Patrol Activity, 28 March 2022

 Hi Guides! 

Here are the following reflections from the various patrol members during this week’s Patrol Activity!

 

Reflection from a Year 3 in P1: 

The netball activity was a really fun experience. Firstly, as I was Patrol Leader for the activity, I learnt to step up more, to take note of manpower allocation better. I also became more used to stepping back to look at the bigger picture to ensure that the structure did not become slanted. However, as I did not give timings when assigning people to tie the lashes, I realised that the speed of our structure’s progress was very slow. Thus, from this activity, I learnt the importance of giving timings when assigning lash so that others are more aware of the time used to tie lashes, which would improve our efficiency. An area of improvement I can work on would be to be louder when giving instructions to ensure effective communication, making sure that others can hear me clearly and that would help to speed up our progress on building the structure. Besides that, the experience of tying the netball hoop structure was a really interesting experience as we have never tried anything similar to it at all, so it was eye-opening on how and what to take note of for creative structures, such as diagonals for frames and the whole structure, and also taking note of how the different lengths of the gadget poles affect the structure as a whole. The netball game was also very fun and enjoyable for me. Through splitting into teams and competing against each other, we had the chance to bond more with each other and that made us more united as a patrol. As we changed teams after each round, we could also bond with different patrol mates, and encourage each other through the game which kept our morale high. The year 4 seniors also encouraged us whenever we scored a point and that helped to motivate us to score even more points and do even better for the game. Through this activity, we were not only able to strengthen our patrol bonds but also have a lot of fun playing. 

Reflection from a Year 3 in P2: 

On this Monday’s Patrol Activity, we joined with P4 to play Escape Room. The Escape Room was to find envelopes around different classrooms and figure out the final destination. I found this game interesting as it did not require station ICs and the self-explanatory game added on to the suspense of an Escape Room. The last patrol to finish the Escape Room would need to do a forfeit. We first played a warm up game to decide which patrol gets a head-start. For the warm-up game, we had to build two A-架s with 定脚as identical to each other as possible in 6 minutes. We also had to ensure that the Y1s tie at least one of the lashes. We started off with 20 points and each team would lose points if there was any loose lashes and if both A-架s were not similar enough. Our patrol won by just 1 point, so we earned a two minute head-start. We were then handed a slip of paper with a clue on which classroom to go to look for the envelopes. We misunderstood the clue at first and wasted some time, but we realised the mistake quickly and went to the classroom. Eventually, we found out that the Escape Room location hints were written in Guides code, so subsequently, we managed to figure out the locations quicker. We also took a while to find the envelopes as they were quite well hidden. After we finally found the envelope, the next step was to complete the task written inside. The first game was a 10 minute game of duck duck goose. Instead of tapping the person's shoulder, we dropped 麻绳 behind their back to select them as the chaser. It was a fun game. Next, we proceed to the classroom provided on the clue. The next station was to solve a message using the Guides code. We were given a word, and an algorithm. With the algorithm, we managed to figure out the 6 digit passcode. Subsequently, we did first aid, and even had to teach our Y1s to dance to Maboleh. It was awkward and we kept laughing while trying to demonstrate the dance. Nevertheless, we completed the mission before the other patrol and got to the final destination faster. The other patrol had to do a forfeit of singing to 南屏晚钟. We also got the chance to teach our Y1s how to sing the song. For the final activity, we had to build a ladder with 8 短木 and 2长木. I think that we built the ladder really well under the given time and it even held up one of our senior’s weight when she stepped on it. All in all, I enjoyed this week’s Patrol Activity a lot, and I feel that this was a great chance for my patrol to bond and get closer. 

