'Hold fast to your dreams, for without them life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.' Langston Hughes
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Reflection of 6th Grade
What piece of work and learning are you most proud of?
I definitely feel that as a student I have grown so much this year both academically and socially. I would probably say that I am most proud of the literature circles that we have done this year. Since the start of the year I have improved significantly in writing over all. Though I feel as if my literature circles show clearly how much I have improved. At the start of the year I found it very hard to think of what to write about in literature circles. I now see it was because I left it to the last minute and did not do it with a positive attitude. The last literature circles that I did were amazing, I am very proud of myself and what I have achieved.
What were your greatest challenges?
My greatest challenge was probably doing my homework and giving it in on time. At the start of the year I never took my homework seriously and didn't worry about it but now I understand that homework is very important even if it is just to read a book. Homework gives you many benefits as it prepares you for the next class and you learn many interesting things that will help you in class. I put effort into my homework and always try to exceed at what I got before. Homework is also graded and very important.
Reflecting on your growth this year, what did you learn about yourself as a learner?
Over the course of 6th grade I have learnt as a learner I need to stay focused at one thing at a time otherwise it overwhelms me too much. When I get homework from all of my different classes I figure out what is the most important one and which one is due first so that I know which order to finish them in. I fell much more organized now than what I was at the start of the year. I am very happy with my improvement as a learner and feel as if I am ready for 7th grade.
4. To evaluate your work habits, choose 1 of the following from each category ( and provide explanations):
a) Behavior
Could be improved
Satisfactory
Perfect - the model student
Explanation:
Perfect - the model student, my mum has definitely taught me to behave properly in class and I feel like it would be rude not to. I always try to have a positive attitude and a happy face when I am in class. I keep myself to myself in class and remember that I am indoors and not outside. At lunch I definitely seem to act differently as I am in a different environment but I still think about my behavior and how I should be acting.
b) Participation
None
Satisfactory
Actively participate in class
Explanation:
Satisfactory, I participate in class but not all the time only if I am asked a question or if I need to ask a question. If I don't understand something I will ask but I do not raise my hand all the time to answer questions that the teacher asks the class. Though I feel I have improved since the start of the year.
c) Organization
Needs serious help
Satisfactory
I'm super organized
Explanation:
I'm super organized, I always make sure I am organized for class before I get to school I also try to keep my locker nice and clean at all times. I also keep a diary for notes and homework so that I remember when things are due. Overall this year I have felt very organized. I hope to stay organized through 7th grade as well.
d) Effort
Needs serious help
Satisfactory
I always go above and beyond what is required.
Explanation:
Satisfactory, since the start of the year I have definitely improved my effort towards my work but I wouldn't say that I go above and beyond. I try my best and set goals for myself to make sure that I keep improving my personal best. I definitely feel like I have improved since the start of the year and hope to keep on improving through the years to come.
5. Based upon your reflections, write two personal learning goals for Grade 7 next year.
Goal 1 - In Grade 7, I plan to exceed my personal best and overcome the obstacles that are to come.
Goal 2 - In Grade 7, I plan to make more friends so that I have a wide variety of close friends to hang out with in 7th grade.
6.Is there any more information about yourself that you would like the teachers to know?
At the start of every year I appear as a very shy down to Earth kind of person but when I start to settle down you will realize that I am quite a bubbly happy person who likes to joke around. Though I do take my work seriously I always try to have a bit of fun. At the start of the year I will be very quiet and will keep myself to myself but once I get used to 7th grade everything will be great.
7. Finally, cast your minds back to the first few months of middle school (when you arrived in Grade 6 ) what "Words of Wisdom" or "Advice" could you pass on to the Class of 2018?
My first year in middle school went by in a flash I had a wonderful time and I have definitely enjoyed 6th grade. Make sure that you keep on top of your homework as most of it is graded and put all of your effort into your work. Always have a positive attitude and you will do great. Don't worry about Malaysia Week it is not as bad as it sounds. I was really worried before I went but when I got their I had a ball and it went by so quickly. Have fun and enjoy yourself. Good luck and I cant way tot me to you guys!
