Writing Reflection

photo:http://www.flickr.com/photos/bio_inc/257858772/

Ideas and Content

My writing made sense most of the time, and i had an okay topic sentence. My topic sentences were sometimes off-topic. I think this was because I was confused about the topic of the essay. I explained how my quotations relate to the main idea for the Alchemist essay, but not the Julius Caesar essay because I didn’t have enough time. To improve my writing, I can ask my friends/teachers for help.

Organization

My writing had the correct essay format: introduction, 2~3 paragraphs, conclusion. But my paragraphs didn't have the correct format: topic sentence, evidence, explanation......etc. I can improve my writing's organization by making sure everything is in my writing, and it is in the correct order.

Personal Growth

My growth as a writer doesn't show in my Julius Caesar essay. This was because we only had 80 minutes to finish the Julius Caesar essay, and we had about 2~3 weeks to finish our Alchemist essay. I think my Alchemist essay is better, because I had more time to revise it, and i got help from teachers and friends.

SLR Reflection

One SLR I used while writing my essay was communicate effectively. (alchemist essay) I revised it a lot of times to check if my writing makes sense, and if i'm communicating to the reader well.

Lost Boys of Sudan Collage Reflection

Think Creatively

I used think creatively by putting on meaningful pictures. On the part where the Lost Boys lived in America, I put a phone, with speech bubbles with money and the red cross. The line is connecting Sudan to America. It shows how the people in Sudan wanted help and money from the Lost Boys in America. I also splashed red paint on the war part to show how bloody and horrible the war was. These were the creative elements on my collage.

Reason Critically
The meaningful words I used in my collage describes my understanding of the Lost Boy's situation. I used words like death, destruction and survival to show the situation of the genocide, and I used words like hope, peace and sympathy to show how the Lost Boy's thought America will be like. These words I selected highlights my understanding for the Lost Boy's situation.

Communicate Effectively

I think that my six word memoir creates awareness for the Lost Boy's plight. "Cries of despair, loss, what next?". My six word memoir shows how the Lost Boys were feeling right after the war in their village. People crying because they lost their families and friends, and they're asking what will happen next? This shows how the Lost Boys lost everything, and how they desperately need help. My six word memoir creates awareness for the Lost Boys' plight.

Live Ethically

The pictures I selected demonstrated empathy and evoked emotional response for my viewers. Most of the pictures I chose shows the struggle the Lost Boys' had for the whole journey. Pictures that show racism, war, survival and death. These pictures might encourage my viewers to do something about this problem.

Julius Caesar Essay

“Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more,” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 20~21). Brutus explained that he assassinated Caesar, because he believed that Rome would benefit from his death. Filled with honor and patriotism, Brutus joined the conspiracy, supporting the assassination of his beloved Caesar for the good of Rome.

Honor was what Brutus always wanted, and he wanted Rome to love him and respect him. Honor changed made Brutus assassinate his beloved Caesar. In Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 84~88, Brutus explains how much he loves honor, “Set honor in one eye, and death i’ th’ other, And I will look on both differently; For let the gods so speed me as I love the name of honor more than I fear death.” Brutus told Cassius that he would do anything for honor, even if it might kill him. In Act 3 Scene 2 lines 20~21, after Caesar’s assassination, Brutus explained the reason why he chose to kill Caesar. “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” This shows how Brutus is willing to do anything for Rome, to be honored, even if the task is brutal and malicious. Brutus’ motivation of honor shaped him into a man who will do anything to be honored by his country.

Understanding that he is honorable, Brutus was also patriotic and thought he could control any situation. The conspirators discussed the assassination of Caesar, and every time Brutus spoke, every one agreed to him. “Cassius: What about Cicero? Brutus: O, name him not; Cassius: leave him out; Casca: Indeed he is not fit” (Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 141~154). The leadership shifted from Cassius to Brutus, and Brutus controlled all the plans for the conspiracy. The people of Rome were terrified when they found out Caesar was assassinated, and Brutus tried to convince a crowd to stay on the conspirator’s side. “Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor that you may believe me.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 14~15) Brutus showed the crowd that he knows he is honorable, and he expects Rome to listen to him, and to believe him. After Brutus became motivated by patriotism, he became arrogant.

