Annual Training Camp Day 3, 20 December 2021

 Hello Guides! 

Today is the last day of our Annual Training Camp. Fortunately, we had the opportunity to conduct ATC Day 3 physically. For today’s activity, we built a Kitchen Table, Bridge, conducted lash training as well as Creative Gadgeting. 

1. Kitchen Table

As our last pioneering session was a few months ago, building a Kitchen Table was a good chance for our juniors to brush up on their pioneering skills. It also helped them recall how to tie a standard structure. Through this activity, the Year 2s had the opportunity to step up and lead their Year 1s in tying the structure. The storyline for Kitchen Table is as follows: “It’s your first day at Hogwarts and it’s now time for lunch. But you realised that your seniors had a food fight and destroyed all the tables in the lunch hall. Your next lesson is starting in 1 hour and you need to think of a solution fast to settle your lunch before the next lesson.”   

Reflection from a Year 1: 

For ATC today, one of the activities we did was Pioneering. We built a kitchen table with our ATC patrols. We all were able to bond better with our batchmates and seniors that we would have never interacted with if not for ATC. Although we have built a kitchen table before, it was a whole different experience building a kitchen table with people whom we barely knew as we were not able to bond over the zoom sessions we had for the previous 2 ATC sessions in November. However, after a while we were able to get to know each other a little better and be more comfortable with each other. Thus, we were able to build the kitchen table with minimal miscommunications. I have learnt both soft and hard skills from building the kitchen table. Some of the soft skills I learnt were how to communicate better with people I barely know. I learnt how to have better time management as we had to build a kitchen table under limited time which was set by the seniors. We also learnt many hard skills such as how to tie many of the more common lashes that are used in pioneering. Although I already learnt the lashes through building the kitchen table before, however, since it was quite a long time before we last had a physical 集合, I was a little rusty and forgot some of the lashes that were used for pioneering. However the seniors were very helpful and taught us how to tie the lashes as they have more experience in tying the lashes. At the end of the building the kitchen table we all felt very accomplished as after about an hour of tying, lifting and building we were finally able to finish building the Kitchen Table.

 

Reflection from a Year 2: 

On our last day of ATC, we were required to build a kitchen table. We used 红木 to make two tripods for the kitchen table. The lashes for the tripod had to be tied tightly as a matter of safety precautions. Hence, we tied the lashes as tight as possible to prevent having to 重抽 and this helps us save time. Once that was done and the tripods were up, we went on to continue the rest of the structure. As a senior to the Year 1s, we had to teach them how to tie the Timber Hitch. As we have not done pioneering in a long time, the Year 1s have not gotten that much practice in tying pioneering structures and need revision on things such as the Timber Hitch. We also tried to ensure that our lashes were up to standard even though we have not had physical CCA in quite awhile. I feel that our lashes could have been tighter, and we will improve in this aspect. At the start, we had a mix up with another patrol on the logistics collected, so we had to spend some time retrieving more logistics from the back store. We ended up starting the structure later than the other patrols, and hence we were unable to complete our structure. We were only almost done with it despite the time extensions given to us. Since we started building the structure late, we should have had a better sense of urgency while building the structure. The rate that the lashes were tied could have been improved a lot. Thus, in future 集合s, I will be more careful while collecting logistics so other patrols logistics will not get mixed up with ours and prevent us from wasting time. I am also thankful to be able to brush up on my lash skills through building this kitchen table.

2. Bridge

Next, we built a bridge as part of creative pioneering. Since our juniors hardly get a chance to build creative pioneering structures, this was a good opportunity to apply their knowledge of shearing and bridge flexing. The storyline for the Bridge is as follows: “Today, you all will be given a chance to go to Hogwarts through the secret passage at the train station. At Hogwarts, you face a challenge. You have to cross a rapid river by building a bridge.”

Reflection from a Year 1: 

During ATC on 20 December,  one activity we did was Pioneering. We got to work with people we usually would not work with if it was not for ATC. Some areas we felt could have been improved was more constant and louder 报时, along with having a much greater sense of urgency as none of us managed to complete the bridge within the given time. We could also have taken more initiative such as asking our seniors what to do once we completed what we were currently doing and had nothing to do, what 木 to collect or if there is insufficient 木 when everyone was collecting the logistics. In addition, we could have been much faster when collecting the logistics as we took around 30 minutes which was well over the given time and some of the logistics got mixed up between the patrols. Although we should have been able to complete the structure, we were unable to do so as we were slightly unfamiliar with how to tie our lashes, as well as some basic pioneering knowledge. This included not knowing how to find the 头 and the 脚 of the 木. However, it was a good opportunity for us to revise our lashes and pioneering skills. We managed to learn from some of the mistakes that we had made, such as tying the lashes with one more round than we needed to as we were using spars instead of Gadgeting, and the way we were supposed to tie the 顶脚s. We also learnt that the lashes should be tied quickly and tightly as it has to support the weight of the people standing on it and also be tied within the limited time given. Overall, this activity helped us to correct our mistakes and to practise tying our lashes more tightly and correctly.

