Posted on 2 Comments on Why People Make Bad Decisions

Why People Make Bad Decisions

There are many reasons why people make bad decisions in life such as poor comparisons, lack of information, or simply being too optimistic. Often times these bad decisions are the result of the improper use of either inductive or deductive reasoning. Many of the bad decisions that people make can easily be avoided with the use of reason, however, this is easier said than done.

I myself have made bad decisions in the past due to a fault in my reasoning. One example of a bad decision I have made in the past is when I chose to buy one brand of headphones over another pair. I had chosen the pair of headphones that were less expensive as I had valued saving money over buying a more expensive pair of headphones. However, the headphones that I bought broke within one week of using them, rendering the purchase worthless. This is an example of a bad decision that I have made due to a poor comparison as well as a lack of information. I had made a poor comparison of the pros and cons of buying the cheaper headphones over the more expensive headphones. I also had a lack of information on the quality of the cheaper headphones. These factors led to a fault in my deductive reasoning and is an example of how people can make bad decisions every day.

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Posted on 4 Comments on What is the Mathematical Method?

What is the Mathematical Method?

“Mathematics is the music of reason”
I believe that this quote by mathematician James Joseph Sylvester cleverly puts the essence of mathematics into words. A large part of mathematics revolves around studying and understanding abstract concepts through logical reasoning, using “axioms” or truths that we accept that are more certain than not. This is just one of the ideas that make up the mathematical method, an idea that helps us better understand what mathematics is.

The mathematical method differs from the scientific method, unlike the scientific method which is largely based upon practicality, the mathematical method is almost completely composed of theory. The scientific method involves the systematic approach of observation, measurement, and experimentation to lead to the development of a hypothesis. The mathematical method, however, requires established theorems or “axioms” that we accept as the truth before further exploration is conducted. There is often also a theorem or endpoint to be established and an infinite number of ways to reach that conclusion, some more effective than others but all leading to the same conclusion in the end.

Conclusions drawn from the mathematical method can also be seen as more absolute than those created by the scientific method depending on the perspective taken. As the mathematical method is based upon axioms, truths that we accept, we can be quite sure of the certainty of the method used to reach the conclusion, as the axioms the theorem is based upon are true therefore the theorem will certainly be true to an extent. The scientific method, on the other hand, involves practical work and physical observation, both of which are susceptible to errors and mistruths.

Conversely, the mathematical method can be seen as less absolute because it lacks the practical work involved in the scientific method. As theorems based on axioms in mathematics are still almost completely theoretical, it is justifiable to say that we are completely uncertain of the truth of a theorem. The scientific method involves practically, people applying the ideas and testing them under various circumstances to do the best they can to falsify it, resulting in a theorem that has gone through extensive testing and changes.

Both the mathematical method and the scientific method work together in helping us understand why things work the way they do. Without mathematics science would not be as organized or work as efficiently, mathematics helps us understand why the things in science work the way they do, which is why there are benefits and limitations for both the mathematical and scientific methods. The mathematical and scientific methods are different in the system and approach they use to solve problems, however, their aims are similar in that they both help us construct theorems and better understand the nature of the universe.

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Posted on No Comments on Pottery – Reflection 1 (LO: 2)

Pottery – Reflection 1 (LO: 2)

LO: 2

These initial weeks of pottery have certainly been challenging, however, they have also been an excellent learning experience and provided me with an interesting and engaging art activity to look forward to in the week. Having very little experience prior to joining the activity, I was prepared to encounter a steep learning curve. In the beginning, I found it quite difficult to shape the clay into the visual image I had in my head. However, as I continued to attend the sessions I have found myself learning more about the techniques of pottery and have been able to undertake more challenging projects. Recently, I decided to make a more complex clay pot than the usual design I was used to. The pot I had made had a lip at the edge to pour water out rather than being a simple cup-shaped opening. Doing this proved to be quite challenging in the initial attempts, but I was persistent in this task and kept trying. Eventually, I was able to overcome this challenge in this fairly unfamiliar activity.

I do not have any art subjects in my IB package, however, being a part of this activity allows me to develop my skills in the art and gives me a deeper understanding of the processes included in creating a piece of art. As I continue to attend these sessions I find myself continually being faced with new challenges that allow me to try new things and practice perseverance. I believe that this activity will allow me to approach things differently and make me more confident when I am faced with the inevitable challenges that I will encounter in the coming years.

Posted on 1 Comment on PSE Half Term Reflection

PSE Half Term Reflection

How will you apply your knowledge of identity, personality types, emotional intelligence, and self-talk to your journey through the IB?