Brutus changed since he started to be motivated by honor and patriotism; he became arrogant and stubborn. It made him join the conspiracy, to kill his friend who was a tyrant. Brutus didn’t achieve his goal of being honored and receiving support from Rome. Antony’s funeral speech convinced Rome to rise against the conspirators, instead of thanking them. Brutus’ goal was not worthy or noble, it is good to love honor, but not so much that he will kill someone.

"America wasn't paradise and it wasn't as easy as they told you in the camps"

Peter is a refugee from Sudan, who currently lives in Kansas. He experienced difficulty while assimilating to the American culture. In the Dinka culture, it’s normal for guys to hold hands and hug, however in the American culture people believed that they were homosexual. In the refugee camp, Peter and his friends ate with their hands. When lunch came out on the plane to America, they weren’t sure how to eat the food, and they had no idea what they were eating. Education was also something Peter struggled with. The refugee camp in Africa couldn’t provide him the best education. When he worked in the factory, he had problems learning how the machines worked. Peter also had difficulties making new friends and showing his affection, because of his different culture. He thought it was okay to catch a random bird and give it to his girlfriend as a gift. His ethnicity caused conflict too. Peter’s boss in Wal-mart told him to work outside, since he is black and used to the heat.

To adjust to this new culture, Peter tried to act like how a normal American does, such as watching TV, using slang words and eating junk food. He also dressed like an American, with baggy jeans, hoodies/jackets and shiny necklaces. Peter hung out with his friends from different cultures by playing basketball with them. By doing what other Americans do, Peter also started to forget his Dinka culture.

KKB countdown: 1 month :D

One important fact about my personality:

- I'm really competitive about sports

2 reasons why I chose KKB:
- My friends said that it was a really good site
- I wanted to do all the fun activities like abseiling down the waterfall

What I hope to gain from Malaysia Week this year

- I want to learn more about teamwork, and how to keep our tent neat

(picture) www.google.com

I chose this picture because I love track and field. I love running 800m

Julius Caesar Performance Assessment

Act 4, Scene 3, Lines: 1-38

Cassius: That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this:

You have condemn'd an notes Lucius Pella

For taking bribes here of the Sardians;

Wherein my letters, praying on his side,

Because I knew the man was slighted off.

Brutus: You have wrong'd yourself to write in such a case.

Cassius: In such a time as this it is not meet

That every nice offence should bear his comment.

Brutus: Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself

Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm,
To sell and mart your officers for gold
To undeservers.

Cassius: I an itching palm!
You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,
Or, by the gods, this speech will be your last.

Brutus: The name of Cassius honours this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.

Cassius: Chastisement!

Brutus: Remember March, the ides of March remember.
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villian touch'd his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? What, shall one of us,
That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers, shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,
And sell the mighty space of our large honours
For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
Than such a Roman

Cassius: Brutus, bait not me;
I'll not endure it. You forget yourself,
To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.

Brutus: Go to! you are not, Cassius.

Cassius: I am

Brutus: I say you are not.

Cassius: Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;
Have mind upon your health; tempt me no farther.

Brutus: Away, slight man!

Cassius: Is't possible?

Brutus and Cassius are in Brutus' tent, discussing during the war against Antony and his followers. Cassius sold his soldiers to get money, and Brutus believed that this was a dishonorable act. The two get into an argument, Brutus trying to stay calm, and Cassius yelling at him with anger. This passage shows how they struggled in the war, and how a conflict was starting to form between them.

The Lottery Story - Band

1) The black dot, because it makes the reader ask questions like "what is the black dot? is it something good or bad?"

2)I thought Ms Hutchinsen was going to get kicked out of the village, because she said "it isn't fair", and also in the beginning of the story, it said that there are only 300 people in the village

3)I was really curious what was going to happen, and why was Ms. Hutchinsen shocked

4)I really wanted to know what was inside the paper and I knew that it was the end of the story, because the teachers told us. I was tempted to open it before it was 5:00pm, but I didn't because it was part of the assignment

5) Black and white are 2 contrasting colours, so I thought it was something important in the story

6)I was shocked, because I didn't think that they will stone her to death. I was sort of confused, because why would a village want to kill someone?

