As an action activity, I attended the Sharad Pawar International School Football Camp. I participated in this activity because I wanted to improve my football skills. As the Sports Captain of the school, I felt that it was my responsibility to hone my skills in order to play at the highest level that I am capable of. We also had a number of upcoming football tournaments, and practice was essential. A number of students along with me stayed back in the school boarding house for one week for football training.
The activity was fulfilling and my expectations were met. I improved my endurance and stamina. My skills also improved drastically, and I learnt how to deal with game situations better. Additionally, I also increased my strength and power through strength training. Complementing our training regimens, we also had a number of practice matches against other teams. This gave us the opportunity to utilize the skills we were learning and practicing during our training courses. It also helped us to build more team chemistry.
There were difficulties encountered during the camp. In the beginning of the camp, my skills were nothing short of mediocre. Through the tireless coaching by Mr. Prashant Sawant and Mr. Alex Eleson, I was able to improve my skills many times over. The training regimens were hard and painful. After the training sessions, the pain would kick in, and I would not be able to feel my legs. When I could finally feel my legs, my thighs would kill! These difficulties were overcome by nothing other than sheer dedication. The dedication to improve our skills caused my peers and myself to push on and practice even harder, stopping only when our bodies could not pull our weight any longer.
I learnt that there is always room for improvement, and the only way to improve is if you set your mind to it. Dedication and perseverance are of utmost importance. I also learnt that hard work always pays off because when you see the improvement in yourself, it does a world of good for your confidence as a player.
If I was asked to do the same activity again, I would make sure that the players get a rest day in between strenuous practice sessions. The camp took place two weeks before exams, and although everyone was confident that they would be able to study, after the practice sessions, studying seemed impossible. Next time, I would ask for rest days in between strenuous sessions or to have strenuoud sessions every alternate day with easy training in between.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
4: Developed new skills
Friday, December 25, 2009
Pune District Basketball Tournament
As an action activity, I participated in the Pune District Basketball Tournament. I played competitive basketball against other schools and clubs in Pune. I participated in this activity because I wanted to showcase my basketball skills on a larger scale and I wanted to compete on a higher level.
The activity was fulfilling. Although our school did not make it past the semi-finals, we performed very well, and it was a great learning opportunity for all the boys, as we learnt exactly what our weak points were. It allowed us to better judge our strengths and areas for growth. Additionally, it was helpful to watch other professional teams play, as we could learn from their good plays. It also allowed us to practice our plays and put all our training into play in a game situation. We won our games in style. We, however, also met with losses, but we put up a valiant effort in every game, driving the teams to play at their fullest till the last minute. We did not go down without a fight. My personal expectations were especially fulfilled, as I was the top scorer, bringing my name into three different newspapers!!
The activity did not pose any real difficulties, as the team enjoyed the wins and learnt and accepted the losses with integrity. We were able to perform well and take the losses well through the constant guidance and coaching of Mr. Prashant Sawant.
The activity taught me that practice makes perfect. It also showed me that if you have team chemistry, nothing can bring you down, not even a loss. And if you are open minded, you can always learn from others experiencing more success. Growth is also a very important component of anything you undergo, and you can only grow if you are focused.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their aweareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboritively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
The activity was fulfilling. Although our school did not make it past the semi-finals, we performed very well, and it was a great learning opportunity for all the boys, as we learnt exactly what our weak points were. It allowed us to better judge our strengths and areas for growth. Additionally, it was helpful to watch other professional teams play, as we could learn from their good plays. It also allowed us to practice our plays and put all our training into play in a game situation. We won our games in style. We, however, also met with losses, but we put up a valiant effort in every game, driving the teams to play at their fullest till the last minute. We did not go down without a fight. My personal expectations were especially fulfilled, as I was the top scorer, bringing my name into three different newspapers!!
The activity did not pose any real difficulties, as the team enjoyed the wins and learnt and accepted the losses with integrity. We were able to perform well and take the losses well through the constant guidance and coaching of Mr. Prashant Sawant.
The activity taught me that practice makes perfect. It also showed me that if you have team chemistry, nothing can bring you down, not even a loss. And if you are open minded, you can always learn from others experiencing more success. Growth is also a very important component of anything you undergo, and you can only grow if you are focused.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their aweareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboritively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Inter-school football
RIVERDALE TOURNAMENT:
As an action activity, I participated in an inter-school football tournament, which was hosted and held at Riverdale International School. I played competitive football against other IB schools from Pune. I participated in this activity because I wanted to play good football and win some games for my school.