In this first half term of PSE, I have learned many new and interesting things about personality types, emotional intelligence, and self-talk that I was previously unaware of. With this knowledge, I have also been able to develop the skills needed to navigate my way through the IB more effectively.

Becoming more aware of personality types and understanding my own personality type has allowed me to be more self-aware and apply myself more successfully in certain situations. Having a better understanding of both my strengths and weaknesses will certainly improve the quality of my work as an individual and in a group.

Learning more about the importance of emotional intelligence has also proved useful and will continue to be so in the future. Having a better understanding of emotional intelligence and its application in the real world has made me appreciate its value as equal to academic intelligence.

Self-talk is a skill that will certainly be helpful in the coming months of the IB. Being able to use this skill effectively will ensure I have the drive and motivation to continue even when faced with difficult situations, which are inevitable in the coming years. But with the help of this skill, I can be confident that I will be able to overcome the challenges before me.

Posted on No Comments on Drumming With Hougang Center – Reflection 2 (LO: 1)

Drumming With Hougang Center – Reflection 2 (LO: 1)

LO: 1

This meeting with the service group was spent planning for our upcoming sessions with the members by doing a SWOT analysis, to ensure that our first session with the members would have few complications. All of the students involved in the service were placed in different groups, each group spending a certain amount of time brainstorming the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that we were currently facing. We found that many of our strengths revolved around our traits as individuals and as a group, some of the main ones being our diversity as a group and how welcoming we were. Weaknesses that we were able to identify were the possible language barriers and age differences between the students and the members, as this would make connecting with them and building relationships slightly more difficult. However, we also saw our ability to form relationships with them as an opportunity, as we would be able to better communicate with the members and improve their time spent with us. Certain threats were also noted such as the risk of giving personal details and referring to them as anything other than members, as these two things may cause numerous problems later on.

A leadership role that I would like to take on is the role of the logistics officer. Being the logistics officer is an important role that is vital in ensuring the service has all the necessary resources and is able to run smoothly. I believe that I have the proper skill set to be an effective logistics officer and I think that I would be able to aid the service group the most in this position. If I were to take up this position I would also be able to develop my organization skills due to the numerous responsibilities of the logistics officer. I would prefer to occupy this position from November to December of 2018, as I believe that I will be able to fully dedicate myself to this role during that time period.

Posted on 1 Comment on What does our language say about us and our culture?

What does our language say about us and our culture?

Language as a means of communication is ever-changing, constantly adapting to fit the needs of both people and cultures as they inevitably evolve over time. As the world changes and different people and cultures mix nuances and variety within languages grows and expands. With these new varieties in language comes a multitude of new opportunities to interact and connect with various peoples from differing cultures, each with their own unique response and outcome.

Code-switching is an immensely useful tool in enhancing the interactions and communication between people of different cultures, social classes, levels of education, and many more differences. More often than not, code-switching creates a connection between two people of different backgrounds, strengthening their bond by creating familiarity with the language they use. The act of code-switching can go a long way in making good first impressions in short-term relationships or improve longer lasting relationships.

Regardless of what language a person speaks, they will code-switch and adjust their language to fit the needs of the circumstances. How one code-switches in certain situations can say a lot about themselves as a person. A person who purposely speaks in a more formal register with superiors and in a less formal register with friends might be seen as more educated than a person who speaks in an informal register all the time and does not code-switch. Similarly, a person who always speaks in a formal register and does not code-switch to speak informally with friends may indicate that the language is not their mother-tongue, as they have had to “properly” learn the language and have not had real exposure to the language.

How a person speaks can reveal a lot about them and their language background. Depending on when and how a person code-switches will give an insight into their cultural background and relationship with the person they are talking to. The closeness between two individuals can be seen in how they speak to each other, usually, the more informal the language the closer the individuals as few proper words are needed to convey their meaning. A person’s code-switching in a cultural context will show their familiarity with the culture and perhaps reveal a little bit about their cultural background.

Language and code-switching serve as a gateway into the personal and cultural background of a person. Many things can be deduced by the way they use language and the nuances within their language use. Relationships between people are complemented and strengthened by language itself.

Posted on No Comments on Economics Simulation Game: Market Chips

Economics Simulation Game: Market Chips

The simulation game conducted in today’s lesson put the economic systems of the price mechanism and supply and demand in the hands of the students to experience firsthand. Students were given the role of either a buyer or a seller, both parties having the aim of making a profit at the end of each round. Rounds one and two of the simulation were quite standard in that each person was simply trying to obtain the best outcome with their given circumstances, however, during round three the number of sellers was cut drastically and the number of buyers increased exponentially. Furthermore, the sellers had agreed to collectively keep the prices of their goods very high, limiting the options that the buyers had and raising the profits of all sellers in the market. With an excess of buyers and a shortage of sellers the market had become very expensive very quickly, leaving buyers with no choice but to make a loss. My understanding of the principles of the price mechanism, as well as supply and demand, has developed further as a result of experiencing both in this simulation.

