HS karate reflection 2019
Its been two years since I started to do karate! Looking back, I definitely grew more confident and more skilful in every training. This December 9th, I participated in the yellow black belt to green belt grading, which is definitely the hardest one that I have encountered so far. However, due to my diligent practice before the grading, I passed with a high mark. I am soon going to be a green belt!
Reflection Chinese Calligraphy
I practised calligraphy and Chinese ink drawing since the age of 4 to somewhat 10 years old. Also, calligraphy classes were compulsory in my previous Chinese school. So this activity is essentially a way to connect to my past and my roots. Although the materials used are different from before (before I used better ink and has a serious setup that looks like this: 
but now I’m writing with water on reusable scripts. )
I practised mainly the style of “kaishu”, which is the common font used in everyday life for the Chinese. It is also the entry level style of practice. At first, during the practices, I thought it would be very boring because this is nothing like my practices before. However, when I started to write, I actually felt at peace and mindful. My stressful thoughts of University and assessment disappeared momentarily. That is the moment when I thought I understood why the ancients once said that calligraphy both trains the mind and the heart. Although some strokes are extremely hard to write, I didn’t give up practising.
After this experience, I actually considered picking up calligraphy again by training with a master when I graduate.
HS Grade 11 Student Voice Reflection
I feel very honoured to join the Grade 11 Student Voice. The reason that I said so is that even though I joined the school in Grade 8, I have only participated in limited leadership and planning roles for bigger events in the school, such as the Middle School Asian Arts Festival. This is the second time that I have joined a group whose decision will impact a large group of people in my school- the entire grade 11.
I took this opportunity quite seriously, as I got to represent the interest of my mentor group, so I don’t only speak for myself, but for the others as well. The group was very supportive, as everyone listened to each other’s opinions and selected the best one. The leading teachers also did not position themselves above us but rather offered sincere opinions for our proposals. Everyone did their part and participated in devising plans, such as the g12 prank, mock exam schedules and etc. After this experience, I became more aware that there are constantly other people that are working for you and tries to make the school a better place for you. I learnt to be grateful and more thankful towards these people and started to complain less. More importantly, I am a part of these wonderful people. I want to continue to use my power to make the lives of the people around me a better one!
Here is a picture of our planning document.
FINAL REFLECTIVE CONVERSATION
I learnt the skill of properly citing and structuring in the process of writing my EE. Structuring the essay allows the improvement of the logical flow, and I did this by keeping in mind of how others would interpret my writing. I also learnt how to make connections from different parts of the essay to strengthen my argument. Properly citing is also important because this upholds my academic honesty and allows me to evaluate the reliability of the sources used. What I would like to improve on is my time management as I should implement my supervisor’s feedback as quickly as possible. Another improvement would be on the research process because I only came up with the idea of tannic acid after I started my experiment and I have to do more extensive research after this. But overall, the Extended Essay is a very rewarding process because I learnt many things that I didn’t know before, and produced results that can have an impact in real life.
word count: 167
Reflective Conversation EE 2
I have decided to use my phone camera to record the experiment, then uploaded the video to iMovie to calculate the experiment’s inhibition time. This allows the results to be more accurate as the inhibition is determined by digital images instead of the naked eye. I had also decided to use near boiling water to dissolve my starch because when I tried to use lower temperatures, the starch quickly condensed and I was not able to produce a starch solution. Another decision that I made includes the tea choices used in the experiment, which are representative of the world’s populations. Black tea is commonly consumed by western countries, white tea by Asians, and clove tea by African and South American countries.
words: 121
Post project week reflection
Project week is way beyond my expectation. At first, I thought it would be something that’s like a G8 trip or service trip but instead with your friends, but now reflecting on it, I was very wrong! All the planning and communications paid off once we have started the week. The trip was also extremely meaningful because I am able to endure hardship and have fun with my friends while working towards a common goal. I made new friends and deepened my bonds with the existing ones, and got to know how others’ lives are like.
Our primary goal is to produce a promotional GC video for the NGO New Hope Foundation that Smiles of China is working for. We collaborated using our different skills, and the video was proven to be a success that it will soon be utilised by the school. During the visit, I was really moved by how others give up their material life in order to help others in need, especially in a place foreign to them and there are always imminent threats to the organisation such as financial problems. I also learnt more about the situation of orphanages in China, and the problems the NGO face in general. Although it might sound cheesy, this visit changed my view on volunteer work and GCs. I would definitely come back again if there is the chance to do so.
I also enjoyed going to Nan Luo Gu Xiang with my friends to experience authentic Beijing Hutong culture and appreciate local foods. One of the most memorable events includes the Great Wall visit. We have walked up to Mutianyu, the section located high up in the mountains, to view the splendour of Chinese landscape and ancient architecture. After the trip, I felt more hopeful about the future (IB) with such good memories. The project week will definitely always be a treasured memory of my life.
Picture of me playing with a child:
Great wall:
Motor and Gross skills development with Christian Outreach for the Handicap Final reflection
Yesterday was my last session for the service. Looking back, I feel that this service has become an essential part of my grade 11 experience. I have learnt how to interact with many different types of people, rediscover the happiness when we play games from my childhood together, and most importantly, get joy from the smiles on their faces. I have also brought in different materials for activities such stamps and colourful paper to provide our clients with different options. As the year progresses, the individual clients have also grown more familiar to us. Thus we have also developed our session plans based on their needs and preferences. The dancing activity is a real success as it engages our clients better than usual. The more I get to know the clients, the more I appreciated their friendliness and innocence. However, we should also treat them with respect as they are also individuals with dignity, just like us. Throughout this activity, I have developed respect, session planning skills and also communication. These are important skills that I could utilise in my daily lives. I am really glad that I took up this service and I will miss my clients greatly.
Project week personal and group reflections.
For my project week, I feel that it is a great time to practise our organisation skills. We are entirely on our own, we have to manage our own safety, behave ourselves, and most importantly, complete the goals that we have set for ourselves. During the project week planning, our group members got to know each other better, and we also worked together for a common goal. Everyone collaborated to make it a meaningful experience. We have also grown more aware of the ethical implications during the process of planning, as the children that we are going to work with are unable to speak for themselves, while many of them have special medical conditions. When we are there, we have to make sure that we do not engage them in any activity that would be a hazard to their wellbeing while still bringing fun to them. Overall, I feel that the experience of project week will fuel my growth as an IB student and young adult, and I am really looking forward to it.