7)My prediction was sort of correct. I knew that the black dot was something bad, because when they saw the black dot, the mood suddenly became creepy and silent

8)It would have helped if we the author gave us more details in the story, like more background information of the village

9) The author left these voids in the story, because maybe she or he wanted to create more mood and tension, and catch the reader's attention

10)a. There was no title, so I had no idea what the story was going to be about.

b. It made me curious about what was going to happen at the end

c. It made me try to guess all the possible endings

d. I wanted to open it, because I wanted to know how the author ended the story

e. It made me more curious about the ending

f.

Band - Void

PART 1

The International School of Kuala Lumpur provides (silence)an exceptional education that challenges each student to develop the attitudes,(silence) skills,(silence) knowledge(silence) and understanding to become a highly successful,(silence) spirited, (silence) socially responsible global citizen.

I think that the silence creates a void, because the reader doesn't know what the speaker is about to say (The reader is thinking: what is this person going to say next?) and then we say what it is (the release)

PART 2

1. Describe one way composers can create tension (question) and release (answer) in their music.

They can make the music go quiet, and suddenly become loud again.

If I were in the painting

If I was in the painting, "School of Athens", I would choose to be the woman student at the right. In the Renaissance, women didn't have equal rights as men, but they started to have more rights towards the end of the era. The woman in the painting is listening to the teacher's tutorials with men. I think that she is brave, because not many woman would dare to do something like that. Like the woman in the painting, I am curious, I love trying something no one normally does and I love adventures. If I was just the way I am right now, and I went back in the Renaissance, I will probably be the curious and adventurous woman student.

How can art be a mirror of society?

In the Renaissance, painting was like a mirror of Society. "The School of Athens" by Raphael was one of them, it showed some of the important contributors, and how education was like in the Renaissance. Raphael painted people like Zeno, Epicurus and Ptolemy. In the center he painted Plato and Aristotle, two famous philosophers. By looking at this painting people can know about famous Renaissance figures, and also about education. In this painting, people are reading, talking and conducting experiments. They also have famous people teaching their students that are both men and women. This shows that education in the Renaissance was advanced, and also women were starting to get equal rights as men. "The School of Athens" is like a mirror of society, it shows famous Renaissance figures, how education was like, and rights for men and women.

Renaissance man

Leonardo Da Vinci can be characterized as a renaissance man, because he made new discoveries for art, math and architecture. He developed a new type of painting, by putting many layers of paint on the picture to make it look 3D. Also, he drew the vitruvian man, and it allowed him to make the people in his picture look realistic. In math, he made calculations for making buildings, and for weapons. For architecture, Da Vinci invented new machines, like the flapping wings and tanks.

"Change is nature, Dad. The part that we can influence"

Django: [showing the exterminator shop to Remy with the dead rats in the window] Take a good long look, Remy. This is what happens when a rat gets a little too uncomfortable around humans. The world we live in belongs to the enemy, we must live carefully. We look out for our own kind, Remy. When all is said and done, we're all we've got.

Remy: [Django starts to walk away] No.

Django: What?

Remy:No. Dad I don't believe it. You're telling me that the future is - can only be more of *this*

Django: This is the way things are. You can't change nature.

Remy: Change is nature, Dad. The part that we can influence. And it starts when we decide.

Django: [Remy turns to leave] Where are you going?

Remy: With luck, forward.

--Movie "Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a movie the represents the theme “Determination”. Remy is a rat who wants to become a chef. When he goes to Paris, he meets Linguini, a chef who can’t cook. Remy made a deal that he will control Linguini’s actions and cook for him, and in return Linguini will appear human and provide Remy a place to live in. Remy’s father, Django finds out about this, and takes Remy to a shop with dead rats. Django explains how Remy can’t trust Linguini and that he can never be a cook. Remy refuses to give up and walks back to the restaurant, determined to achieve his goal of becoming a cook. Ratatouille tells all cultures from all time to not be afraid and challenge new things.

