Equality Focus Reflection (LO 7 Ethics)

In Equality Focus, we are planning to open an Info Session and Panel this year.

I don’t think we have decided on a topic, but the possible ones are: general information, coming out, and problems faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Singapore. The first topic was suggested because it would allow the audience to feel free to ask what they really want to know instead of restricting them to a specific topic. If we went with this topic, I think we would direct the Info Session and Panel to 8th graders, who are starting to seriously explore their identity, and 9th graders. The second topic was suggested because it is a common question that people like to ask, for both queer people and non-members of the community. This would make the session more focused on the panelists rather than the presentation. However, I think this would be more focused on students who are questioning their gender and/or sexual identity, or queer students who are “in the closet”. The last topic would place the focus of the session on advocacy and bringing awareness to domestic homophobia and transphobia. This topic can be directed for a wider audience, but we would probably concentrate on advertising the event to high school students because they would be better equipped to handle this topic and have a serious discussion.

Due to Covid 19, we decided to have a Zoom session instead of doing it in-person. This brings up many problems, mostly for students. One of the problems last year was that lunch time was too short to have the session, so we planned to have the Info Session and Panel after school. However, if we have a Zoom session, it could expose students to their parents that they are either in the LGBTQ+ community or interested in it. Not all parents may be very accepting or welcoming of such a development. Some parents are also very strict, so even if students decide to stay after school to have the Zoom session, they may still get into trouble with their parents. This might make a portion of the student population unwilling or reluctant to participate in the Info Session and Panel.

“The Vine and the Fish” Reflection

The Vine and the Fish

The extended metaphor of “The Vine and the Fish” compares invasive species (the kudzu and the Asian carp/silverfin) to Asian Americans. In a way, the metaphor works. For one, it seems to say that, in a capitalist society such as the USA, immigrants (in the case of the article, Asian Americans) are seen as “invaders” and something to eradicate unless they contribute meaningfully to the economy. A second meaning that arises from the metaphor is that Americans see immigrants as “invaders”: something initially useful but ultimately detrimental to the American environment and lifestyle; and eventually the idea engrains itself into the minds of Asian Americans. in a way, the invasive species not only represents Asian Americans but also the internal racism that Asian immigrants learn. Hook seems to be criticising the American tendency to categorise people into strict groupings, and then exclude people based on these categorisations, when the situation is a lot more nuanced; for example, the kudzu, while an invasive species, offers many benefits like a source of nutrients or being able to be made into shampoo. In fact, she points out that language plays a large role into this categorisation and exclusion; the fact that the Asian carp is connected to Asians and the fact that Trump calls the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” makes it easier for people justify excluding immigrants.

However, from an environmentalist perspective, the metaphor becomes unstable. Because, regardless of the economic benefits that kudzu or the Asian carp offers, it is undeniable that invasive species destroy native ecosystems and environments. By adhering to the metaphor set by Hook, it would seem that the most obvious solution would be to stop immigration completely.  Hook simplifies two complex situations to create her metaphor. Likewise, the metaphor ignores the voices of Native Americans, who would be the actual native environment being “invaded” in the context of the metaphor, not the voices of white Americans.

CAS Project Week Reflection (LO 6 Global Value)

Due to Covid-19, Project Week has been cancelled. However, I still learned from the planning process, specifically about the issue we were going to address.

Our Project Week was a service-activity one. We were going to work with the organization Gili Eco Trust. We would initially focus on doing diving training and doing beach clean-ups. We were hoping that we would be able to work with them on their Biorock project.

This project uses Biorock technology to create artificial reefs to combat the bleaching of coral reefs, especially near Gili Island. I knew before the coral reefs were dying and that they were important, but I didn’t know why. While planning for Project Week, I learned the answer to my questions. Coral reefs are bleaching due to a variety reasons: coastal development, overfishing, inland pollution, climate change, and ocean acidification (which is caused by an excess of carbon dioxide emissions being absorbed by the world’s oceans). Coral reefs provide a home to thousands of species. Not only that, coral reefs also protect shores from the impact of waves and storms, can provide medicine and food to people, and provide economical benefits to coastal communities through tourism. If coral reefs are wiped out completely, the balance in the environment will be broken and it would severely impact communities living near coasts. Therefore, despite the Biorock project being focused on Gili Island’s environment, it has significant global value.

While we could not do it, we planned to work on the Biorock project in order to address this issue. The Biorock technology provide a sturdy surface for corals that are alive but aren’t rooted to substrate onto structures. This is done by a low voltage current that ultimately forms calcium carbonate around metal for the coral to attach to; the current also encourages the corals to grow faster and stronger. The coral reefs created from the Biorock project has proved to be more resilient than natural reefs, and thus a sustainable solution for coral reef bleaching.

Compared to when i started, my stance on coral reefs now has changed. Before, I felt that there was nothing that could be done to mitigate the damage on coral reefs other than addressing pollution and climate change. However, now, I realise that firstly, there are other areas we must address such as overfishing and secondly, that there are actions that can be taken to help coral reefs now.

CAS Project Reflection (LO 1 Awareness)

Because Project Week was cancelled, I decided to make my own project to replace it: making an RPG.