Although the activity was exciting, my expectations were not met. The school did not perform well in the tournament, getting sixth place out of seven. The school, however, held its dignity by winning the Fair Play Award.
The tournament had many difficulties. We did not play well as a team. We experienced a lot of difficulties on the field, as we were demoralized by some of our defeats by large margins. What made the tournament upsetting is the fact that I do not feel that we overcame any of our difficulties throughout the tournament.
I learnt that I have a lot of work to do when it comes to my football skills. I also learnt that you have to work together to achieve success. The activity helped everyone on the team learn more about themselves. We understood what we needed to work on in order to become an elite team.
If I could redo the activity, I would make sure that our team had more practice before entering the tournament, as we entered the tournament without any practice.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
SHARAD PAWAR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL TOURNAMENT:
As an action activity, I participated in an inter-school football tournament which was hosted and held at Sharad Pawar International School. I played competitive football against two other IB schools from Bombay and Pune. I participated in this activity because I wanted to prove that my school could compete on a high level in football, especially after our dismal performance in the Riverdale Tournament. As the school Sports Captain, I also wanted to win a tournament on my home ground.
My expectations were definitely met. The school performed brilliantly, going undefeated and winning the tournament comfortably. Everyone played well as a team and functioned as a single unit, demolishing our opponents. It was especially fulfilling, as all the team members had trained tirelessly for three weeks without fail. Holding that trophy was confirmation that the countless hours training were worthwhile.
The tournament was a smooth sail, and did not pose any difficulties for the team.
I learnt that training, hard work and dedication are what makes a team successful and a force to be reckoned with. The activity helped the team learn more about themselves -- Perseverance when mixed with talent make a lethal combination.
If asked to redo the activity, I would not change a thing!
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
JAMNABHAI-NARSEE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL TOURNAMENT:
As an action activity, I participated in the football tournament that was hosted by the Jamnabhai-Narsee International School, Mumbai. This tournament was one for all IB schools across India. I participated in this activity, as it was a great honor for our school to be invited to an all-India tournament. As the Sports Captain, I wanted our school to win this tournament.
My expectations were somewhat met. The team, after spending countless hours practicing every single day, came to Mumbai confident. The team played great, reaching the semi-finals, but we lost to Kodaikanal International School 2-0, who finally went on to win the tournament. Although my school put up a stiff fight, we ended up losing to the all-India champions. Even though we did not win, Sharad Pawar International School, Pune came third all-India! We did not get what we came to Mumbai for, but we definitely left a name.
The tournament had some difficulties. Although we played well, we did not play up to our potential, as we were confident that we could go all the way. Even though we did not win the tournament, I wouldn't change anything because it was a great experience that everyone learned from.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
As an action activity, I participated in an inter-school football tournament, which was hosted and held at Riverdale International School. I played competitive football against other IB schools from Pune. I participated in this activity because I wanted to play good football and win some games for my school.
Although the activity was exciting, my expectations were not met. The school did not perform well in the tournament, getting sixth place out of seven. The school, however, held its dignity by winning the Fair Play Award.
The tournament had many difficulties. We did not play well as a team. We experienced a lot of difficulties on the field, as we were demoralized by some of our defeats by large margins. What made the tournament upsetting is the fact that I do not feel that we overcame any of our difficulties throughout the tournament.
I learnt that I have a lot of work to do when it comes to my football skills. I also learnt that you have to work together to achieve success. The activity helped everyone on the team learn more about themselves. We understood what we needed to work on in order to become an elite team.
If I could redo the activity, I would make sure that our team had more practice before entering the tournament, as we entered the tournament without any practice.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
SHARAD PAWAR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL TOURNAMENT:
As an action activity, I participated in an inter-school football tournament which was hosted and held at Sharad Pawar International School. I played competitive football against two other IB schools from Bombay and Pune. I participated in this activity because I wanted to prove that my school could compete on a high level in football, especially after our dismal performance in the Riverdale Tournament. As the school Sports Captain, I also wanted to win a tournament on my home ground.
