Archive of ‘7 Learning Outcomes Reflections’ category

Aida Reflection (LO2 & LO4)

LO2- Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process​.

Standing in front of a group to teach them something is always a challenge. A large amount of self-confidence and risk-taking is needed in this type of leadership, no matter whether the group is made of 2 or 20 people.

During the rehearsal of this year’s musical for high school students, Aida, on the 13th of September 2018, I took on the challenge of teaching 12 people in various grades the dance that my friend Georgia and I had choreographed for one of the songs. It was not an entirely new experience for me– last year I taught a group of 8 my choreography for an end result of a performance in the Middle and High School Dance Showcase. However, those were mostly Middle School students. There is an extra difficulty to teaching those older than you or closer to your age. Normally, it takes more assertiveness to let them know why they should pay attention to you, and why they should follow you. This was new to me.

In that rehearsal, I was tasked with becoming more assertive, more self-assured to take on this leadership role. In doing so, I increased my level of confidence in both my abilities as a dancer, choreographer and teacher, as well as a person.

Confidence is extremely important. Put simply, confidence equates to trust and reliability. Self-confidence helps you believe in yourself and gives you the courage to pursue your passions. This was my main takeaway from this rehearsal; it was a key moment in my journey to increase my confidence and become a better person in my own way as a result.

Below are some photos of myself teaching a dance the some of the other students in Aida.

Being involved in a student production also requires a lot of commitment and engagement during rehearsals. Due to the amount of effort that needs to be put in, there are many rehearsals, including weekend rehearsals that require taking out personal time to work towards the performance. Therefore, Aida is a long-term project requiring three seasons of regular commitment.

In a project that is long-term, there will inevitably be challenges along the way. One possible challenge that may appear is the task of balancing rehearsals with school work and other activities. In order to make sure that this does not become a large issue, I will most likely  create a plan for splitting my time between everything that I have committed to doing.

Throughout the process, I will also have to adapt to new changes. For example, as a choreographer, I have to take into consideration the level of dance of the cast members. At first, for one of the songs, I realised that the choreography that I had created was too difficult for most of the cast and I therefore had to simplify it.

Additionally, one of the challenges we had to face so far was adapting to the new environment of the exam hall which was had to use since the auditorium was occupied. However, I believe that we were able to adapt well to the environment and were able to have a productive rehearsal.

Pre-Running Hour Reflection (LO1)

As a local service this year, I have joined Running Hour. This is a service that partners with intellectually or visually challenged members to engage in light physical activity and conversation. I am new to this service this year so I am not entirely familiar with the goals of this service. However, my expectations are that I will be able to develop an understanding of how being intellectually or visually challenged affects the lifestyle of individuals in the Singaporean community.

I have not done local service with people before, my only other local service experience was at an animal shelter. I have noted this as an area that I may have been lacking and so one thing that I am looking forward to is participating in a service that clearly impacts the local community in a different way than what I have done previously. I see this as an opportunity for me to grow in my understanding of social issues and develop my skills in interacting with people that I don’t normally interact with. With this, I can also gain insight into global issues as there are many similarities between challenged people in Singapore and overseas.

The 7 CAS Learning Outcomes

The 7 learning outcomes

1-Identify their own strengths​ ​and develop areas for growth​. Students are able to see themselves as individuals with various abilities and skills, of which some are more developed than others.
● aware of your own strengths and areas of challenges
● open to improvement and growth opportunities
● able to propose activities according to your own interests and strengths
● willing to participate in different activities
● able to undertake a thoughtful self-evaluation
● able to see yourself as an individual with various abilities and skills, some more developed than others

2- Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process​. A new challenge may be an unfamiliar experience or an extension of an existing one. The newly acquired or developed skills may be shown through experiences that the student has not previously undertaken or through increased expertise in an established area.
● participate in an experience that demands an appropriate personal challenge; with new or familiar experiences
● be willing to become involved in unfamiliar environments and situations
● acquire new skills and abilities
● increase your expertise in an established area
● show newly acquired or developed skills or increased expertise in an established area

3-Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience​. Students can articulate the stages from conceiving an idea to executing a plan for a CAS experience or series of CAS experiences. This may be accomplished in collaboration with other participants. Students may show their knowledge and awareness by building on a previous experience, or by launching a new idea or process.
● articulate the CAS stages including investigation, preparation, action, reaction (ongoing) and demonstration, moving from conceiving an idea to carrying out a plan for a CAS experience or series of CAS experiences
● demonstrate knowledge and awareness by building on a previous CAS experience
● show initiative by launching a new idea or process
● suggest creative ideas, proposals or solutions
● integrate reflective thoughts in planning or taking initiative
● be aware of your roles and responsibilities when designing an individual or collective CAS experience
● show responsible attitude to CAS project planning
● be able to develop a coherent action plan taking into account the aim or purpose, activities and resources

4-Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences. Students can articulate the stages from conceiving an idea to executing a plan for a CAS experience or series of CAS experiences​. This may be accomplished in collaboration with other participants. Students may show their knowledge and awareness by building on a previous experience, or by launching a new idea or process.
● demonstrate regular involvement and active engagement with your CAS experiences and CAS project
● be able to foresee potential challenges to the initial plan and consider valid alternatives and contingencies
● demonstrate adaptability to uncertainties and changes
● be involved in long-term CAS experiences and a CAS project.

5-Demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaboratively​. Students are able to identify, demonstrate and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences.
● share your skills and knowledge
● listen respectfully to proposals from your peers
● be willing to take on different roles within your team
● show respect for different points of view and ideas
● make valuable contributions within your team
● be responsible for participating in the group
● readily help others in your team
● be able to identify, demonstrate and discuss critically the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences.

6-Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance​. Students are able to identify and demonstrate their understanding of global issues, make responsible decisions, and take appropriate action in response to the issue either locally, nationally or internationally.
● recognize the global implications of local issues
● be able to identify global issues in the local or national community
● show awareness of the issues of global importance and take concrete and appropriate actions in response to them either locally, nationally or internationally
● get involved in a CAS project addressing global issues in a local, national or international context
● develop awareness and responsibility towards a shared humanity.

7-Recognise and consider the ethics implications of choices and​ ​actions​. Students show awareness of the consequences of choices and actions in planning and carrying out CAS experiences.
● recognise ethical issues
● take into account the cultural context when making a plan or ethical decision
● identify what you need to know in order to make an ethical decision
● articulate ethical principles and approaches to the ethical decisions you may have to make
● show accountability for your choices and actions
● be aware of the consequences of the choices and actions regarding yourself, others involved and the community
● integrate the process of reaction when facing an ethical decision
● show awareness of the potential and varied consequences of choices and actions in planning and carrying out CAS experiences.

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