Service: Teaching English Club

            Today was the final meeting of the News Casting and Writing unit. We had some snacks set up, and immediately set to watching the news casting videos that the different groups had created, after quickly introducing ourselves and what we had been doing for the past four weeks to the guests present. They included our head of school, Mr. Peter, and other teachers such as Ibu Yuda and Mrs. Peggy.

            There was a total of 3 groups who presented videos of different lengths, with the relative length being around 10 minutes. We seniors were very impressed by the effort that the group displayed in creating these news casting videos, even though we are aware that they have school work to do, and their participation in English Club afterschool is not something that is graded, and can be deemed as something of lesser importance. The groups took the time to edit the videos, creating a complete news program, as you would you see on TV. They had anchors talking in “studios” and moved to field reporters. One of the groups even had a by phone interview (though of course it was prerecorded), which was very interesting to see, as it made their video unique, and showed that they thought quite creatively, trying to use a wide range of reporting styles in their video. The “news” that they covered was also quite diverse, showing a good breadth of topics, and making their news casting videos quite complete, like something you might see on TV where there news is varied and not focused on only one event. They covered topics from sport, to interviews with the newly elected president and vice president of the student council, and even taking the time during our school’s Youth Camp to interview people regarding the Youth Camp, and “reporting” from the Youth Camp location. All in all, they showed quite some dedication in the creation of their news casting videos.

            After all the groups had presented their videos, we had the groups talk about their experiences in creating the videos and in joining the News Casting and Writing unit. The emphasis of this whole unit is that it is learning process, not just for the participants of the unit, but also for us who teach the unit. We listened to the groups talked about the things that they have learned from participating in the News Casting and Writing unit, and in the process of the creating the videos, including difficulties that they faced in creating their videos. Some of them for example, felt nervous before a take, and so had to repeat a “scene” multiple times. I think that this unit has been quite an enjoyable experience for them, even if it means that they had to put in extra work outside of schoolwork.

            As the groups talked about their experiences, they also received feedback from ourselves and the guests present. We mentioned how impressed we are by the amount of work they put into the videos, and how much we appreciate their participation in this first unit of the English Club.

Service: Teaching English Club

            Today we held the third and final meeting of the News Casting and Writing unit before the groups will present the news casting videos that they have made. Immediately after the groups gathered in Miss Debbie’s classroom afterschool, they got to work. Some of the groups worked within the classroom, while others went out to shoot footage for the videos that they are creating. Amidst the activity of all the groups, the twelfth graders present continued planning for the House Team Debate competition that will be held early the following year, soon after we return to school from the Christmas break. This scheduling of the event was one of the things that we discussed, as we were trying to figure out when it would be best to release the motions, whether we will give the groups time to case build before the debate as is traditional, and whether the debate will be made private or public, as well as the time that they should be held after school. It was decided that due to time constraints, we will not give the team official case building time before the debate, and instead, we will release the motion a few days before the debate, and they must case build in their own times, and come ready to immediately start the debate on the day of the competition. We also agreed that we will make the first two rounds private, and the third and final round, will be the only round that is public. Other details and changes we will work out as time goes, and as we hold the Debate unit of the English Club later on in the year. Aside from this we also discussed who to invite to help adjudicate the debate, and the details that we will release to the house teams, about the teams that they must form for the debate competition. This include that each house team will need to send two teams, and theses teams will consist of students from grades 9 to 12. Though we would like to involve as many of the grade levels as possible, we decided that the youngest participants should be ninth graders, because if the participants are to young, they might not have enough general knowledge and experience or critical thinking ability to debate that well, putting it bluntly. We also decided that at least two grade levels must be represented in each team, to even out the experience levels of the different teams, as a team consisting entirely of twelfth graders, will likely win over a team consisting entirely of ninth graders, even if both teams do not have prior debating experience. This is an overview of the things that we discussed today.

Service: Teaching English Club

            Today was the second meeting of the News Casting and Writing unit. From the beginning of the meeting, the groups straightaway began to work on their respective news casts. They prepared scripts, the list of people they wanted to interview, and topics they wanted to cover, as well as the equipment that they need and the like. They are getting to a good start, and we gave them room to work between themselves in their groups.

            While the groups worked, the seniors along with Miss Debbie began to plan for the House Team Debate competition that we will help to plan and run. The house team competitions will be help after the Christmas break, and representatives from each house team are expected to take part in the debating unit. This competition will be one of the events that add to the accumulative house team points at the end of the school year.

Creativity: Piano Lessons

       I played pieces 8 and 9 from Bach today. I need to slow down my playing and work on the accuracy of the notes first for no. 9, before playing it faster. I am no assigned to try out no. 13 from the book. I also played the fifth piece from Heller today, after the 11^th piece went alright. I need to play the fifth piece more smoothly.

Service: Teaching English Club

            Today was the first meeting of English Club, and the first meeting of the News Casting and Writing unit. We are pleased with the number of people that signed-up for the unit, which allowed us to divide them into a few groups. We started the meeting by introducing ourselves, that is Febe, Jennifer and myself, as those in charge of the unit, as well as Sherni, the other senior present. We then showed them a video that a professional news channel had put together, which gives a behind the scenes glimpse at what goes into and happens in preparation for a news cast. Jennifer and I then further explained some of the roles that were mentioned in the video. These were the main roles that go into creating a news cast at a news network. Some of these roles overlap, so we went over the main ones, including the producer, anchor, reporters, script writers, etc.

            Next, we divided everyone into groups. We then gave them time to get to know each other, share contact details, and such. They then began to work on the news casting videos that they will present. We told them that they can cover numerous stories, and told them that they can always looks for inspiration from the news and news casts that they may see everyday for themselves, or they can always go online.

            They spent the rest of the meeting beginning to work in their groups and they all seem to be getting along well and have already begun to divide jobs and brainstorm stories that they can cover, etc.

Service: Teaching English Club

            Today, we had a short meeting after school with those interested in joining English Club, and particularly those who are interested in joining the first unit, News Casting and Writing. The purpose of this meeting was to briefly introduce to them English Club, giving them details such as how long meetings will take and reassuring them about participating in English Club, saying that we will make it as interesting and flexible as possible, so that they don’t feel that there is extra weight on their shoulders. We also addressed any questions that they had. After this, we gave them permission slips, as is school policy, for them to return, saying that they have permission from their parents to attend meetings.