My expectations were definitely met. The school performed brilliantly, going undefeated and winning the tournament comfortably. Everyone played well as a team and functioned as a single unit, demolishing our opponents. It was especially fulfilling, as all the team members had trained tirelessly for three weeks without fail. Holding that trophy was confirmation that the countless hours training were worthwhile.
The tournament was a smooth sail, and did not pose any difficulties for the team.
I learnt that training, hard work and dedication are what makes a team successful and a force to be reckoned with. The activity helped the team learn more about themselves -- Perseverance when mixed with talent make a lethal combination.
If asked to redo the activity, I would not change a thing!
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
JAMNABHAI-NARSEE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL TOURNAMENT:
As an action activity, I participated in the football tournament that was hosted by the Jamnabhai-Narsee International School, Mumbai. This tournament was one for all IB schools across India. I participated in this activity, as it was a great honor for our school to be invited to an all-India tournament. As the Sports Captain, I wanted our school to win this tournament.
My expectations were somewhat met. The team, after spending countless hours practicing every single day, came to Mumbai confident. The team played great, reaching the semi-finals, but we lost to Kodaikanal International School 2-0, who finally went on to win the tournament. Although my school put up a stiff fight, we ended up losing to the all-India champions. Even though we did not win, Sharad Pawar International School, Pune came third all-India! We did not get what we came to Mumbai for, but we definitely left a name.
The tournament had some difficulties. Although we played well, we did not play up to our potential, as we were confident that we could go all the way. Even though we did not win the tournament, I wouldn't change anything because it was a great experience that everyone learned from.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
The Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Ramayana, and it is an important part of Hindu mythology. Being a major text of Hinduism, it is of immense importance to the culture of India. It speaks of human goals taking place in long standing traditional values, and it attempts to explain the relationship of an individual to the society at large and the workings of karma. The title may be literally translated as "The Great Tale of the Bharata Dynasty." The authorship is attributed to Vyasa, with its earliest layers dating back to the late Vedic period, around the 8th century BC. The Mahabharata is also the longest epic poem in the world with about one-hundred thousand verses and about 1.8 million words. It is roughly ten times as long as the Illiad and Odyssey combined, with a total length of over 90,000 verses!
The Mahabharata was played by the students of Sharad Pawar International School, Pune for the school community, including parents, staff, students and distinguished guests on Annual Day 2008. The script, readied by Hindi teacher Dr. Chandrakant Shinde, saw me play the role of a 'pandva'.
It was a unique challenge, as this play was to be performed in front of a large crowd, and I am not particularly an artsy person, not to mention that my Hindi skills are nothing short of mediocre. Doing a play exclusively in Hindi,provided its own set of challenges for me, as I found it tough to learn my lines and to understand the play at times. Me language barrier was recognized, and I was given a part without too many dialogues. This proved very helpful, as improvement, especially in a language, can only be done with baby steps. The cast spent four days simply reading the script over and over in order to cement the content in our heads. We practiced tirelessly for over a month, working for five or more hours a day on stage. At times, the rehearsals were taken lightly by students, and these sometimes lead to inefficient practices. Practicing on some days for seven hours, it became extremely fatiguing mentally and physically, but through dedication and hard work, these difficulties were eliminated.
Nervousness of speaking Hindi, a language I was not comfortable with on stage was nerve-wracking, however, with the guidance of Dr. Shinde, I along with my fellow cast members gradually overcame this nervousness. With constant advice and guidance, we were able to memorize, co-ordinate and deliver a powerful performance.
The final play was spectacular! Everyone performed exceptionally, and the show was nothing short of flawless. The successful completion of such an endeavor instilled me with a great sense of accomplishment. It was a great activity for self-development, as I thoroughly enjoyed acting! It also educated me about India's culture, something I was not well versed with. It was a great experience overall! I learnt that when you show dedication, there is nothing that can prevent a successful campaign.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Undertaken new challenges
3: Worked collaboratively with others
4: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
5: Considered the ethical implications of their actions
6: Developed new skills
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Trip to Navshitij
As a service activity, my classmates and I visited a home for mentally challenged people. I participated in this activity because I wanted to provide the patients with some joy. I also wanted to understand how mentally challenged people live and how they cope with their difficulties.
The activity was extremely fulfilling, and I consider it as one of the most touching activities that I have been a part of. My expectations were definitely met. I played sports with them and I brought a smile to their faces.
