead of being carefully planned by Iago. Othello interrogated Iago asking him what was on his mind, and Iago portrayed himself to be humble and honest, saying he is not a great person to ask advice from because he has the tendency to see things that are not really there. I found this interesting because this is actually true about Iago’s character, he is a very jealous person, which makes his plan more believable to Othello as ultimately Iago seems more down to earth and self-effacing.

All of the subtle hints that Iago has been carefully executing, Desdemona asking Othello to not fire Cassio, Desdemona deceiving her father, Othello being an outsider and not understanding how the women here are as he is of colour and always busy at war, all of these ideas stir around in Othello until he finally breaks out in fury demanding Iago for real evidence of Desdemona and Cassio’s relationship. We have never seen this side of Othello until this point of the play, he uses a knife and appears dangerous. Once Iago puts the final piece of the puzzle with Desdemona’s handkerchief, that is when Othello loses faith and realises he has been cheated on. At this moment, Desdemona has no idea of any of this going on, Othello hadn’t even considered discussing it with her.

I am interested in how the play will progress from this point in the story and what Iago plans to do next. Iago has successfully got what he wanted, due to his jealousy of Othello and love for Desdemona, or even possibly love for Othello, I wonder what his ultimate objective is and how it deviates in reality.

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Othello: Act 2 Overview

During this act, the setting of the play moves from Venice to Cyprus.

While Iago, Casio, and Desdemona, and a few others wait for Othello during the storm, Iago makes provocative comments about wives and women which reveal an underlying nature about Iago, how he perceives all women to be deceptive. (2.1.128) “If she be fair and wise, fairness and wit, The one’s for use, the other useth it’ Iago seem like he is joking about how women are dishonest and promiscuous, however, it matches with the jealousy for Cassio we see earlier in his character which makes these jokes seem truthful.

Iago notices Cassio and Desdemona being friendly with each other. This sparks the idea for him to invoke jealousy in Othello supported by the idea that Cassio and Desdemona look like they could be a great couple. Iago talks about how Othello isn’t really from around these parts and doesn’t know how the women here behave. This causes Othello to be paranoid and worried.

At the end of the scene, Iago explains his actions to the audience in a soliloquy, discussing how he noticed Desdemona being friendly to Cassio and how he will use ideas to manipulate Othello. We also learn a bit more about Iago’s motives, specifically the suspicion of his wife Emilia cheating on him with Othello, which may give reason to why he wants to ruin Othello’s relationship with Desdemona.

Towards the end of the act, we see Iago’s plan of getting Cassio drunk and fired plays off as he planned, he suggests to Cassio to ask Desdemona for help, which makes the completely made up story all the more believable for Othello.

 

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Othello: First Impressions

I took some notes on the first and second scenes of the play Othello, specifically focusing on the qualities of Othello and Iago’s characters that I found notable.

  • Othello takes pride in the work he has done and trusts that his service will make all well
    • “My services which I have done the signiory Shall out-tongue his complaints”
      • This suggests Othello is hard working noble 
  • Othello values/loves his wife and wouldn’t want to sacrifice that
    • “But that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition put into circumscription and confine”
      • This gives the impression that Othello is principled
  • Othello does not react impulsively when he hears the news that his wife’s dad is trying to break their marriage
    • “Let him do his spite”
      • This shows Othello is able to manage his temper and remain calm during unforeseen circumstances
    • “Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it”
      • Othello reacts calmly when he meets Brabantio who is aggressive and accuses him of enchanting Desdemona with bad magic and drugs, ordering his arrest. This reverses Brabantio and Othello’s roles, a politician and a soldier
  • Othello greets others with respect 
    • “The goodness of the night upon you, friends

It seems Othello is generally a very important person, Cassio described how everybody needed him to come to Cyprus on the mission and when he is not around, everybody else panics. “When being not at your lodging to be found, The senate hath sent about three several quests to search you out”

  • Iago describes himself as strong and heroic
    • “I have slain men”
    • “The little godliness I have”
      • This makes him seem like the trustworthy and loyal servant that he described himself to be in scene 1
    • He describes Othello with empowering adjectives
      • “Your honor”
        • This contrasts with the animalistic and racist terms he described Othello in the scene before, which shows that Iago is contradicting and manipulative
  • Iago swears by Janus
    • Janus is a two-faced Roman god, January is named after him as it faces back to winter and forwards to summer
      • This could reflect Iago’s split personality and hidden identities
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