Posted on No Comments on Drumming With Hougang Center – Reflection 1 (LO: 1)

Drumming With Hougang Center – Reflection 1 (LO: 1)

LO: 1

In this first meeting with the service group, Drumming with Hougang Center, I believe that I have addressed the CAS learning outcome of self-awareness. During this meeting, the majority of the time was spent critically evaluating both our strengths and weaknesses as individuals and as a group. We were able to identify certain strengths such as open-mindedness and reliability, as well as some weaknesses such as language barriers and possibly being disorganized. With this, we have been able to devise methods to either reduce the impact these weaknesses have or to eliminate them altogether.

Currently, I am unsure whether or not I want to take up a leadership role in this service group, as I am sure it would be a big responsibility to bear. I am, however, interested in the role of the logistics officer. This role is pivotal in ensuring the service runs smoothly and effectively, doing this job properly is essential for providing the members of Hougang Center with the best experience in each session. I believe that taking up this role would certainly give me numerous opportunities to learn new things and develop skills such as responsibility and organization.

I am looking forward to working together with the students and supervisors involved in the service group in the coming year. I am optimistic that we will be able to offer the members of Hougang Center an enjoyable time in the week that they will be able to look forward to each time.

A summary of the meeting on the official service page.

Team Meeting One

 

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Maths and Me

My name is Delwin van Strien, and I joined UWCSEA in grade 10 for FIB. I have had mathematics experience in both the MYP and FIB courses.

My feelings towards mathematics are both persistence and curiosity. There are many aspects of mathematics that are still new to me and intrigue me, however, I sometimes find these new topics confusing or difficult which requires me to be persistent in my learning. I am somewhat nervous about starting this new course, as I believe that there will be many complex topics involved that I have not studied before.

I prefer to have someone explain a concept to me first before I begin working on practice problems. If I have a basic understanding of the given concept then I enjoy working things out on my own to try and solve the given problem. However, I always find it to be more beneficial to have someone explain how to do a problem before attempting it myself.

I find that when I am stuck in mathematics I typically review the content again and work on simpler problems before moving on to the more difficult questions. If I am unable to proceed by myself then I will seek out someone who knows how to solve the problem and ask them to explain how they did it.

I believe that my biggest strength in mathematics is being open-minded. During these first few weeks of grade 11, I will need to be more of a risk-taker.

Posted on 1 Comment on Who’s to Blame for the Slave Trade

Who’s to Blame for the Slave Trade

There are few things in human history that are as heinous as slavery and the slave trade. The ownership of another person often brought out the worst in people, resulting in the maltreatment and torture of many unfortunate Africans. And while responsibility for the mistreatment of slaves ultimately falls on the owner themselves, the slave trade was the supply line for the suffering of many Africans.

The slave trade, at its core, was a business and an appealing source of income for many opportunists. But it is difficult to blame just one group of people for the creation of the slave trade. Rather, the problem is made up of a multitude of different factors. A major contributor to the slave trade was, of course, the slave traders themselves. Businessmen who saw slavery as an opportunity for income became the main suppliers and ensured that the market supply was sufficient enough to meet the demands of the people. It is arguable that these businessmen were simply making a living off an acceptable trade back then, however, it is undeniable that they were contributors to keeping the slave trade alive. Another factor that contributed to the slave trade was, in fact, other African tribes that captured and sold their fellow countrymen. African tribes that sold other Africans also contributed to maintaining the supply of slaves to the market, they would capture other Africans to obtain mechanized weaponry for hunting and other purposes. While the capturing of slaves would not have ceased without the help of African tribes, it would certainly have become more difficult and expensive for the slave traders. One final factor that can be held accountable for the slave traders was the lack of action from the government. The legality of slavery made the slave trade as credible as any other market in the eyes of the law. The abolishment of slavery and creation of laws against slavery would have ended the slave trade very quickly, as the business would have to be conducted on the black market. However, the lack of action from politicians and the government, in general, allowed the slave trade to continue for a much longer amount of time. While the slave trade cannot be blamed on one group of people it can be attributed to various groups of people who have an equal share in the creation and preservation of the slave trade.

The slave trade occurred in a horrible period of time when slavery was legal, resulting in the death and torturing of many innocent Africans and the destruction of countless families. The slave trade itself is a complex system that was created by a multitude of groups, each equally responsible for the horror produced by the slave trade. While there may not be one single person to blame it is universally agreed upon that the slave trade was an appalling business that arose from slavery.