There were difficulties that were encountered in this activity. Seeing the way they live was a scary sight, and I was very hesitant to interact with them at first. It was initially extremely intimidating. When the patients introduced themselves, however, it allowed me to feel a little more comfortable. Being with my classmates also helped me feel at ease, and it enabled me to interact with the patients.
After seeing the lives of these mentally challenged people, I really understood how lucky I am, and seeing the condition of the patients made me thankful for everything in my life. I learned that everyone is not as lucky and privileged as I am, and I learned to appreciate everything that I have. This activity allowed me to see a side of society which is not always visible to everyone. It was very gratifying to bring a smile to their faces.
If I could redo the activity, I would not change anything. The activity was perfect. I feel this way because i think that the intimidation factor is necessary in order for you to overcome that fear and see them for the people they are. Once that intimidation bridge is crossed, it really allows you to connect with them, and that is exactly what I experienced!
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Undertaken new challenges
2: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
3: Engaged with issues of global importance
4: Considered the ethical implications of their actions
The activity was extremely fulfilling, and I consider it as one of the most touching activities that I have been a part of. My expectations were definitely met. I played sports with them and I brought a smile to their faces.
There were difficulties that were encountered in this activity. Seeing the way they live was a scary sight, and I was very hesitant to interact with them at first. It was initially extremely intimidating. When the patients introduced themselves, however, it allowed me to feel a little more comfortable. Being with my classmates also helped me feel at ease, and it enabled me to interact with the patients.
After seeing the lives of these mentally challenged people, I really understood how lucky I am, and seeing the condition of the patients made me thankful for everything in my life. I learned that everyone is not as lucky and privileged as I am, and I learned to appreciate everything that I have. This activity allowed me to see a side of society which is not always visible to everyone. It was very gratifying to bring a smile to their faces.
If I could redo the activity, I would not change anything. The activity was perfect. I feel this way because i think that the intimidation factor is necessary in order for you to overcome that fear and see them for the people they are. Once that intimidation bridge is crossed, it really allows you to connect with them, and that is exactly what I experienced!
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Undertaken new challenges
2: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
3: Engaged with issues of global importance
4: Considered the ethical implications of their actions
Sports Day
As an action activity, I led the school in its Annual Sports Day. As the Sports Captain of school, I led the school in a march past, and I also participated in numerous athletic events. As a senior and a Sports Captain, I wanted to set an example for my juniors and lead the school with pride and dignity, as it was an incredible honor to be the flag bearer for school. I also wanted to emerge victorious in all my athletic feats. In 2008 I was a student participating in the Annual Day, but in 2009, I was the student sports leader in the Annual Day.
My expectations were met by this activity. The march past was wonderfully done by all the students of the school, and as we marched around the field we looked impressive and united as a student community. The student council members, being the flag bearers of the school led their respective house with great dignity, and I feel that lead the entire school very well. My performance in my athletic feats was also very good, as I won eight medals. This activity gave me great leadership experience. From making sure all the students were marching right in practice, to taking attendance, to leading the school in marches, all the responsibility was on my shoulders, and I cherished every bit of it.
There were a number of difficulties encountered. The weather was extremely hot, and the school had practices scheduled at 1:45 in the afternoon for a month before the annual sports day. At that time in the afternoon, the heat was excruciating, and it was very difficult for me to lead the school and yell at the top of my voice in that weather. There were a number of times when I thought I could collapse. After march past practice we had heats for the events. Running at top speed was also extremely painful in that heat, and after every race I would collapse for some time. There were also a number of times where I threw up from exhaustion. The fact that I was competing in ten events did not help, as I had to constantly be competing in the heats. The only way to overcome these difficulties was to keep myself well hydrated at all times with glucose water.
I learned that I can accomplish anything. Even though the weather conditions were excruciating, and even though I was competing in ten events, I bagged winning positions in eight of them! The Sports Day helped everyone by untied all the students, and giving everyone the opportunity to wear their school colors with pride.
If I could redo this activity, I would insist that the practice sessions happen in the morning in order to make it more comfortable and less painful.