Reflection from a Year 2: 

Our pioneering bridge was not very successful for a few reasons. Firstly, during the collection of logistics, we were very slow. There was also a different understanding of the number of 深蓝木 that we needed within the 团. As some originally thought that we only needed two, we found that there were too little 深蓝木 towards the end. We spent quite a lot of time trying to collect the remaining 木, also because they were quite heavy and each pair could only carry two at once. There was also a problem with the total collection of logistics as they were very messily arranged at MRL. As we could not see what each patrol had and were missing, we had to keep counting towards the end as we tried to find out what we left out. As for my patrol, we had many struggles with building one of the quadpods. It was tied quite slowly as we mistakenly chose a 绳 with many knots which made it very difficult to tie between the 木. For our first attempt, we found that there was a 飞脚 when we tried to 起 it. This was likely because when we trying to 抽, we did not 定 properly and the 木 was not straight. Hence, we wasted a lot of time redoing the quadpod till it could stand. By the time we managed it, over 30 minutes had passed which was unacceptable. Another issue was that the 定脚s of the other quadpod was tied wrongly. The 定脚 for the cross 木 was not higher than the rest and would have been a problem had we arrived at connecting the quadpod. In the end, we unfortunately could not finish our structure both due to the quadpod problems and also as our general sense of urgency was not very present. I also believe that quite a few of our lashes were quite loose and we had rooms for improvement.

3. Lash Training

Afterwards, we conducted lash training. This activity aims to help our juniors recap some of the basic lashes and perfect their lashes before they move on to Gadgeting. The juniors were taught the importance of tight lashes tied within the standard timing. 

Reflection from a Year 1: 

Last week's lash training allowed us to recap the standard timings and practice tying the different lashes. The seniors also gave us feedback for every lash that we tied, which was very helpful as after hearing their advice, we could realise our mistakes and improve in the future. While we had to ensure that we could tie our lashes as fast as possible, we also had to take note of the tightness and neatness of our lashes. Therefore, with the seniors' feedback, we could understand where there was room for improvement and pay more attention so that our lashes would be up to standard. Other than making sure that our lashes were tied well, the lash training session also reminded us of the standard timings for tying the different lashes. As it had been a long time since the last physical CCA session, some of us would have forgotten the information. But the lash training session reminded us of this important information that is a crucial part of many activities that require tying. The lash training session was especially useful for future gadgeting activities as it would help us finish our structure much faster and allow it to be up to par. This is because lash training helps us to familiarize ourselves with the basic types of lashes - the square lash, diagonal lash and A架. By knowing how to tie them properly and quickly, it would greatly improve the end result of the structures that we build. Even small things such as overlapping and 鸟绳 would affect the overall aesthetics of our structures. Hence, in order for our structures to be ideal, we have to ensure that we are able to complete the structure as well as do it to the best of our ability.  Overall, we felt that the lash training session was extremely beneficial for us in many different aspects.

Reflection from a Year 2: 

For today’s ATC, I really enjoyed the lash training activity. We revised the standard lashes: square lash, diagonal lash and A-架. It was very enriching as we not only were able to revise on our lashes, but also practice to tie the lashes tight within the standard timing. From the lash training activity, I also realised what my strengths and weaknesses were in tying lashes. I realised that I was good at tying the lashes neatly, and I managed to tie the square lash and diagonal lash tightly and neatly within the standard timing. However, for the  A-架 lash, I struggled to balance tying within the standard time and ensuring that the lash is tight. This activity hence allowed me to practice and improve on my weakness in tying lashes. After knowing what I had to improve on for each lash, I practiced tying the lashes and I feel that my lashes have improved a bit by the end of the activity. I was able to tie the lashes tighter and faster compared to the first time I tied each different type of lash at the start of the lash training activity. The lash training activity was also really enjoyable because the seniors were very kind and encouraging. When the lash we tied was not very tight, they kindly gave and showed us tips on how to pull the 白绳 to make the lash tighter. The seniors also gave us words of encouragement when we were tying the lashes, which boosted our morale. I really liked the lash training activity, as it not only helped us to revise on our lashes and practice tying tight lashes within the standard timing, but also allowed us to find our strengths and weaknesses in tying the different lashes which helped us to work on and improve our weaker areas of tying the lashes, and also gave us the opportunity to bond with our seniors.

4. Creative Gadgeting (Ferris Wheel) 

This activity serves as an opportunity for our juniors to challenge themselves with a creative structure that they do not have much experience with. This can help them recap and hone their gadgeting skills, especially considering how we have not had physical CCA sessions for quite a while. Besides, our juniors had the chance to work with different gadgeting mechanisms to enable a certain part of the structure to move, like in this case, a PVC pipe is incorporated into the ferris wheel to enable the wheel to spin. 

Reflection from a Year 1:

Monday, 20 December was our first and last day of physical ATC. One of the activities we did was building a creative gadgeting structure. Since only one person could see the drawing of the structure, good communication and teamwork was key. I personally think that our communication was quite good and we managed to build the structure correctly. However, some of our weaknesses were that we did not assign our manpower well and we did not constantly 报时 until being told to do so by our seniors. This resulted in a slower building. Other than that, our lashes could be improved as well, to be tied faster and tighter.  Some of the 木 was able to move and the structure was not very stable. We had to retie some of our lashes and wasted some time doing so. Another thing that we could improve on would be to look at the bigger picture. Sometimes, we were too focused on tying lashes and forgot to look at the structure as a whole. The Year 2s communicated well with the Year 1s to make sure we understood the instructions and that we knew what to do. We could also improve on our sense of urgency and that way, we could work a lot faster and use the extra time to check the lashes and retie them to ensure all the lashes are tight and increase the stability of the structure. There were some people not doing anything while others were tying lashes and I feel that we could have taken the initiative to ask what we could help with. We also did our best to make sure to 照顾好人，照顾好东西. In the end, our ferris wheel could spin well and it was a success. Overall, I feel that our creative structure segment was good and was a good opportunity to brush up on our lashes.

