Learning Outcome Entry

Learning Outcomes Journal Entry

Welcome back all for this week’s installment of semi-CAS related journal entries with Sam, a journey into my psyche, IB, MUN, and a whole lotta other crazy stuff. As I’m sure you all (Miss Amy) know by now, I have a way with words, and oftentimes that means that my journal entries get a bit rambly. So I’m gonna take a gamble and try something new – I’m going to challenge myself to answer each Learning Outcome question in 150 words or less, and let me tell you right now it is going to be painful.

Question 1 – Did everyone agree with my project? If not, how did I justify my
approach?

Everyone did not agree with my project, nor the approach I took. From the day I announced it I had kids from all grades participating, including some of my own class members, telling me they had no intention of inputting effort and were fully expecting the two days of MUN to be an absolute waste. My response? I simply told those students that they would get as much out of MUN as they put in. It’s one of those things where the output and experience you receive is solely dependent on how invested you are and how willing you are to properly research and prepare. Something I learned very early on in my MUN career is that regardless of how much you are taught, guided, etc. the true learning opportunity comes from your personal experience and reflection when the dust is settled. So while students may not have agreed with my project, I diplomatically informed them that a) it would be invaluable as a learning experience and b) it was mandatory so they didn’t have a choice.

Question 2 – How did it feel to work with others?

I felt that this question is important overall, and especially relevant after the events that transpired in my class this past week, when working with others did not go well. Fortunately, my CAS project was a much more productive collaborative time. I got massive help from my immediate family members, who helped me set up and run trivia night, as well as managed to provide food for nearly 100 kids despite learning of the problem the night before. Additionally, all my chairs were extremely communicative and took their jobs seriously, which took a lot of the stress off of my back and allowed me to focus on more big-picture stuff. I even had Alejandra, one of the kindest seniors in existence, as my personal assistant, although she turned out to be monumentally helpful with everything from logistics and language translation. However, not everything can be sunshine and rainbows, and I certainly had some ~challenges~ when trying to work with and manage others, such as when Zuniga simply could not accomplish the basic tasks he had promised. But that is life, and I would say I learned that being independent and codependent are equally valuable skills to have in school, work, and life beyond.

PS – sorry I went over 150 both times