My achieved learning outcomes were:
1: Increased awareness of strengths and areas for growth
2: Planned and initiated activities
3: Worked collaboratively with others
4: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
My expectations were met by this activity. The march past was wonderfully done by all the students of the school, and as we marched around the field we looked impressive and united as a student community. The student council members, being the flag bearers of the school led their respective house with great dignity, and I feel that lead the entire school very well. My performance in my athletic feats was also very good, as I won eight medals. This activity gave me great leadership experience. From making sure all the students were marching right in practice, to taking attendance, to leading the school in marches, all the responsibility was on my shoulders, and I cherished every bit of it.
There were a number of difficulties encountered. The weather was extremely hot, and the school had practices scheduled at 1:45 in the afternoon for a month before the annual sports day. At that time in the afternoon, the heat was excruciating, and it was very difficult for me to lead the school and yell at the top of my voice in that weather. There were a number of times when I thought I could collapse. After march past practice we had heats for the events. Running at top speed was also extremely painful in that heat, and after every race I would collapse for some time. There were also a number of times where I threw up from exhaustion. The fact that I was competing in ten events did not help, as I had to constantly be competing in the heats. The only way to overcome these difficulties was to keep myself well hydrated at all times with glucose water.
I learned that I can accomplish anything. Even though the weather conditions were excruciating, and even though I was competing in ten events, I bagged winning positions in eight of them! The Sports Day helped everyone by untied all the students, and giving everyone the opportunity to wear their school colors with pride.
If I could redo this activity, I would insist that the practice sessions happen in the morning in order to make it more comfortable and less painful.
My achieved learning outcomes were:
1: Increased awareness of strengths and areas for growth
2: Planned and initiated activities
3: Worked collaboratively with others
4: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
Inter-school Debate
As a creative activity, I participated in an inter-school debate competition held at Vishwashanti Gurukul International School, Pune. The competition consisted of seven international schools from Pune and Bombay. I attended the competition, representing Sharad Pawar International School, Pune. This activity had me debate two topics: "Behind every succesful man is a woman," for which I was against, and "Cabbages are better than roses," for which I was for.
I participated in this activity because I wanted to improve my public speaking and debating skills. I also wanted to represent my school positively. My expectations, however, were not met. I did not speak as well as I would have liked to, and our school did not perform too well, grabbing fourth position.
The activity was also lined with difficulties. We were informed of our topics weeks in advance, and my teammates along with myself, had prepared and practiced our speeches. We went to the venue, confident of our speeches when we were informed that we had produced speeches on the wrong topics. As a result, we were forced to make two new speeches five minutes before the competition start time! This great difficulty was not really overcome, as we did not perform incredibly well, but my teammates and Mr. Devendra Kumar, our supervisor, kept my attitude positive and cheered me on with the "just go out there and give it your best shot" attitude.
I learnt that even in the most adverse conditions, I can perform well if I put my mind to it. This activity was helpful, as it helped my teammates and myself by giving us the opportunity to compete against many people from a number of different schools. We represented our school well, but if I could redo the activity, I would try to be more powerful on the podium.
This was a very fulfilling activity. Being given the responsibility to represent my school was a great honor. This activity also greatly improved my oratory skills and it boosted my self confidence, as I competed on a large scale inter-scholastic competition, making it truly enriching.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
I participated in this activity because I wanted to improve my public speaking and debating skills. I also wanted to represent my school positively. My expectations, however, were not met. I did not speak as well as I would have liked to, and our school did not perform too well, grabbing fourth position.
The activity was also lined with difficulties. We were informed of our topics weeks in advance, and my teammates along with myself, had prepared and practiced our speeches. We went to the venue, confident of our speeches when we were informed that we had produced speeches on the wrong topics. As a result, we were forced to make two new speeches five minutes before the competition start time! This great difficulty was not really overcome, as we did not perform incredibly well, but my teammates and Mr. Devendra Kumar, our supervisor, kept my attitude positive and cheered me on with the "just go out there and give it your best shot" attitude.
I learnt that even in the most adverse conditions, I can perform well if I put my mind to it. This activity was helpful, as it helped my teammates and myself by giving us the opportunity to compete against many people from a number of different schools. We represented our school well, but if I could redo the activity, I would try to be more powerful on the podium.
