Reflection 1 - The Beginning 

My intention is to learn the guitar by ‘self-teaching’ using a range of youtube tutors and other guitar applications. I wish to learn the guitar for the following reasons:

1. Personal enjoyment: I want to learn the guitar simply because I enjoy listening to music and want to learn how to play some songs.

2. Creative expression: Hopefully it will be a good way to express myself creatively and safely as I am not someone who would enjoy playing the guitar publicly.

3. Therapeutic benefits: The process of learning the guitar will be a release from the stress of academic pressures. I hope that it will provide me with a recreational interest which positively impacts my wellbeing.

 I hope I can stay motivated and focused throughout the learning journey.

Reflection 2 - The Midpoint

I am finding some difficulty in developing a routine around my guitar practice and tend to just pick it up adhoc. This is not the best way to learn as I need to develop more continuity in practice to positively impact my progress. Irregular practice also leads to pain! Without regular playing my fingertips become sore as I repeatedly press down on the guitar strings. I need to pick up the guitar more regularly and often so that I can 'battle harden' my finger tips.

I also recognise that greater practice will help my coordination of finger placement to keep up with the various fret chords and notes without making a mistake. I have found that repeating basic chords and songs has helped with my speed, accuracy and I guess muscle memory.

I have realised that frustration can set in when progress is slow, leading to a loss of motivation. I find my mind drifting and then I put the guitar down. I should probably be more appreciative of the small gains I am making over time.

Reflection 3 - Moving Forwards

In the future, I wish to pursue the Guitar as a hobby in my free time. I am looking for a professional teacher in the Phuket School of Music who can give me lessons, as I would love to keep learning more and improving my abilities. I have also found that learning an instrument is a great way to take a break and relax, and I have found that it has brought me a sense of real joy and comfort, despite and occasional frustration.

Reflection 1 - The Beginning 

After my studies at IGCSE level I decided to switch my second language option from Mandarin to Spanish Ab Intio. However, I was keen to improve my Mandarin vocabulary  in case I wish to further study Mandarin at some level at University. I decided therefore to attend weekly conversational classes with a Tutor outside of school. I see the study of Mandarin as important as it is the most widely spoken language in the world and I think that any future study at University will capitalise on the fact learning Mandarin would give me a competitive advantage in the job market as many businesses are looking for employees who can speak Mandarin.

Having lived in China for three years I am also interested in Chinese culture, and learning Mandarin would help  to communicate with native speakers and experience Chinese culture firsthand. I hope to study each week and possibly sit a Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) with my Tutor's support and guidance.

I am confident that learning conversational Mandarin Chinese will be a valuable investment in my future. I am excited to start learning and to see what opportunities it opens up for me.

Reflection 2 - The Midpoint

I have thoroughly enjoyed teaming up with Meng Laoshi as we get on very well and I enjoy the time I spend with her. I probably should have set some targets/goals at the beginning of the sessions as we tend to chat away without much consideration of how I can ultimately assess my progress. We discussed if completion of HSK 3 or 4 is a worthwhile target, but I think I will struggle to commit study time to this given that I am extremely busy with my IB studies. Regardless, we have decided that the skills that I am improving on whilst following the HSK curriculum are worthwile in themselves, so we made the decision to continue using this in my studies. Below is the book that we reference:

Reflection 3 - Moving Forwards

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with my Tutor Meng Laoshi, but unfortunately she has had to move back to China with her family, so the sessions have come to an abrupt end. I had a really special connection with her, and will keep in contact with Meng Laoshi regardless of the tutoring that I received. In summary I learnt the following things about developing my conversational Mandarin skills:

• Set realistic goals. I didn't expect to become fluent in Mandarin overnight, but I wish I had set myself some realistic goals so that I can now have a measurement of progress.

• Find a learning method that works for you. There are many different ways to learn Mandarin Chinese and the interpersonal connection with Meng Laoshi certainly was the best way for me to learn (as opposed to books; apps; websites etc)

• Practice consistently. I found finding time to consistently practice outside by scheduled sessions with Meng Laoshi extremely difficult due to my commitments in others areas. I should probably have timetabled a specific time where I could focus solely on Mandarin.

• Immersion in the language. One thing that really helped was the range of sources that meng Laoshi recommended so that I get develop a greater immersion in Chinese language.  These ranged from Chinese TV shows, to reading Chinese books and articles.

I hope to use this experience in order to add value to my applications to University where I hope to study Mandarin as an option within a wider Liberal Arts programme.

Reflection 1 - The Beginning

I have decided to pursue an interest in learning the piano, by getting a student tutor to provide me with one-to-one support. This was inspired by my guitar lessons, which I really enjoy and am improving drastically with. I am now finding that I am beginning to develop a keen interest in music in my free time, and I would love to continue building on this passion by learning the basics of piano skills.

Reflection 2 - The Midpoint

I am really enjoying learning the piano with my tutor. I have developed the basic skills, and can hear music coming to life in front of me, which is bringing me a real sense of satisfaction. It has definitely been a challenging process so far, and I have been met with familiar challenges of frustration. However, at the same time I have developed a sincere friendship with the student tutor who is helping me, which has really helped me to enjoy the process and its challenges. 

Reflection 3 - Moving Forwards

I aim to continue learning the piano in my free time, as I can see it being something that brings me a lot of joy. Particularly given my enrollment in the IB, it has been challenging to commit myself to time away from schoolwork. I believe that by focusing a part of my week on learning the piano, I have been able to temporarily step away from personal and academic pressures, which I feel has helped to improve both my wellbeing and school performance. I can't wait to continue with this passion for music in my future, 

Reflection 1 - The Beginning

I feel especially drawn to photography as an art form, because of the unique artistic possibilities that it offers. I am especially intrigued by analogue photography, as I find the tactile and thoughtful approach to image-making both interesting and inspiring. I aim to immerse myself in this in the coming months, and I aspire to hone my skills in composition, exposure and the general basic skills in an intentional manner. I would like to build a casual portfolio that captures the essence of everyday moments in my life, and will allow me to look back on my experiences with authenticity and nostalgia. Ultimately, it is important to me to not only build upon the technical aspects of photography, but I also wish to find a new appreciation for the creative process.

Reflection 2 - The Midpoint

Reflection 3 - Moving Forwards

My journey in analogue photography so far has revealed a passion for artistic expression that I have become deeply intrigued by and passionate about. I have spent hours experimenting with both colour and black and white film, carefully composing shots and figuring out what I enjoy photographing the most. I have enjoyed most of all the sense of satisfaction experienced after recieving my film back from the developing studio, and this in particular is why I feel captured to analogue photography as opposed to digital. I have decided to exhibit my work on a personal portfolio, which I plan on referencing when in need of inspiration in the future. Creating this was technically difficult, as I was met with the challenges and frustrations of technology. Although, it also give me a sense of pride and accomplishment, which made the process rewarding. 

See Here:

https://sites.google.com/bisphuket.ac.th/imogen-opal/grayscale

Looking forward, I am keen to learn the art of darkroom development, as the prospect of physically developing my own images is thrilling (despite being slightly daunting)! I really hope to contineu pursuing this hobby in my free time, as I have found it to be very therapeutic and enjoyable.