It’s that time of year again. The very special time of year. Mid January. Rain is in the air, socks are wet, and it is raining. Fear not, as it is also the time of year for PLP’s famous student lead conferences. Called MPOL’s (Midyear Presentations of Learning.) I am a veteran when it comes to standing up here and giving a talk about myself. This is my seventh time doing this. Yes, I’m old. The focus for the conference this time of year is all about improvement, how I am going to improve over the next 5 months of the current grade. How my time from January to June will be better than my September to December. So, let’s get into it.

In the past I use three examples. One is an example of learning that I am proud of, one that shows growth, and one that is an example of where we want to grow in the future. Because now we are only talking about one of those things, the third one, I decided to mostly focus on the two largest projects that we did. The Manhattan Project Project and the Carousel of Communism, as well as my general work ethic, habits, and skillset.

Manhattan Project. My Experience.

Carousel of Communism

I’m going to use this project/post to explain there ways that I want to improve over the next 5 month period, carrying me all the way to the end of grade 11. So, without further ado, lest get started.

 In these posts, and presentations I like to touch back on the most recent one that I have done, and update you on my progress since. So, last TPOL in June 2018, when I was in the end of grade 10, my big goal was about consistency. Well, the lack thereof. Not really, actually I talked about how my attitude towards certain projects, assignments, and even class discussions could be very inconsistent. Last year I could walk in to humanities and give an 90% project, then walk into SciMatics and hang on to an 80%. Just based of enthusiasm and motivation. I think that grade 11 is a big year in my quest for education, and for everybody’s. Your marks go on your transcript, you start to select courses based on your intended post-secondary aspirations, and every single mark, assignment, test, quiz, bonus assignment, they all add up to improving your grade. In the first couple weeks of this year grade 11 kicked me hard. But, I learned from it. I learned in non-PLP subjects how everything is graded, marked, and weighed to make a grade for you. I think that attitude has carried over to all classes, especially PLP. An example is the winter exhibition. That was a long project, from reading the crucible, to doing the creative creations, to learning about the 1950s, to the planning, building, and the performing I felt I operated at a high level throughout. I am proud of my leadership, I am proud of my creative creations, I am proud of the class, and I am very proud of the final product. I see that this is because I was firing on all cylinders throughout, and I plan to keep doing that. 

Next, I want to talk about where development is starting to happen little by little. That is PGP and more specifically goal setting and time management. PGP is a new course that is surrounding the ideas of time management and goal setting. I want to first talk about goal setting and then time management. On the left is my dream board, this is a visual board of goals that we want to happen at some point in our lives. It will probably change to be honest, I am only 16, but this is what 16 year old Adam wants in his life in the future. Some explaining is needed for a few parts most likely. Top left is ACE the American Council on Exercise. That is an organization that offers programs to certify people to be personal trainers. And the shoes are a metaphor. I want a job where I can wear sneakers to work at least some of the time. For comfort, happiness, and just my fashion preferences. Anyway, to make this board I just imagined myself in 10ish years. There are some life goals or aspirations, there is a map showing that I am interested in living in San Francisco, and being a certified personal trainer. I did not directly reference an exact career because I want that to be open. I put UVIC as a school because to me right now that school is the perfect size, I like the layout and atmosphere, and I just like the school.

The next part of this section is time management. Im going to specifically talk about my calendar and time blocking. As you can see in the beginning of the month I was not very enthusiastic, but as it continued I added all my classes, and at the start of every week I look ahead and insert things like hockey games and practices. I also have started inserting work time for things like studying, working on projects, and adding events like this TPOL. So far this is really helping, for example the weekend I’ m writing this both on Saturday and Sunday I looked at my calendar for what to do and when. In the future  I want to split this into deferent calendars, maybe one for school work, one for tests and events, and one for sports and training

So, Ive talked about where growth has happened, where it is happening, now I want to talk about where it is going. I am going to talk about expanding skillset, as wells using the skills I currently have more often. What I mean by this is that I only play my strengths. For example, where a project starts the PLP 11 class has known each other for so long we know thatches person is good at writing, they will write, this person is a good editor, they will edit. Normally I get put into a writing role, and in larger projects a leadership or DRI role. I don’t want to stop leading, I like it and I’m good at it, I want to expand what skills I use when I am had on, not always writing the script, not always doing the research and writing the paragraphs. I want to work on my weaknesses, those being in things like technology, shooting, editing, recording. The next project we are doing is a solo project, so I will have an opportunity to do this. We are making videos individually that piece together to make a series. I want to work hard to make my videos animations, video quality, and audio quality are all on point or above the quality of the people who are really good at those things, and those are their strengths. If I do this, the areas that I am currently good at and would consider my ‘strengths’ would be even to what is now my ‘weaknesses’ and when that happens. That is when the most intense growth happens.

That’s what I want to get better at, and those are areas that I believe really need work. But, I have thoroughly enjoyed this year so far. Even though I missed the field school the class of PLP 11 is a really good place to be. That can be proved in products we make, like the winter exhibition this past December or just how it is being in the class every day. I’m excited for the second half of the year.