This is link to my portfolio ti has another reflection on it and much more about all of my subjects please have a look at it: https://sites.google.com/a/iskl.edu.my/ogardiner17/
I definitely feel that as a student I have grown so much this year both academically and socially. I would probably say that I am most proud of the literature circles that we have done this year. Since the start of the year I have improved significantly in writing over all. Though I feel as if my literature circles show clearly how much I have improved. At the start of the year I found it very hard to think of what to write about in literature circles. I now see it was because I left it to the last minute and did not do it with a positive attitude. The last literature circles that I did were amazing, I am very proud of myself and what I have achieved.
What were your greatest challenges?
My greatest challenge was probably doing my homework and giving it in on time. At the start of the year I never took my homework seriously and didn't worry about it but now I understand that homework is very important even if it is just to read a book. Homework gives you many benefits as it prepares you for the next class and you learn many interesting things that will help you in class. I put effort into my homework and always try to exceed at what I got before. Homework is also graded and very important.
Reflecting on your growth this year, what did you learn about yourself as a learner?
Over the course of 6th grade I have learnt as a learner I need to stay focused at one thing at a time otherwise it overwhelms me too much. When I get homework from all of my different classes I figure out what is the most important one and which one is due first so that I know which order to finish them in. I fell much more organized now than what I was at the start of the year. I am very happy with my improvement as a learner and feel as if I am ready for 7th grade.
4. To evaluate your work habits, choose 1 of the following from each category ( and provide explanations):
a) Behavior
Could be improved
Satisfactory
Perfect - the model student
Explanation:
Perfect - the model student, my mum has definitely taught me to behave properly in class and I feel like it would be rude not to. I always try to have a positive attitude and a happy face when I am in class. I keep myself to myself in class and remember that I am indoors and not outside. At lunch I definitely seem to act differently as I am in a different environment but I still think about my behavior and how I should be acting.
b) Participation
None
Satisfactory
Actively participate in class
Explanation:
Satisfactory, I participate in class but not all the time only if I am asked a question or if I need to ask a question. If I don't understand something I will ask but I do not raise my hand all the time to answer questions that the teacher asks the class. Though I feel I have improved since the start of the year.
c) Organization
Needs serious help
Satisfactory
I'm super organized
Explanation:
I'm super organized, I always make sure I am organized for class before I get to school I also try to keep my locker nice and clean at all times. I also keep a diary for notes and homework so that I remember when things are due. Overall this year I have felt very organized. I hope to stay organized through 7th grade as well.
d) Effort
Needs serious help
Satisfactory
I always go above and beyond what is required.
Explanation:
Satisfactory, since the start of the year I have definitely improved my effort towards my work but I wouldn't say that I go above and beyond. I try my best and set goals for myself to make sure that I keep improving my personal best. I definitely feel like I have improved since the start of the year and hope to keep on improving through the years to come.
5. Based upon your reflections, write two personal learning goals for Grade 7 next year.
Goal 1 - In Grade 7, I plan to exceed my personal best and overcome the obstacles that are to come.
Goal 2 - In Grade 7, I plan to make more friends so that I have a wide variety of close friends to hang out with in 7th grade.
6.Is there any more information about yourself that you would like the teachers to know?
At the start of every year I appear as a very shy down to Earth kind of person but when I start to settle down you will realize that I am quite a bubbly happy person who likes to joke around. Though I do take my work seriously I always try to have a bit of fun. At the start of the year I will be very quiet and will keep myself to myself but once I get used to 7th grade everything will be great.
7. Finally, cast your minds back to the first few months of middle school (when you arrived in Grade 6 ) what "Words of Wisdom" or "Advice" could you pass on to the Class of 2018?
My first year in middle school went by in a flash I had a wonderful time and I have definitely enjoyed 6th grade. Make sure that you keep on top of your homework as most of it is graded and put all of your effort into your work. Always have a positive attitude and you will do great. Don't worry about Malaysia Week it is not as bad as it sounds. I was really worried before I went but when I got their I had a ball and it went by so quickly. Have fun and enjoy yourself. Good luck and I cant way tot me to you guys!
This is link to my portfolio ti has another reflection on it and much more about all of my subjects please have a look at it: https://sites.google.com/a/iskl.edu.my/ogardiner17/
Saturday, April 9, 2011
The Letter
Dear Asher
You have been my friend since I can't remember, you have helped learn new things and have created happiness for me. I hope I have done this same to you. This is going to be hard for me to say and for you to understand, but I decided I had to try. You have to promise me not to tell anyone about this make sure you burn this letter after you read it.