Reflection from a Year 2: 

When we were doing creative gadgeting, the structure was a modified baggage rack which had a ferris wheel like structure at the top. The structure was similar to a baggage rack with netting on the bottom and a ferris wheel structure attached to a PVC pipe that is on a 木 on the top of the two tripods.  As I was the assigned Patrol Leader of my patrol for my activity, I had to see what the structure was like and afterwards I had to tell my patrolmates what it was like. I feel like i had to work on my observational skills as i did not see whether the 木 was placed on the tripod and i ended up not knowing what to do and had to have the seniors help me. The Year 1s were also very confused as to what to do as they were unfamiliar with the lashes after being in physical 集合s after so long. With this, as Year 2s, we had more opportunities to step up and lead the Year 1s. I also felt that I could have tasked my patrolmates to do more things. We could not finish the structure on time as there were many things to be done within the timing. The netting and 定脚s took us the most time too. Our patrol had to overcome the challenge of not having enough  中长木 and we had to find a way to fix the problem. At first i did not know what to do and wasted a lot of time going around to other patrols to ask if they had extra 长木s but in the end, we used a 中长木 to put on the top of the tripods and it worked fine. Overall I felt that everyone could have done a better job but the structure was still fun to build as it was different from the usual standard structures.

We hope that everyone managed to learn something from the activities planned and revised on their lashes. In addition, we hope this year's ATC was a fruitful and enjoyable one.

 

 

Published by:

Pok Jing 

53届 Secretary

Annual Training Camp Day 2, 16 November 2021

 Hello Guides! 

Welcome to the Annual Training Camp (ATC) Day 2! For today’s activity, our juniors did Creative Pioneering and Inspection. 

1. Creative Pioneering

For Creative Pioneering, we started off with a briefing by the counsellors to cover the basics of pioneering. The juniors were reminded of ways to prevent a bridge from flexing, such as adding diagonals in contact with the bridge deck to connect it to the frame. Moving on to the activity, the juniors were told to modify the shelter they had designed previously.

 The storyline follows: Your patrol has wandered off to a faraway land in search of the scroll. However, you soon realise that a flood was imminent and that your original shelter was not high enough to protect everyone in your patrol from the flood of 80 cm high. Hence, the modified shelter has to meet the following requirements: The shelter needs to be elevated, high enough to be able to fit everyone standing up, and spacious to be able to move around. In total, by giving our trainees an opportunity to think on their feet, this activity aims to promote the importance of adaptability and communication. 

Reflection from a Y1:

I think that the Creative Pioneering Activity was a meaningful activity as we had to contribute our ideas and discuss as a patrol. I feel that it has helped me with building my confidence as I was in a group where I do not know anyone except for 1 person. I had to contribute to the discussion, so I learnt to speak up and talk to people who I do not know well. I think it also helped to develop the leadership abilities of some of us as we had to lead the patrol during the discussion. Although some of us were shy at the start, we became more and more confident and voiced out suggestions on how to improve the design of the shelter to allow everyone to be able to fit into the shelter. Everyone had a part to play in the discussion as we had to see who was the tallest and the tent had to be able to accommodate the tallest person in our patrol. At first no one volunteered to lead but then a senior stepped up and asked about everyone's height. I feel that it was good that someone took the initiative to start the discussion and managed to get everyone to participate after. It was a good experience overall and we were quite productive. Hence, we managed to finish the task within the amount of time given to us to complete. It is good that we managed to finish everything on time as this shows that we were focused.

Reflection from a Y2: 

On ATC Day 2, the first activity was to utilise a different set of logistics to re-create the shelter we had previously constructed. This time, we had to account for the shelter’s spaciousness and height, which had to fit everyone standing up and have a 80 cm elevation. Once we started the activity, we noticed there were considerably less spars per colour. Our first thought was to utilise a greater variety of spars as our first shelter consisted of 白木，青木 and 黄木. Clearly, we did not have as many of these three colours, thus we changed out the horizontals with 深蓝木，红木 and 黑木. Not only did we decrease the 白木，青木 and 黄木 used, we also hit the target for “spaciousness”. As we faced troubles changing out the spars, we realised that the A-架s acting as a roof above the structure is redundant if we could find a replacement. After much consideration, we decided to make use of the unlimited floorboards as the rooftop. This would solve the problem of the canvas sheet collecting water above our heads as well as decrease the amount of redundant spars used. Our seniors have also pointed out that our structure was unstable, advising us to add 顶脚s on all four sides of the shelter, giving it a box-like shape. One problem we faced in this discussion would be the silence in the breakout room. Although it was not our first time meeting over Zoom, the tension was heavy as we waited for someone to speak up first. This took away three minutes, which is something that should never happen again. In future 集合s and discussions, I should take the initiative to speak up so as to get started as soon as possible.