Praying for A Safe Return

Picture -"Praying for A Safe Return" by Angelina Cornidez

Hope

Hope travels through a roaring tunnel

Bearing his armour stronger than diamond

He proudly marches towards the sparkling light

~~ Satoko Ayabe

Hope is being positive, hope is when you believe something good is on the other end of tunnel. Whenever people feel like if it is the end of the road, they shouldn't give up, because good things may happen later on. The theme "Hope" is relevant no matter what country or what time period it is in. Everybody in the world hopes for something, and it can be anything. It might be food, good luck or love. Hope was believed a long time ago, and even now. A long time ago, homo sapiens wished for food, in the medieval ages they hoped for their country to win the war, and now ISKL students hope for good grades (so they don't get grounded). The theme hope is not being positive and not giving up, and it is relevant for all cultures and time periods.

Searching Omens -- Alchemist Essay

“When I have been truly searching for my treasure, every day has been luminous, because I’ve known that every hour was a part of my dream that I would find it.” (Coelho 115) .Santiago, the main character from “The Alchemist” realizes that when he is truly searching for his treasure by using his heart, he would definitely find it. The treasure hunter, Santiago used to be a shepherd from Andalusia, until he dreams about a treasure in the Pyramids and is convinced to find it and achieve his destiny. He departs Andalusia, through the docks of Tarifa, then to the Pyramids of Egypt. Along the way Santiago learns new ideas and views of life from Melchizedek, the crystal merchant, Fatima and the Alchemist. Santiago finds his treasure in Andalusia, where he started his journey and realizes that it wasn’t about finding the treasure, it was about the journey he had. Santiago was able to achieve his destiny by being wise about his choices, curious about the Soul of the World, and staying brave when facing challenges.

Santiago is forced to choose between two paths, and he has to be wise and decide the one that will lead to his destiny. First, Santiago struggles to choose between staying a shepherd and having the merchant’s daughter, or to find the treasure and achieve his destiny. “Here I am, between my flock and my treasure, they boy thought. He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted to have” (p 26). Santiago leaves his flock and goes to Tangier, where he works for the Crystal merchant. After Santiago earned enough money in the crystal merchant’s he decided to go back being a shepherd. Santiago was about to go back to Andalusia, until the merchant, said “you know I’m not going to Mecca. Just as you know that you’re not going to buy your sheep.” (p 58) this means that Santiago shouldn’t go back being a shepherd, and must continue his journey. Santiago changes his min, and travels to Al-Fayoum. He meets Fatima, a dessert woman he falls in love with. Santiago decides to give up his destiny and live with Fatima, but Fatima insists him to find the treasure. She tells Santiago that his omens brought him to her. If she was really part of Santiago’s destiny, he will meet her again. Santiago replies, “I’ll return, just as your father came back to you mother” (p 117). As Santiago learns to choose the path leading to his destiny, he also starts wondering about the Soul of the World.

On his journey, Santiago’s curiosity helps him to understand new views of life, like the “Soul of the World”. Santiago first heard of the “Soul of the World” when he met the Englishman. “Everything in life is an omen,” said the Englishman…“There is a universal language, understood by everybody, but already forgotten…I have to find a man who knows that universal language. An alchemist.” (p 67). The Englishman and Santiago went around asking people of the Oasis if they knew the Alchemist. Santiago meets Fatima, and this was when Santiago understood the Soul of the World. “When he looked into her dark eyes…the language that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in their heart. It was love.” (p 88). Santiago leaves Fatima behind, and goes with the Alchemist to find the treasure. Santiago is told that he must listen to his heart, but Santiago doesn’t want to because every time he listened to it, it reminded him about Fatima. Santiago keeps listening to his heart, because he was curious to find what the alchemist’s lesson really was. Santiago soon realizes that listening to his heart will help him find the treasure. “He asked it (heart) please, never stop speaking to him….when he wandered far from his dreams ,his heart press him and sound the alarm.” (p 126). Santiago’s curiosity helps him understand the “Soul of the World”, about love, and to listening to his heart. Santiago continues to connect to the Soul of the World by listening to his heart and he uses this knowledge helps him to prepare for the challenges he faces.