While writing the script of the RPG, I ran into a problem: the beginning was filled with a lot of exposition; the audience would get bored. When I looked at the openings for other games and looked more into how to open a game, I was advised to try and hook the audience within the first five minutes of the game and to try and get them playing as soon as possible. Most of the time, game developers do this by employing media res, or starting in the middle. However, if we decided to start in the middle of the story, the audience would be confused and I felt it would be harder to tell the story. So, I decided that it would be best if we had the main character start without any NPCs so that exposition through dialogue would immediately be off the table. Likewise, we could do a “random” encounter with a demon and have it quickly established that demons would be the player’s “enemies”.

I think I had trouble with the beginning because I was not used to this type of medium. I’m mainly used to writing short stories, and I can explain the character’s thoughts and actions and past through the narration. However, a game (or at least this type of game) does not really have narration. I will have to keep this in mind as I continue writing the script. Games rely more on indirect storytelling (literally show not tell) in order to keep the audience/player interested.

CAS Looking into the Future

In Grade 12, I plan to work with a couple of my friends on a creative project for CAS: making an RPG game. Right now our goal is to create a demo (which will be a shorter and simplified version of the full game) by April 2021. However, I think we would all like to finish the full game, hopefully by the time we graduate.

Personally, I think I will continue participating in Inkling because I need to be motivated to write more.

I’m not sure what activity I will take while we are still social distancing due to Covid-19. If possible, I’d continue with my Grade 11 activity, Taekwondo.

For service, I’m thinking of changing one more time and taking Green Fingers (? I think that was the name of the service). I remember taking the Thursday lunch session in IGCSE. Because lunch isn’t very long, we didn’t do that much but the work we did is something I believe I would be interested in continuing. I don’t want to continue my Grade 11 service because it takes place way too late in the day.

English Lit HL IO Reflection

Challenges

  • Time limit of 10 minutes
    • Had to take out some evidence and analysis
      • Shortened analysis of “scrawny, lank gray hair” from The RoTook out analysis of “… very few superior individuals, made of the stuff of martyrs and saints”
  • Development of global issue
    • Stuck in mentality that I had to focus on how environment affects moral values, but eventually realized that both texts emphasized more on how the transformation of moral values affect one’s environment (community)
    • Wanted to show change in thesis, so wanted exploration of the chosen global issue to develop more in analysis of the second text, The Road, but it seemed really similar to my exploration in If This is a Man
  • Organizing the ten bullet points

 

Good

  • Learning of the context and connecting it to the text and its global issue
  • Connecting two texts and respective authors’ perspectives on the global issue to modern-day situations/context
    • BLM protests, Coronavirus, etc

Beginning Notes

Script

Peer Feedback

Final Shortened Script

TOK Reflection

I think what I’ve taken from TOK the most is questioning the knowledge I have, and the knowledge others have, and its basis for certainty, especially to what extent does faith play a role in our belief in our knowledge. How do we know to trust the sources our knowledge came from? How do we determine the credibility of our sources? Likewise, even if the source is credible, would it not just be faith if we never see the actual phenomenon with our own eyes? Must we use perception to confirm the authenticity of truth? But then, what of areas that cannot be seen?

I don’t think I have fully formed an answer to all of these questions. However, before TOK, I only thought that the credibility of our knowledge only mattered on the sources. I had never thought that faith would play a role in the creation of personal knowledge. TOK has made me really question how anyone can define knowledge solidly.

Equality Focus Reflection (LO 3 Initiative)

Pink Dot is an annual event Equality Focus hosts at UWCSEA East in order for the community to show support of its LGBTQ+ members. It is usually held on the 22nd of March, or the week of. However, this year we must postpone, or even cancel, Pink Dot due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

In the beginning stages of readjusting the Pink Dot schedule, we planned to host the event a week or two after school reopened. Although, we managed to get the boarding house to wear pink on the original date even though the event had been cancelled. With the lockdown extended, it’s doubtful that we will be able to host Pink Dot this school semester and will only have to wait for next semester’s Pink Dot to come.

In the case that an incident occurs that postpones Pink Dot again in the future (although, hopefully not another pandemic), we should add into our planning to set an alternative date, or several, for Pink Dot. This way we can be prepared for any such circumstances and we will lower the chances of completely cancelling Pink Dot.

Atonement: Movie vs Book

  • I think the act of Movie Briony being shown that she has already shared her real name as a nurse to a patient makes the fact she does so with the French soldier less impactful
  • However, it does kind of show that at this stage she is already rebelling against the lack of individuality of the hospital
  • Forgot to write down: Cecilia and Robbie don’t walk with Briony down the station in the movie; instead they are shown making out in their apartment as Briony leaves

Paper 1 Practice Prose: Atonement

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Comments:

  • Need to work on time management and grouping concepts; I had a hard time deciding how to outline my essay
  • I don’t think I annotated my extract enough; likewise, I forgot the topic, so I wasn’t particularly focused on annotating the extract to answer the question
  • Teacher’s comments: too repetitive (mentioned “tension” too much) and didn’t qualify what tension meant or what it achieved; didn’t contextualise the extract, so some of the points are confusing; needed to zoom in more
    • I need to remember to mention things outside the extract if they are important in relation to the extract and topic (ie heat)
  • I think I chose a bad extract for me because I’m not sure if I actually understood the techniques used in the extract or how it contributed to building tension