 

2. Inspection

For this year’s ATC, we had to carry out Inspection differently due to the pandemic, compared to the previous years. Instead of using the usual logistics from our 团部，we carried out Inspection with Satay Sticks as well as Drawing of Inspection Layouts on paper according to the instructions given. For the first round, one volunteer would be describing the layout to the rest of the patrol. Meanwhile, the rest of the patrol will have to lay out the Satay Sticks accordingly to form the layout. For the second round, one volunteer will be given a drawing of the Inspection Layout and she will be describing the layout shown. Meanwhile, the rest of the patrol will have to draw out the layout on a blank piece of paper based on the description of the layout given.

Reflection from a Y1: 

The Inspection we did on Tuesday benefited us in several ways. Firstly, it helped to improve our communication skills. By being tasked to describe the positions of all the different items to our patrol mates, we learnt how to give clearer instructions to them, for example, telling them whether the items were placed horizontally or vertically. This allowed us to be able to express ourselves better, which in turn would let others understand us well. Secondly, it served as a reminder for us to ask questions whenever we had doubts. When listening to the instructions given by our patrol mates, some of us faced obstacles, therefore we had to clarify our doubts to get the most accurate result possible. Lastly, the inspection allowed us to have a greater sense of urgency. During the Inspection, we had to try and complete the layouts within the allocated time frame. We had to keep track of the time and 报时 often to ensure that we did not 过时. In addition, we were required to ask for time extensions in advance if we felt like we needed more time to complete the activity. This meant that we had to work efficiently and not waste any of our time. Overall, the Inspection was an enjoyable learning experience which has allowed us to hone our communication skills and familiarize ourselves with Guides’ practices.

Reflection from a Y2: 

During ATC Day 2, we had an Inspection Activity where there were two different segments. The first segment was about using our satay sticks to form different shapes of different sizes and the second segment required us to draw out a few inspection layouts. Both of these segments required our cooperation with our patrol mates and also good listening skills. Since we were in our ATC patrols with numerous people who we are not familiar with, this activity allowed us to step out of our comfort zones and clarify our doubts with the person who was providing the instructions for the whole patrol to ensure that our layout was accurate. The activity also allowed some of us to take on leadership roles and confidently lead our patrol mates to complete the Inspection. Some of us also learnt to become more detailed when giving instructions and answering questions from the Year 1s and Year 2s. Due to our lack of physical 集合s, some of us may not remember how to carry out an Inspection appropriately, so through this Inspection via Zoom, we could also recap on some of our Guides knowledge such as the common items used during Inspection, including the First Aid Kit, the rubber mallet and the 白绳. Additionally, we used different symbols and shapes as circles and rectangles to represent different items. This activity was definitely enriching as it not only allowed us to bond as an ATC patrol, but also helped us hone our communication and leadership skills. Hence, I do look forward to similar Inspection activities in the future 集合s and hope that I can continue to work well with my seniors, batchmates and juniors. 

(attached are some of the Inspection layouts shown to the volunteers) 

We hope that everyone had fun for today’s ATC Day 2 and managed to recap on the basics of Pioneering!

Published by:

Pok Jing 

53届 Secretary

Annual Training Camp Day 1, 15 November 2021

 Hello Guides! 

Welcome to Annual Training Camp (ATC) Day 1! For today’s activity, the juniors had done mini gadgeting as well as took part in the Obstacle Journey Kahoot. 

1. Mini Gadgeting

For mini Gadgeting, the juniors built a Fire Altar as well as a Creative Gadget. The Fire Altar activity allowed them to recap on the steps to build a Fire Altar, which is usually only required for Outdoor Cooking. The juniors were reminded of some of the requirements when it comes to Gadgeting, such as tucking in 鸟绳 when ending a lash. For Creative Gadgeting, the juniors built a structure related to this year’s ATC theme. The juniors were able to make use of some of their decorative materials at home, which added creative value to their structures. 

Reflection from a Y1: 

The Mini Gadgeting process has been a very fun and enjoyable experience for all of us. It allowed us to bond as a team and as a patrol. It also serves as a good opportunity for us to revise all the knots and lashes that we have learnt previously. The Fire Altar was a good way of projecting most of the lashes that we have learnt onto the structure itself, allowing us to revise the steps thoroughly and also learn to ask when in doubt. Though we managed to send in the pictures on the group chat on time, most of us were not able to finish the structures on time. Thus, we think that we could have done better in terms of time management. The Creative Gadgeting activity was also a good way of channeling our imagination in order to create a structure that represents our 团. I find that this would be very encouraging to all of the trainees as well as our seniors. We would also be able to share the different aspects of the structure and the rationale behind it, which was very beneficial to us. Overall, we felt that despite being behind screens, we could still feel the spirit of sisterhood and we also felt more united and bonded with our patrolmates.