Remember the ceremony when they missed me out purposely? Well it was for a reason to show I had a very important but hard journey in front of me. The Receiver is someone who receives all the memories from the world both good and bad. See not all communities are like ours, Asher. Some are similar but most are very different. I know you will not understand most of this letter until later on so keep this in mind. I, Jonas am going on a very long tough journey to help the people of your community to have brighter future. See the people of our community don't know everything that is going on. I am afraid to say even you don't. It is my job is to make sure the people of the community receives the memories that I have received sot hat they understand how to make a brighter future for themselves and others.
One thing that people don't know is when you are released they don't let you walk through a door, they kill you. They inject a needle into your arm and that kills you then you are put done a rubbish shoot. Their are many more things that you need to learn about. I am going to take Gabriel with to save him as he was going to be released. Our journey will be hard and tough by the time you receive this letter we will have already left.
I am sorry to say this but Gabriel and I will never be able to return we are moving to another community.This will be hard for everyone but I decided you should be the person to know. You have been the best of the best, best friend.
I hope you understand why I am leaving now I wish you the best.
From Jonas
You have been my friend since I can't remember, you have helped learn new things and have created happiness for me. I hope I have done this same to you. This is going to be hard for me to say and for you to understand, but I decided I had to try. You have to promise me not to tell anyone about this make sure you burn this letter after you read it.
Remember the ceremony when they missed me out purposely? Well it was for a reason to show I had a very important but hard journey in front of me. The Receiver is someone who receives all the memories from the world both good and bad. See not all communities are like ours, Asher. Some are similar but most are very different. I know you will not understand most of this letter until later on so keep this in mind. I, Jonas am going on a very long tough journey to help the people of your community to have brighter future. See the people of our community don't know everything that is going on. I am afraid to say even you don't. It is my job is to make sure the people of the community receives the memories that I have received sot hat they understand how to make a brighter future for themselves and others.
One thing that people don't know is when you are released they don't let you walk through a door, they kill you. They inject a needle into your arm and that kills you then you are put done a rubbish shoot. Their are many more things that you need to learn about. I am going to take Gabriel with to save him as he was going to be released. Our journey will be hard and tough by the time you receive this letter we will have already left.
I am sorry to say this but Gabriel and I will never be able to return we are moving to another community.This will be hard for everyone but I decided you should be the person to know. You have been the best of the best, best friend.
I hope you understand why I am leaving now I wish you the best.
From Jonas
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Gabriel
" Gabriel's breathing was even and deep. Jonas liked having him there, though he felt guilty about the secret. Each night he gave memories to Gabriel: memories of boat rides and picnics in the sun; memories of soft rainfall against windowpanes; memories of dancing bare-footed on a damp lawn.
"Gabe?"
The new child stirred slightly in his sleep, Jonas looked over at him.
"There could be love" Jonas whispered.
The next morning, for the first time, Jonas did not take his pill. Something within him, something that had grown there through the memories, told him to throw the pill away"
These quotes show how Jonas is becoming more free the last quotes says that he stops taking his pills. He is starting to make his won choices and learning how to become free. I think this is important for Jonas as he needs to step out of his shell. He also helping Gabriel to grown up being free happy and being able to make his own choices. Everyone else in the community has not ever heard of choice or freedom yet. It is important that Jonas sends these messages to Gabriel as Gabriel will be able to teach others about hope and freedom. He also whispers to Gabe that their still could be love. I think Jonas wants to be able to experience love not just within families but outside families as well.
Jonas has started to become more free and is helping Gabriel to grow up free. This is going to help Gabriel understand freedom and choice when he grows up unlike the epode of his community. If everyone raises their kids like this they will be strong humans beings when they grow up and won't be afraid to make choices. It is important to grow up knowing you have your own freedom.
"Gabe?"
The new child stirred slightly in his sleep, Jonas looked over at him.
"There could be love" Jonas whispered.
The next morning, for the first time, Jonas did not take his pill. Something within him, something that had grown there through the memories, told him to throw the pill away"
These quotes show how Jonas is becoming more free the last quotes says that he stops taking his pills. He is starting to make his won choices and learning how to become free. I think this is important for Jonas as he needs to step out of his shell. He also helping Gabriel to grown up being free happy and being able to make his own choices. Everyone else in the community has not ever heard of choice or freedom yet. It is important that Jonas sends these messages to Gabriel as Gabriel will be able to teach others about hope and freedom. He also whispers to Gabe that their still could be love. I think Jonas wants to be able to experience love not just within families but outside families as well.
