Vocal Singing Practices Reflection

From the 28^th of August 2013 until the end  of February 2014, in every Wednesday and Friday lunch time, I practiced my vocal singing skills with songs that I wrote before and during the practices. Furthermore I also practiced known songs such as ‘the eye of the tiger’, As long as you love me’, ‘Hey there Delilah’, and two known songs in Hebrew. I sang all this songs with the background rhythm and beat of those songs. Each time I missed a practice lesson, I recovered the practice lesson in my free time periods. I really enjoyed, practicing my voice and performing my own songs. From one practice to another, my voice improved significantly, by a better control of my voice and a better control of the tone of the song. This activity gave me the opportunity, to strengthen my ability, to sing and have more courage to write songs. The one difficulty I had is to create a rhythm or a beat to my own songs, because I don’t know how to play any musical instrument. To overcome this problem, I was singing my own songs, without any musical background, to tune and structure my vocalist skills. Some students entered my folder and listened to my records. Their good comments surprised and pleased me as it gave me, more motivation to continue to undertake the challenge of the sudden hobby to sing and write songs. In addition, the activity of writing songs helped me mentally as I wrote about my day to day life, as composing different songs made me a calmer person. To end with, the practice of vocal singing gave me the chance to develop a skill of writing and performing a song as well as, being satisfied and aware of my ability to write songs.       

My Final Performance In front of the whole school

 This is the Song I was singing

Imagine By John Lennon

The songs I wrote:

 

Extreme Adventure Park Busiika

In the 18^th and the 19^th of February from 10 am to 13:30 pm I participated in the Extreme Adventure Park Busiika course, for 3 and half hours in each day. The park is Located in Uganda Motorsport Arena in Busiika village on Gayaza Road, Wakiso district. The course Contains 32 elements located on 16 poles rising from 3.5 meters to 11 meters high. There is a composite of three routes representing three levels:  NINJA, COMMANDO and EXTREME. Each route is from 9 to 11 obstacles of varying difficulty levels. It was a very challenging course; due to the fact that it was the first time I climbed ropes and reached those heights from climbing. Furthermore, the course required strong muscles, physical fitness activity, braveness and strong mentality, to keep moving and finishing each level. Before, I started to climb the instructor was guiding me of how to protect myself correctly in case I release the rope. Then he gave me a set of equipment to wear which contains:  harness, 2 dynamic ropes 10.2 mm, 2 bent gate carabineers, sling, pulley and a helmet.  Afterwards, the instructor asked me to sign a paper which says that I listened to all instructions and in case I fall and get injured it’s my responsibility.

The first level was quite challenging but I managed to finish it very quickly. The second level was very challenging, as it required higher skills than the first level. I finished the second level after a long time of approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes. The third level was the hardest for me. After finishing the first two levels, I became tired  and I stopped at the 6 obstacle, where I had 5 more obstacles to finish the course. I was very proud of my accomplishment on the first day, although I wanted to complete the three levels. The instructor told me that I was very talented considering the fact that it was my first time. He also said that I reached the furthest obstacle on the first day. On the second day of the course, I was more prepared to complete the three levels. After, approximately 3 hours and 35 minutes, I managed to finish the 3 levels. I was surprised by my ability to climb, and this course revealed me a sport that I am really good at and, I can grow in it and improve.

In conclusion, this course allowed me to develop a new skill of climbing ropes, increasing my awareness of my mentality and my Muscle strength, to keep on climbing the ropes, and finally I undertook a new challenge of being brave by taking the risk of participating in this course.                    

                                       

  

Little Light (My Collaborative Project)

From the 15th of October until the end of February I was involved in an organization called “little light”. This is my collaborative project since the start of October 2013 towards the end of February 2014.the Little Light Foundation is a place, where children are sent to have more support and extra lessons with their school work. It is a place where 100 families are interviewed and only the ones who really need the support and help with their children gets recruited to the little light organization. I participated in this organization together with another 5 students in my school. I came every Saturday for approximately two hours from 10 am to 12.30 pm. There were couple of times when the children were not there, hiding behind the building and trying to escape the lessons. I mainly taught them Math and English, played with the children football and sometimes created my own activities. The first time I came I was nervous because I didn't know exactly how to handle and teach the children. Also I felt that the children were really shy and embarrassed by me, as it was very hard for me to communicate with them as they tried to avoid me. I undertook a new challenge because usually I don’t have any patience to children and most of the time they dislike me. But, as they children saw me coming every Saturday they got used to me and I also started to enjoy helping them. In addition, I started to plan and initiate my own activities and the children enjoyed and were more active in my creative activities than the planned lessons with the syllabus and the curriculum for math and English. I noticed that after 20 minutes some of the children couldn't concentrate anymore, so I made activities that connect math and mainly English. The one activity which they enjoyed the most was the hang man game. This is a game where one person writes a topic and below, draws a certain number of blank boxes which represent the number of letters of a word. For example I wrote sports as a topic and 8 blank boxes and one of the children has to guess the right sport which is football. In this activity the children were so enthusiastic and creative that they could have played this game without stopping. Another game which the children really liked is the memory figure game, where they needed to match two cards with the exact color and pattern of the object. This game made them eager to win, and on the way to improve their thinking and their memory skills. I turned out the lessons to be more of a unique and adventures time, because it happened to me in their age where after 20 minutes I couldn't concentrate anymore! The main lesson I learned from volunteering in ‘Little Light’ is how to engage and make other people listen to you in awkward situations where the facilities are limited. Furthermore, every Saturday I came, I considered the ethical implications of my actions, as making those children happy and enthusiastic and let them, forget for two hours about the tough life and the poverty they live in. I also managed to work collaboratively with my group during my time in ‘little light’. For example, when the rest of the group came to paint the gate, and write the logo I took the responsibility to teach and make the children busy while they paint the gate. During my participation in the ‘little light’ foundation I developed a new skill of teaching and making children to concentrate, as well as I showed commitment and perseverance, even when the children were ignoring and running away from me, I didn't give up and I kept on trying!

All in all, being involved in the ‘Little light’ organization gave me a more open eyes to the world around me and even after CAS will end, during my adult hood I will volunteer just to make other people happy.

Little Light Final Video:

             

CAS Project Form:

         

Distribution of Primary Toys

From the 18^th of November to the 24^th of February, I took the task of distributing toys to primary kids during Monday break time. When someone was absent on the other break times of the week, or he needed support, I came to help them as well. I managed to organize the breaks very well, and when time was over I went to the kids, got the toys back, putted the toys inside the box, and then took the toys box to the primary office. Slowly by slowly, when I came to the primary area the kids were more patient and waited calmly for their, turn to sign out one of the toys. Every day, the toys during break time were allowed only to one year group.However, sometimes I saw a different year group kids, standing next to the toy box, so I made a new rule that they can play only next to the toy box, where I can see them. Each time I couldn't come to the primary area I told it to the primary coordinator, to show responsibility and to make sure the primary kids will play during break time, with someone else, who manages the toy box. All in all, I showed perseverance and commitment to the task of distributing the toys to the primary kids.

 Putting the box in the primary office

 Distributing the toys during break time

The New system of distributing toys