This was a very fulfilling activity. Being given the responsibility to represent my school was a great honor. This activity also greatly improved my oratory skills and it boosted my self confidence, as I competed on a large scale inter-scholastic competition, making it truly enriching.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
Monday, December 7, 2009
World Elders Day
October 1st is identified as World Elders Day. It is a day when society remembers and honors its elders by giving them gifts, talking to them, spending quality time with them, etc. In short, make them feel happy, important and cared for.
On October 1st, a handful of CAS students from the Sharad Pawar International School, Pune, including myself, decided to honor the elders of our society. We spent countless hours making cards to show our appreciation for the elderly people of society. We then bought roses, and boarded a bus for Pune International Airport. At the airport, we began distributing cards and roses to all the elders we could see with wide smiles.
I decided to help take the initiative and participate in this activity because I wanted to provide a service to the elderly community. Society has a special day for everything. Even cheesecake! So it edged me to take a few hours out of my timetable to bring a smile to the face of elderly people.
My expectations were met because I was able to bring a smile to more than one elders face :) ! It was highly fulfilling when the elders took the cards and roses and expressed their appreciation for our efforts, and it made all the work worthwhile.
The activity, however, was not without difficulties. I had to deal with the difficulty of rejection. Many elders saw our kind gestures as insulting. They refused to take the cards or roses. The rejection was hurtful, but the fact that my peers were experiencing similar difficulties kept my attitude up. With their support, I was able to continue with my service. By the end of the activity, however, I learned to overcome rejection. A rejection caused me to approach the next elder with a wider smile.
I learnt that I was not accustomed to rejection and that different people have different reactions to certain gestures, even if they are good-willing. I now understand that rejection should be serve to deject you, but instead it should be taken in the right spirit. This activity allowed me to learn more about myself, as I learned that I take rejection very negatively. It allowed me to understand one of my weak points to work on. Certain activities, such as this one, make you a stronger person.
If I could redo the activity, I would not change anything, as it was an activity which was highly enriching. It helped my peers and I by teaching us to deal with rejection, and it made us feel good by giving us the opportunity to conduct a social service.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Undertaken new challenges
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perserverance and commitment in their activities
4: Engaged with issues of global importance
5: Considered the ethical implications of his actions
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Inter-house Activities
Sharad Pawar International School divides all its students into one of four different houses: Dragon house (red), Elephant house (green), Eagle house (blue) and Sun house (yellow). Students from these different houses compete in various activities, athletic and academic, in order to gain points for their house, and at the end of the year, the house with the most points will remain victorious. As a member of the Dragon House, I have competed in many different activities, gaining my house many points over the last two years.
ELOCUTION:
As a creative activity, I participated in the inter-house elocution. I was required to make a speech in front of the entire school community. As a good writer and public speaker, this activity provided me with a good platform to showcase and improve my skills. The activity was great! All my expectations were met, as I managed to live up to my high standards, performing well by giving a good speech.
The activity, however, was not without difficulties. During my speech I forgot one of my paragraphs. I overcame this difficulty by staying positive. By staying positive, I did not get nervous, and no one realized my mistake, enabling me to continue strongly with my speech.
If I was given the opportunity to redo the event, there would be a few areas where I would like to improve. I would like try to improve my eye contact with the audience and be more commanding on the podium, as those are essential qualities in a superior orator.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Undertaken new challenges
DEBATE:
As a creative activity, I participated in the inter-house debate. I was required to debate the topic 'The Copenhagen Meet was a Flopenhagen', and I was debating that the meet was a failure. I was keen to participate in this activity because I am a good public speaker, and I wanted to showcase my talent.
The activity met my expectations, as I performed fantastically, driving my point across to the judges. I even won the 'Best Speaker' award! This activity was smooth sailing and did not have any difficulties. Although in the past I did not make much eye contact or stuttered, this time I delivered a very good speech and debated very well, and I would not change a thing if I had to redo this activity.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Engaged with issues of global importance
BASKETBALL:
As an action activity, I participated in the inter-house basketball competition. I played competitive basketball against the other houses in my school in 2008 and 2009. I participated in this activity because I wanted to win the basketball tournament, and I also wanted to showcase my basketball skills.
In 2008, my individual expectations were met, as I performed extremely well, becoming the top scorer for the tournament. My expectations as a team member were not met because we did not win the tournament, and I have very high expectations of my teammates and myself. It was especially disappointing since I had led the team to victory in 2007.