Reflection from a Y2: 

The mini gadgeting activity on Monday consisted of two sections, Gadgeting and Creative Gadgeting. For both of the sections, I felt that I could have improved on my sense of urgency, especially towards the beginning of the activity. The pace that I initially started was a little slow as I spent quite a bit of time having to retie or find new strings as some of them broke as I tied it. This resulted in me spending way too much time on such matters. We did not 报时 often as I was very focused on the structure and was unaware of time, which resulted in us exceeding the time given. Even though it was a Zoom session and it could have been  quite awkward, I feel that I could have taken the initiative to 报时 more, as well as answering the ICs' questions in regards to the standard structure as I knew how the structure was like but I was not sure on how to explain it. However, I am somewhat happy with the progress that I managed to make with gadgeting, as I only stopped because I ran out of string to tie the sticks for the structure and it turned out better than I had expected. For the creative gadgeting part, I felt that the structure that I built, while it had a purpose, was quite unstable as I built an unconventional structure that did not have 顶角 to support it. Overall, I am not really satisfied with my performance and would work on the areas mentioned by the ICs such that when physical 集合 resumes I would have a better performance.

2. Obstacle Journey Kahoot

It is a yearly tradition to have an Obstacle Journey during ATC. This year due to the pandemic, we held the activity online through a Kahoot game. This fun and exciting activity aims to test some of the basic knowledge of Guides found in the Guides notes which the juniors should be familiar with. 

Reflection from a Y1: 

The Obstacle Journey Kahoot served as a good revision for us to understand more about Obstacle Journeying. As it was our first time being introduced to this, we felt that the seniors really did a great job in explaining all of the answers to the Kahoot, to let all of us understand the information better. This activity was also very interactive and was a great way to let everyone bond as a family. We felt as though we had the urge to suddenly learn all this new information quickly lest there is another quiz. Thus, this activity really motivated us to read up more on our Guides Notes so that we would be able to answer all of the questions asked in the future as well as pass down the information to our Year 1 juniors next year just like how our seniors did. Although we were not able to answer the most of the questions in the quiz, we were extremely driven to continue to learn more from our seniors and we felt that as a whole, this Kahoot activity has taught us that there are still so many things in Guides that we have yet to discover and learn, which certainly has made us love the CCA experience even more. 

Reflection from a Y2: 

The Obstacle Journey Kahoot quiz was a very fun experience, despite it not being able to be held in real life. This online Obstacle Journey was able to help us refresh on our Guides knowledge. For example, the symptoms of hyperventilation and the acronym for checking response, COWS. Furthermore, the quiz also included survival skills like the three steps of the edibility test and the various possible sources of water. This basic Guides knowledge was not asked directly all the time, as it also incorporated different elements of Guides. One of the hybrid questions tested us not only on our ability to recall the sources of food in addition to water, but also quizzed us on our guides code competence. This Kahoot quiz was a simple, yet entertaining and thrilling way to revise Guides' knowledge. By letting participants constantly be on the ready to answer the next questions, there was a friendly competitive environment. Although it does not have the physicality and interactiveness as an actual Obstacle Journey, it still was able to help us revise our Guides notes. Besides, it allows us to know what areas of our Guides notes we are more unfamiliar with. We will then be more motivated to take the initiative to go ahead and better acquaint ourselves with those areas. In conclusion, I feel that this online Obstacle Journey was a fun and creative way to engage us despite the many limitations of CCA being held online rather than in real life.

We hope that everyone has managed to recap some Guides knowledge and enjoyed themselves for today’s ATC Day 1!

Published by:

Pok Jing 

53届 Secretary

Skills Training, 9 November 2021

 Hello Guides! 

For this week’s online 集合 we conducted some lash training, tied a shoe rack, and played station games. The aim of this week’s 集合 is to help our juniors recap some of their hard skills and to provide an opportunity for them to bond. 

1. Gadgeting (Lash Training): 

For this activity, our juniors revised some of the basic lashes, like square lash, diagonal lash, A-架, and lastly tripod lash. SInce CCA was conducted online, our juniors had to tie the lashes using satay sticks and string. 

Reflection from a Year 1: 

On 9th November, we had to tie different lashes on sticks to remember how they were supposed to be tied. For the square lash, the standard timing was 2 minutes. We felt that it was very easy and we all knew how to tie it correctly. However we did not keep the 鸟绳 properly and our lashes were not very tight. Then, we moved on to diagonal lash. The standard timing for it was 3 minutes and most of us also did not have problems tying that lash. However, the strings were too small for us and we could not tie it fast and tightly. The next thing we had to tie was an A-架, but some of us were a little confused about how many loops to tie around each stick. We took longer to tie the lashes as the sticks and strings were small and the strings broke easily. The A-架 was definitely hardest for us as we did not remember it as clearly as the others and we struggled a little with tying it. It was also our first time tying it in a long time so we were not very familiar with the lashes yet. But we were all super excited to start tying the lashes again as it had been a long time since we last tied it. Overall the Zoom meeting was really fun and we all enjoyed being together with our batchmates!

