This is the last seminar, and I got an even lower score than the last. So, I would like to share some of my thoughts here.
I came to OCAC in 6th grade and was very excited about it because I heard this school had almost no homework and tests. And it was true, almost no tests at all, and was pretty easy to study in. But of course, this is indeed a new learning mode and environment. For example, my previous school didn’t have anything like SAs, and classes never required the use of computers or other electronic devices to assist with projects. ManageBac was also a new concept for me; it took me a long time to figure out how to use the system. Of course, grading criteria and learning modes are completely different for someone like me who just transferred here. New school, new friends, everything is brand new and unfamiliar to me. One thing that made me very happy when I first transferred here was the school cafeteria. I thought to myself, wow! There are actually three different sections to choose from. This is probably many times better than the food I used to eat at my previous school.
Seventh grade marks another new beginning, and we were quite unhappy to receive one particular piece of information: that we would have mid-term and final exams. I thought we might finally be done with traditional exams, but it turns out they have made a comeback after all. As we grow older, we have to learn more and more things, and our expectations of ourselves also increase. We have not only added a new subject, Biology but also introduced the A model B model format. At first, everyone was very dissatisfied with this because now we not only have to do a lot of SAs but also prepare for mid-term and final exams. Of course, fortunately, I encountered a particularly good class in seventh grade, which helped me adapt to the learning environment more effectively. Many significant events happened in seventh grade. For instance, my best friend from sixth grade and I weren’t sorted in the same class. Over time, as we grew apart, eventually, we stopped playing together. This had a profound impact on me, bringing about positive changes but also leaving some negative emotions behind.
Eighth grade, which is our current grade, marks the final year of MYP. With the addition of new subjects like Physics, the academic demands are increasing, Coupled with the standardized exams required by many educational authorities, our stress levels are rising. Every year, I worry about the class assortment results and breathe a sigh of relief when I find myself with classmates who are not necessarily my favorites but still good company. However, as we spent more time together during the school year, we all became good friends. We were also required to do the CP exhibition, which is typically a task for ninth graders!
Over these three years at OCAC, I’ve grown a lot and learned many new knowledge and skills. I’ve made many friends but also lost some along the way. Overall, OCAC has given me many opportunities and allowed me to discover a new world. However, both the school and we as students still have many areas that need improvement. This way, we can better meet both our needs and those of the school.
This is a very balanced reflection on the three MYP years.
It’s good to see acknowledgement of the cafeteria here. It might not be perfect but it certainly is much better than the average school meal. I guess those who complain have been in top end ‘international’ schools all their school life so don’t have anything much to compare it to.
I wonder if you could be more specific about the “areas that need improvement”. If these areas are identified, I can feed back to the academic management and perhaps some action can be taken.
This cohesive device is confusing in the middle of your ‘Seventh Grade’ paragraph: “Of course, ”