Jonas has started to become more free and is helping Gabriel to grow up free. This is going to help Gabriel understand freedom and choice when he grows up unlike the epode of his community. If everyone raises their kids like this they will be strong humans beings when they grow up and won't be afraid to make choices. It is important to grow up knowing you have your own freedom.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Giver: Why does The Giver say that making choices would be frightening for people?

In humanities we are reading the book the Giver and were told to choose to write about one of these three questions:
1. When Jonas learns all about col2. Why does Jonas find the instruction about lying so disturbing?
ors, he claims "it isn't fair that nothing has color". Why does he say this?
3. Why does The Giver say that making choices would be frightening for people?
I chose to answer the 3rd question why does the Giver say that making choices would be frightening fort he people. The reason that I chose to write about it is because you could answer this question so many different ways as everyone has a different prospectives.
The reason that I think it would be frightening for the people to make choices is because they would not know what to do. Imagine being locked up for the whole of your life and being told what to do and then being let out into the wild having to make decisions for yourself. It would be so hard and no one would be able to help you as no one else knew what to do either. This is how it would have felt for the people of Jonas's community. Everyone would be in a mess especially if they let you choose your own job. What if when you picked your own job you picked because you thought it would be fun but in the end you don't understand anything about the job. This is one of the benefits about being assigned a job as you know that you should do good at it. If I was like Jonas and was the receiver of memories then I would probably think the same and say it would be dangerous for the people. They would not know what to do during spare time or what to eat or even when to get up. I think it would take generations after generations for the people from Jonas's community to understand what choices are and how to make them.
"Or what if," he went on, almost laughing at the absurdity, "They chose their own jobs?"
"Frightening, isn't it?" The giver said.
Jonas chuckled. "Very frightening. I can't even imagine it. We really have to protect people for wrong choices."
"It's safer."
"Yes" Jonas agreed "Much safer."
I think the reason is because everyone even the giver is scared of making choices because they have not had the choice for generations. Even though he saw the memories of the world he is still scared to make choices and change in the community. I think that Jonas will be brave enough to help make change in the community. Jonas will fight for his people and make the community more free sot hat they can make more choices. It might take him a little bit of time to understand that not all choices are frightening like it say in the quote.
"Asher," JOnas said one morning. "Look at those flowers very carefully."
"What's the matter?" Asher asked uneasily. "Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing I thought for a minute that they were wilting, and we should let the gardening crew know they need more watering." Jonas sighed, and turned away.
In this passage Jonas is already trying to see if anyone else can see the colour in the flowers so I know that he will help the community make good, healthy choices. It will be hard but important for Jonas to help his people understand choices. He will make a great receiver of memory and will bring more hope to the people then any other. It may take a while for them to understand as they can't receive the memories at least not yet like Jonas. I think Jonas will do a great job at helping the people and will be a responsible leader.
Monday, March 7, 2011
The Giver
In class at the moment I am reading the Giver by Lois Lowry I am really enjoying it and would recommend it to others. In class we have been asked to answer the following question: Would you want your future to be decided by others ? Why or Why not?
Here is my answer:
I think you should have the freedom to decide your own future and others shouldn't decided for you. In the giver Jonas and the people of his community have to follow strict rules and rituals. The Chief Elder decides what job you should be assigned and you have no other choice. I don't think this is right and that you should be allowed to choose you own job or at least get a chance at trying out for it.
The reason I think you should get to decide your own future is because it is part of growing up, you learn from your mistakes. I also think other people should not be deciding your future other wise when you are young you can't have the fun of deciding what you want to be when your older. I have a plan already and so do my siblings. I think this is all a big part of growing up. I mean what would you choose, for other people to boss you about or for you to be free and be able to choose for yourself? I think it is quite obvious what we would all choose to be free and ourselves.
Another reason is that if someone turned round and said oh your going to be a vet I would not be happy. I hate anything gruesome inside an animal. I love animals but couldn't cope as a vet. As I keep saying no one is going to choose what I want to be when I am older.I want to make my own decisions in life and be who I wan't to be and not who anyone else wants me to be. I am happy with who I am and wouldn't change anything. I think everyone should learn to be who they wan to be in life and I think it is a valuable lesson.
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