In 2009, my individual expectations were met, as I excelled, becoming the top scorer for the third straight year. In 2009, however, I led the team to the tournament victory which was highly fulfilling.
If I redid the tournament, I would want longer matches so that the students would get more time to exhibit their skills. I learnt that I have the potential to play basketball at any level if I train regularly. It helped me realize my full potential, and it helped everyone learn how to work better in a team. I learnt that when others on your team experience success, it gives you a lot of joy as a team mate, and at the same time, you feel the pain when your teammates do not perform well, proving that there is no 'I' in basketball.
The activity was very meaningful to me because I am very passionate about basketball. This activity allowed me to showcase my skills in a tournament. It was great, as it allowed me to display my passion for the game.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
FOOTBALL:
As an action activity, I participated in the inter-house football competition. I played competitive football against the other houses in my school in 2008 and 2009. I participated in this activity because I wanted to help my house win the tournament, and I also wanted to improve my football skills.
In both years, my expectations were not met. The tournament was a dissapointment, as the team performed badly. Although my skills did improve a little, the improvement did not meet my expectations.
The tournament had many difficulties. Namely, we encountered difficulties working well as a team. We bonded well as a team, but our teamwork skills, which were mediocre, prevented us from winning games.We overcame our difficulties by staying positive. Our strong team bond prevented our losses from negatively affecting us by lowering our morale.
I learnt that my skills need to be significantly improved. When when you work well as a team, poor performance is also taken in the right spirit.
If I could redo the tournament, I would want longer matches, so that the children would have more time to express their skills.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Showed perseverance and commitment in their activities
4: Developed new skills
ELOCUTION:
As a creative activity, I participated in the inter-house elocution. I was required to make a speech in front of the entire school community. As a good writer and public speaker, this activity provided me with a good platform to showcase and improve my skills. The activity was great! All my expectations were met, as I managed to live up to my high standards, performing well by giving a good speech.
The activity, however, was not without difficulties. During my speech I forgot one of my paragraphs. I overcame this difficulty by staying positive. By staying positive, I did not get nervous, and no one realized my mistake, enabling me to continue strongly with my speech.
If I was given the opportunity to redo the event, there would be a few areas where I would like to improve. I would like try to improve my eye contact with the audience and be more commanding on the podium, as those are essential qualities in a superior orator.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Undertaken new challenges
DEBATE:
As a creative activity, I participated in the inter-house debate. I was required to debate the topic 'The Copenhagen Meet was a Flopenhagen', and I was debating that the meet was a failure. I was keen to participate in this activity because I am a good public speaker, and I wanted to showcase my talent.
The activity met my expectations, as I performed fantastically, driving my point across to the judges. I even won the 'Best Speaker' award! This activity was smooth sailing and did not have any difficulties. Although in the past I did not make much eye contact or stuttered, this time I delivered a very good speech and debated very well, and I would not change a thing if I had to redo this activity.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Engaged with issues of global importance
BASKETBALL:
As an action activity, I participated in the inter-house basketball competition. I played competitive basketball against the other houses in my school in 2008 and 2009. I participated in this activity because I wanted to win the basketball tournament, and I also wanted to showcase my basketball skills.
In 2008, my individual expectations were met, as I performed extremely well, becoming the top scorer for the tournament. My expectations as a team member were not met because we did not win the tournament, and I have very high expectations of my teammates and myself. It was especially disappointing since I had led the team to victory in 2007.
In 2009, my individual expectations were met, as I excelled, becoming the top scorer for the third straight year. In 2009, however, I led the team to the tournament victory which was highly fulfilling.
If I redid the tournament, I would want longer matches so that the students would get more time to exhibit their skills. I learnt that I have the potential to play basketball at any level if I train regularly. It helped me realize my full potential, and it helped everyone learn how to work better in a team. I learnt that when others on your team experience success, it gives you a lot of joy as a team mate, and at the same time, you feel the pain when your teammates do not perform well, proving that there is no 'I' in basketball.
The activity was very meaningful to me because I am very passionate about basketball. This activity allowed me to showcase my skills in a tournament. It was great, as it allowed me to display my passion for the game.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
FOOTBALL:
As an action activity, I participated in the inter-house football competition. I played competitive football against the other houses in my school in 2008 and 2009. I participated in this activity because I wanted to help my house win the tournament, and I also wanted to improve my football skills.