Reflection from a Year 2: 

As we have not had the opportunity to practise our lashes in quite a long time due to Covid, lash training was a much needed activity for us to revise our lashes and brush up on our skills. Lash training with sticks and lash training with 木 is quite different due to the size difference. For certain lashes like square lash and diagonal lash, using sticks felt easier as we could turn the whole thing around the string. This allowed us to constantly hold the string tight while doing the lash, instead of having to hold the 绳, move it around and 抽 again. However, on lashes such as A-架 and tripod lash, using 木 felt easier as we are able to hold the 木 steady. Whereas with the sticks, it was difficult to 靠 them against anything and they had the tendency to overlap each other. An issue many faced is that as we are used to 抽-ing very tightly with 白绳, we naturally used similar strength on the string. However this resulted in many strings breaking, wasting a lot of time to restart the lash. To avoid this, our lashes were not as tight as they should be. Time wise, having one minute added on to the standard timing was very necessary as many faced difficulties with the clove hitch and half hitch that would not occur with 白绳. As the string was thin and flimsy, it was challenging to thread it under itself, causing us to waste a lot of time on the hitches. Overall, while we faced a few difficulties, we still appreciate the opportunity to revisit our basic lashes.

2. Gadgeting (Modified Shoe Rack): 

For this activity, the juniors were shown a picture of the modified shoe rack and they proceeded to tie the shoe rack based on what they had seen. This activity aims to help our juniors recap on their lashes where they can apply the various lashes to a structure.  

Reflection from a Year 1: 

I feel that the 集合 that we attended was fun, interesting but slightly challenging. It was quite difficult doing mini Gadgeting as the satay sticks are quite thin and the strings are really narrow. There was an incident when my string broke when I 抽 too hard. I also had a hard time tying the lashes and knots. My structures were quite loose and most kept falling especially the A-架 and tripod. However, I did manage to revise all my knots and lashes. I learnt the importance to 抽 tighter and 收鸟绳. By doing so, my structure will be more firm and secure. I also had a lot of fun doing it as it was a new experience for me. Honestly, I would rather tie the knots and lashes physically on the 木 in school as it is easier to tie. Hence, overall, I feel that I had a whale of a time in revising for my knots and lashes.

Reflection from a Year 2:

The shoe rack activity that we did during online 集合 was a new and interesting experience as we have never built standard structures fully on our own during online CCA. This time, instead of the standard shoe rack structure, we built one that was slightly modified which seemed easier. Despite this, the challenge of the activity was using Satay sticks to build the structure instead of Gadgeting poles. For instance, we have not tied a quadpod on the Satay sticks before, and tying a shoe rack is a great opportunity to practice my quadpod lash. However, one of the difficulties we faced on our own part include tying 顶角 on the structure without being able to 顶 the bottom. The sticks were extremely flimsy and every time I tried to tie the 顶角, the whole quadpod would move. Thus, this problem had to be overcome by improvising. We needed to gauge the end length of the mini-gadget poles to ensure all sides of the structure form a neat square. Although most of us were unable to finish the structure during the allocated time, the sense of satisfaction when we completed the structure after 集合 on our own was undeniable. We also learnt the value of improvisation and adaptability, as mini-gadgeting during online 集合 can be very different and unfamiliar. For example, we needed to adapt to using sticks and string instead of normal 木 and 白绳. Nevertheless, this experience was memorable and we feel that this is a form of activity that could be carried out in 集合s that we plan in the future. 

3. Station Games: 

(a) Gartic Phone:

For the station, the juniors were given a prompt to describe some of the activities they had participated in during their guiding journey and they will have to draw it out.

Reflection from a Year 2: 

I enjoyed the Gartic Phone station game very much, as it gave me the opportunity to be more creative such as coming up with the phrase and also drawing out the phrase that is given to me. I find it very interesting how the drawings of my patrol mates can vary a lot even though given the same phrase. The Gartic Phone was my favourite station as it was the most hilarious, watching the replay after the entire game was finished. It was very funny because some of my patrol mates interpreted the drawing as a totally different thing, so the subsequent guesses and drawings were totally different from the original phrase given. Some drawings were also very hilarious, as the drawing was a bit more cartoonized with some humor added to it. It was very fun to try and guess the phrase from the drawings, and the feeling when you realise you guessed correctly is very satisfying. I feel that this station game was a great way to get to know my patrol mates better, through viewing the replay of how each player interpreted the drawings differently and we were all extremely engaged in the game. Although it was a new experience for me, as we never played Gartic Phone before, it was quite simple and not difficult to be able to play the game well. I am grateful that we were given this opportunity to bond with our patrol mates in a fun and relaxing way after many months of not seeing each other. I hope to be able to play the Gartic Phone game again in future online station games or Patrol Activity as it was a very fun, enjoyable and fruitful experience.

(b) Knowledge Quiz: 

For this station, the juniors were posed a series of questions related to Guides and they proceeded to discuss as a patrol and derive an answer. 

Reflection from a Year 2: 

During our CCA session on Tuesday, we played station games. At station 2, we did a knowledge quiz where we were tested on our guides' knowledge and basic things we needed to know such as the Guide Promise and the Guide Laws. We were also tested on survival skills and first aid knowledge. As a senior alongside the other year 2s, I was responsible for leading the year 1s who might be unsure of answering the questions. Hence, I answered some of the questions myself so as to encourage the year 1s to also follow and answer the questions. This station game tested us on our basic Guides knowledge, so that we could revise it as we might have forgotten most of the Guides knowledge due to Covid and thus not having frequent CCA sessions. Hence, we were given an opportunity to revise and recall some of the important things we have to take note of as Guides. However, during the knowledge quiz, I realised that there were some questions that I was unsure of myself, which means that I did not revise the Guides notes enough and was not very familiarised with some of the survival skills and first aid knowledge. Hence I will try to read the Guides notes more often so as to revise my knowledge and be more familiar with the different skills so that if another knowledge quiz were to happen I would be able to answer most of the questions tested.