The challenges Santiago is destined to face are always dangerous, and he has to stay brave for all of them. Santiago has a vision of an army attacking an oasis, but he is afraid that the tribal leaders won’t believe him. The seer tells him, that when Allah wants the tribal leaders to know something, the tribal leaders believe someone will come to tell them. That someone was Santiago. Santiago decides to tell the tribal leaders, and the tribal leaders tell him that there was a person just like him a long time ago who had a vision, and the person saved Egypt from famine. Santiago’s vision was true, and he rewarded with gold. Santiago was on his way back to the camp after meeting the tribal leaders, but a strange man stopped him. The stranger demands who read the message of the vision, in a loud and threatening voice, but Santiago answers proudly “It was I who dared to do so….Allah created the armies, and he also created…Allah taught me the language of the birds. Everything has been written by the same hand.”(p105~6). Santiago lowers his head to get his neck chopped off. Instead, the stranger lowers his scimitar till it touches Santiago’s forehead. Santiago didn’t show any sign of fear. Santiago realizes that the stranger was the alchemist, and he was testing Santiago’s courage to see if he was ready to understand the Soul of the World. Santiago goes on a journey with the Alchemist to find treasure, but a group of tribesmen approaches them telling Santiago to turn himself into wind, or else he’ll die. Santiago finds out how to turn himself into wind: by irritating the wind. Santiago has enough courage to irritate the wind, the wind is such a powerful being, and people never know what it can do. ““When you are loved, you can do anything in creation…even men can turn themselves into wind. As long as the wind helps, or course”…the wind…becoming irritated with what the boy was saying. It commenced to blow harder” (p141). The bravery Santiago has helps him in his journey, along with his wise choices and now his curiosity.

Santiago has been able to achieve his destiny, by choosing wise decisions that will lead to his treasure, being curious to learn about the soul of the world and his heart, and staying brave for dangerous challenges. Santiago learns that every person has a destiny, but they are afraid to realize it. Start to look for omens, you never know what you destiny can be.

Hurry up and wait
So close, but so far away
Everything that you've always dreamed of
Close enough for you to taste
But you just can't touch

You wanna show the world, but no one knows your name yet
Wonder when and where and how you're gonna make it
You know you can if you get the chance
In your face as the door keeps slamming
Now you're feeling more and more frustrated
And you're getting all kind of impatient waiting

[Chorus:]
We live and we learn to take
One step at a time
There's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly
Or falling in love
It's gonna happen and it's
Supposed to happen that we
Find the reasons why
On step at a time

You believe and you doubt
You're confused, you got it all figured out
Everything that you wished for
Could be yours, should be yours, would be yours
If they only knew

You wanna show the world, but no one knows your name yet
Wonder when and where and how you're gonna make it
You know you can if you get the chance
In your face as the door keeps slamming
Now you're feeling more and more frustrated
And you're getting all kind of impatient waiting

[Chorus:]
We live and we learn to take
One step at a time
There's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly
Or falling in love
It's gonna happen and it's
Supposed to happen that we
Find the reasons why
On step at a time

When you can't wait any longer
But there's no end in sight
It's the faith that makes you stronger
The only way you get there
Is one step at a time

[Chorus:]
Take one step at a time
There's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly
Or falling in love
It's gonna happen and it's
Supposed to happen that we
Find the reasons why
On step at a time

[Chorus:]
One step at a time
There's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly
Or falling in love
It's gonna happen and it's
Supposed to happen that we
Find the reasons why
On step at a time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEUdu0iHygE

Are you the person who rushes, doesn’t get it right and get frustrated? I am, and I think I’m not the only one. The line: Now you're feeling more and more frustrated, And you're getting all kind of impatient waiting describes exactly how I am in math. That’s why I chose “One step at a time” by Jordin Sparks. This song tells me to calm down, relax, and take one step at a time. I tried this, and it actually did help me! I just need to concentrate and take a little more time. Like what Jordin says in the song, The only way you get there, Is one step at a time.