In both years, my expectations were not met. The tournament was a dissapointment, as the team performed badly. Although my skills did improve a little, the improvement did not meet my expectations.
The tournament had many difficulties. Namely, we encountered difficulties working well as a team. We bonded well as a team, but our teamwork skills, which were mediocre, prevented us from winning games.We overcame our difficulties by staying positive. Our strong team bond prevented our losses from negatively affecting us by lowering our morale.
I learnt that my skills need to be significantly improved. When when you work well as a team, poor performance is also taken in the right spirit.
If I could redo the tournament, I would want longer matches, so that the children would have more time to express their skills.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Worked collaboratively with others
3: Showed perseverance and commitment in their activities
4: Developed new skills
Friday, December 4, 2009
Diwali Artwork
Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, is a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. It is a traditional practice to light diyas, small oil filled lamps, to signify the triumph of good over evil. Diwali is also seen to be an auspicious time filled with good luck. It is a national festival in India and Nepal, however, its aesthetic aspect is enjoyed around the world regardless of faith.
As a creative activity, I made cards and lampshades in addition to painting diyas. Although I do not celebrate Diwali, it has always been one of my favorite times of the year, as the environment is so colorful and lively. In the spirit of Diwali, I wanted to participate in this activity. I also wanted to improve my artistic skills (which definitely need plenty of improvement) and test my hand at a variety of different art styles, in this case drawing, painting, cutting and sculpting.
There were definitely difficulties that were encountered, especially since I am not a very artistic person. The activities were challenging, and learning the new skills was far from an easy task. Working with my classmates, however, made the activity a lot of fun, and I overcame my difficulties by practicing my newly learnt skills many times with the help of the art students. The activity definitely met my expectations, as I improved my painting skills. I also learnt new skills, like making lamp shades, something I knew nothing about earlier. It showed me that I have the potential to accomplish anything if I practice.
My accomplished learning outcomes were:
1: Increased their awareness if their own strengths and areas for growth
2: Undertaken new challenges
3: Shown perserverance and commitment in their activities
4: Developed new skills
Thursday, December 3, 2009
What is CAS?
CAS, an abbrevation for 'creatity,' 'action,' and 'service,' is an essential component of the International Baccalaureate Programme. It provides a balance to the academically challenging course by requiring students to spend a minimum of 150 hours on their CAS activities througout their Diploma session. Students are expected to participate in activities that will develop their characters creatively, physically and socially. It is more than just social service, and it is a vital part of the Programme, serving to shape the student into a well-rounded person.
CAS aims to give students the opportunity to learn through experience and gain a wholesome and rounded educational experience. The three components, creativty, service, and action, are vaguely defined and should be interpreted as creatively as possible in order to participate in a wide variety of fulfilling activities. More important than the hours put in are the learning outcomes that are accomplished through these activities, as these are indicators as to how meaningful and helpful the activity was towards your personal development.
Students are required to keep track of their activities and maintain their records systematically and accurately. These must be recorded in a log or journal along with proof that the student actually particpated in the activity. This allows students to keep a coherent track of their CAS activities and provide comprehensive documentation of their CAS experience.
I personally, have decided to make a web blog in addition to my log, as it is interesting and different. It is also fun, and it allows me to better express myself through texts, videos and images. It can also be accesed easily by friends, teachers, supervisors, and whoever wants a glimpse into my CAS experience.
CAS aims to give students the opportunity to learn through experience and gain a wholesome and rounded educational experience. The three components, creativty, service, and action, are vaguely defined and should be interpreted as creatively as possible in order to participate in a wide variety of fulfilling activities. More important than the hours put in are the learning outcomes that are accomplished through these activities, as these are indicators as to how meaningful and helpful the activity was towards your personal development.
Students are required to keep track of their activities and maintain their records systematically and accurately. These must be recorded in a log or journal along with proof that the student actually particpated in the activity. This allows students to keep a coherent track of their CAS activities and provide comprehensive documentation of their CAS experience.
I personally, have decided to make a web blog in addition to my log, as it is interesting and different. It is also fun, and it allows me to better express myself through texts, videos and images. It can also be accesed easily by friends, teachers, supervisors, and whoever wants a glimpse into my CAS experience.
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