 

(c) Skribblio: 

For this station, the juniors participated in a game of Skribbl.io. During the game, they were given one word related to guides and drew it out for other patrol members to guess.

Reflection from a Year 2:   

During the 集合 on Tuesday, we played station games and one of the games was playing Skribbl.io in our respective patrols. We each took turns to draw out different Guides-related items, such as 白绳, an A-架, a tripod and the Guides 全制. We would then have to type out what we think that drawing is related to, allowing us to earn individual points along the way. This station game allows us to recap on our Guides knowledge, as well as some names of the common logistics and structures used in Guides. Since there is a wide array of logistics that we use during Guides, some of us might not be able to remember all of the logistics and structures, so this activity can help us recall the basic Guides knowledge that are  crucial during our Guides journey. Moreover, during the station game, some of my patrol mates might not be able to figure out what the drawing is about, so each of us would drop small clues so that most of us could guess the drawings correctly. In conclusion, I hope that there are more of such station games in future 集合s as this station game also allowed us to communicate better with one another. I look forward to similar activities with my patrol mates in the future. 

We hope that everyone managed to recap some Guides knowledge and had fun playing Station Games! 

Published by:

Pok Jing 

53届 Secretary

Annual Training Camp Preparations, 5 November 2021

Hi Guides! 

We finally had an online 集合 after a long time. For this week's 集合, we had ATC Pre-Camp lecture, 礼节 briefing and escape room activity. 

The Theme for ATC’21 was Expecto Patronum: Veni, Vedi, Vici

 

Here is the overall storyline:  In the Wizarding World, dementors have started hunting down and harming innocent people, causing much chaos. Legend says that there is a powerful spell able to conjure up a special patronus, a magical shield that is able to banish these dementors. This spell was written on a scroll, however, no one knows where exactly it is located at. All of you, as members of Dumbledore's Army, have been tasked to search for this scroll that consists of the spell and to perform the spell in order to save the Wizarding World.

In ATC’21, the meaning behind our theme is that one needs to keep a positive outlook in the face of adversity in order to overcome challenges. The dementors are a metaphor for the difficulties they might face along the way, while the charm represents qualities such as perseverance and optimism which are vital in helping one overcome stumbling blocks. Despite ATC being carried out online this year, we hope that our juniors are able to have an open mindset, and learn from this valuable experience. In this year’s ATC, we aim to guide our juniors to show the best of their abilities, allowing them to bond together and learn to work well as a 团. Only through being united as a patrol, batch, and even as a 团, will our juniors  be able to overcome the obstacles that they might face during ATC’21 and achieve their own goals.

 

1. Pre-Camp Lecture

Before ATC’21 itself, our juniors attended a Pre-Camp Lecture conducted by the counsellors today. They were introduced to their new ATC patrol members and were also briefed on what to include in proposals. Lastly, through the lecture, they had an opportunity to recap the basics of pioneering, such as the functions of diagonals to stabilize the structure. 

Reflection from a Year 2:

The ATC briefing was very informative and I managed to understand what we were going to do during ATC. I think that this ATC will probably be very different from my first ATC as it focuses less on hard skills and more on soft skills. This will be a good chance to brush up on my soft skills such as communication and teamwork. In addition, we have to leave our original patrols and get used to our new patrols. I was rather surprised with this new measure after going through one ATC without having to switch patrols. Even though it might be very awkward at the start, I think that this is a good opportunity to bond with everyone and learn more about others. It will also be a good opportunity to take the initiative and speak up so that the atmosphere will be less awkward and we can work better with one another. In addition, we also have to come up with our own pioneering structures. It is a new experience for me, even though I had some experience of coming up with my own structure during creative gadgeting. I am rather excited but also worried about it. However, despite failure or success, I think that this will help when I become 领导层 and will thus treasure this chance. Overall, I think there have been many surprises for this year’s ATC as well as it being the first ever virtual one. I look forward to this year’s ATC and will make the most of it by displaying all the guides' knowledge I have learnt thus far.

 

Reflection from a Year 1:

I think that the ATC briefing was very interesting, and it is the first time us guides have gathered together for a long time, due to the Covid-19 situation. It was a chance for us to bond with each other through Guides related activities. I think that the activities were very relevant, and it helped me revise Guides knowledge. The slides were clear on what we had to do, and I was glad that I paid attention, since the slides contained all the relevant information on our ATC activities. However, I think I could have prepared more, and came to the meeting earlier, since we should all arrive at the Zoom session five minutes early. I was also quite excited to wear the Guides uniform, but I had some missing badges, since I did not complete my badgework. In future, I should complete all of my badgework and turn them in. I should also have contributed more in the discussion for ATC, and not be so passive and wait for others to give their ideas. I think I did well by answering some of the questions, but I could do better. I should revise my Guides knowledge and learn what I had to do better at. I should also rely less on my batchmate for group work, and cooperate with her and the rest of the patrol, to make things easier for my seniors. I still have a lot of room for improvement, and I am grateful to my seniors for helping me. The other guides participated actively in the discussions, and it encouraged me to answer at least a few questions. I felt thankful to my seniors for spending time to plan activities for us, and how everyone helps and encourages each other in our CCA.

 

2. 礼节 briefing 

Next, through a slides presentation, our juniors revised some of the basic 礼节 which a Guide should follow. The Year 1s and Year 2s learnt more on the Guides Sign as well as what is standard attire and ABCDEO.

Reflection from a Year 2:

5th November's 集合 was  quite informative compared to past 集合s because it was more of a lecture of some etiquette that we have to follow in Guides. This lecture has brought me to realise that as a Guide, we have to uphold many values and also take our attire very seriously. During the lecture, the seniors covered some basic things that a Guide should take note of, for example standard attire, and when to 敬礼.  I found the lecture to be quite educational, because it taught me more about some rules in Guides that are usually not explained very clearly, such as ABCDEO. This lecture made sure that I could have a better understanding of those rules and understand why these rules were put in place. For example, ABCDEO was derived as we as juniors should treat our seniors with utmost respect as they had put in a lot of time and effort to plan educational, fun activities for us to participate in. Lastly, I feel that some of these values and practices are also valued in real-life. For instance, we should always try to be punctual no matter where we go. Next, respect is also a key value in which we uphold. In Guides, we often respect our seniors and appreciate the hard work they have put into planning a CCA session for us. Respect is indeed a mutual thing where both the seniors and juniors have to respect each other. In conclusion, the 礼节 briefing was very enlightening and I understood the value of being respectful and punctual. 

 

Reflection from a Year 1:

At Friday’s 集合, the seniors gave us a lecture about etiquette, general knowledge about Guides, a recap on the different knots and lashes and many more. I was able to quickly assimilate the content they shared as the slides were concise and neat. Moreover, this lecture also emphasized the importance of etiquette in Guides, and how highly the value of respect was viewed. This resonated with me as good and proper etiquette is an essential trait to have, and I am glad that I was able to learn more about that through the lecture. To have good etiquette, one must treat their seniors with respect, seeing as how they work hard to prepare for each 集合. Secondly, a Guide should not be late, and has to be at least 5 minutes early for each 集合. Punctuality is also another virtue that one should have, and being in Guides has allowed me to cultivate this better. Attire is also another thing of great importance in Guides. For example, a Guide should not have overly long fingernails, messy hair, a ruffled guide uniform etc. Though there are quite some things to note in terms of attire, especially for the Guides uniform which I wore for the first time today, I feel that being in Guides has made me pay much more attention to my personal attire and appearance. Looking neat and tidy at all times will also leave a good impression on others as compared to an unkempt appearance. Overall, this 集合 was a very valuable one, as not only did I learn more about Guides and the values it encompasses, but I also got to try on my Guides uniform, which was a very fun and memorable experience.

 

3. Escape Room 

Lastly, for today's 集合 , we played a game of Escape Room. This activity aims to help our juniors revise some of our Guides tradition, the items found in our 团部, as well as some marching commands.

Reflection from a Year 2:

During 集合 last Friday, there was an Escape Room activity where we had to cooperate to answer questions related to Guides in order to find a code to ‘escape’ the virtual Escape Room. This activity allowed us to recap on some of our Guides knowledge, especially when we have not had any 集合s for quite a while. We had to work with our patrol mates and communicate with them in order to figure out the right answer for each question. Even though this activity was played virtually, we still actively participated in the activity, gaining a deeper understanding of some of the information that can be found in our Guides notes. Some of the concepts we had to recall include survival skills and the Guides Handshake. I believe that this Escape Room Activity was very meaningful as it allowed everyone to bond as a patrol as well as learn to communicate better with one another. For instance, some of us may not be too familiar with certain Guides concepts, but after this activity, we could definitely recall these concepts better. In my opinion, the Escape Room was an interesting interactive activity since it allowed me to clarify some of my doubts during the activity with my patrol mates. Thus, this activity was beneficial to us Year 1s and Year 2s and helped us recap on our Guides knowledge. My patrol mates and I managed to work well with one another during the activity and I do look forward to similar activities in the future. 

Reflection from a Year 1:

Last Friday, we played the escape room. We found it very fun as through the activity we were able to bond with each other and our patrol mates. It was very enriching as we learnt many new things about Guides. We were also able to use our knowledge on Guides to win the game which was very fulfilling. We all feel that we should play more Escape Room games, as it allowed us to bond and also allowed us to learn new things about Guides so that next time when our juniors join us, we will be able to answer any questions that they ask us so that we will be able to pass down the knowledge to our juniors. The year 2 seniors were also able to answer the many questions that we could not answer. They could easily answer the questions and thus we strive to be able to be like them next year. We also feel that the Escape Room was a creative idea as we had to answer the questions correctly to be able to escape and thus it motivated us to get all the correct answers so that we could escape. In conclusion, we enjoyed the experience of playing escape room with our patrol and although we are not able to meet physically, we were still able to learn a lot from the 集合 and thus were able to expand our knowledge on Guides as a CCA and also as a family.

 

We hope y'all enjoyed today’s 集合 and we will look forward to the start of ATC’21!

 

Published by:

Pok Jing  

53届 Secretary