Reflection from a Year 3 in P3: 

Monday’s PA consisted of two components, Creative Gadgeting and Guides knowledge. For the first part, we had to find 8 post-it notes hidden around the outside of the hostel canteen. Each post-it note had a question written on it and we had to answer it as a patrol. The post-it notes questions tested on First Aid, survival skills and Guides code. I feel that I could have improved in two areas. Firstly, my own knowledge, particularly in First Aid. Even though I do read up on the Guides notes, it is still an area which I am not familiar with. As such, when seeing the question regarding First Aid, I mixed up the steps on how to treat a casualty with a certain condition with a different condition. Thus, I think  that I should read up on First Aid more, to allow me to have a better grasp of the knowledge in that area. I also think that I could have stepped up more to include the Year 1s as we got caught up in answering questions. That way, they would not feel lost or left out. The second part of the Patrol Activity required us to build a Ferris Wheel. At the start, we managed to allocate manpower properly, but towards the end, it fell apart. I think the greatest reason would be that me and my batchmate were the only people who could see the drawing of the Ferris Wheel, however, we were all working on the same area. This would potentially result in a communication error as the instructions could be mixed up. What we could have done instead would be to allocate 1 person to guide the first group in tying the tripods, and another person to guide the other group in tying the Ferris Wheel frame. Overall, I think this Patrol Activity managed to help me have a better sense of what areas I need to work on in preparation for Patrol Leader Training Camp.

                                                                                        

Reflection from a Year 3 in P4: 

For Monday’s Patrol Activity, we did Gadgeting and Escape Room with P2. For Gadgeting, we were tasked to tie two A-架s with 定脚s within 6 minutes. It was a competition between the two patrols and we had 20 points at the start. We were graded on the tightness of lashes, the similarity between the two A-架s and we would lose points for every loose lash, differences in the two A-架s, and also lashes that were not up to standard like forgetting to tuck in the 鸟绳. After we did Gadgeting, we played Escape Room. Since my patrol had a lower score, P2 was given a two minute head start. We travelled from classroom to classroom, searching for clues that gave us a task and a hint to the next location. In the first location, we were supposed to play the game Duck Duck Goose but with 麻绳. We had to take a 麻绳 and drop it behind the person’s back. The person with the 麻绳 will then chase the person who dropped it before she can sit down. It was a fun game to play, since it was similar to the game Duck Duck Goose which we all are familiar with. After that, we went to other stations and did other tasks such as deciphering a code using the Guides code, first aid, dancing Maboleh and many others. The tasks were fun and fulfilling as it was a good revision on Guides knowledge. One of the harder stations was the dancing Maboleh station as we were unable to get the rhythm right. Besides, the Year 1s have never learnt how to dance Maboleh before. It was difficult to get through the whole song with everyone getting the rhythm right. However, after much practice, everyone became more familiar with the song and we managed to dance Maboleh as a patrol. In the end, my patrol lost so we had to perform a song, 南屏晚钟.  It was also a great opportunity for us to also teach the y1s about this Guides song. I liked this Patrol Activity session as it helped me to revise some Guides notes knowledge as well as interact with other patrols too.

Reflection from a Year 3 in P5: 

For the Patrol Activity on 28 March, we did Creative Gadgeting. For the first part, only one of the three Year 3s were allowed to see the drawing, after every 20 minutes the next person would be allowed to see the drawing. Every 15 minutes, one of us also had to answer a question related to Guides. During the first 20 minutes, the first person managed to plan on how to start the building, and allocate people to build frames and a quadpod. I feel that the allocation of manpower could have been improved as there were some people who were doing nothing at times. As a patrol, I felt that we also could have improved our sense of urgency as we were working a bit slow at the start. For the next 20 minutes, we managed to connect the frames and finish up the 顶角s. Although most of the lashes were pretty tight, we should have taken notice of the smaller details better, so that we could tie the lashes on the correct 木, which would have made the structure even stabler. For the next 30 minutes, we managed to connect the quadpod and frames to form a bridge. Our seniors then taught us the Guide’s way of rafting, which was different from the Scouts way. We managed to try it out on the remaining half-full bamboos. It was super enriching and interesting for everyone in the patrol as we did not know there was a Guide’s way of rafting and we had never learnt or tried it out before. For the first part of Creative Gadgeting, I felt a sense of accomplishment as we managed to complete the structure, but I feel that the neatness of our lashes could have been improved and our allocation of manpower could have been a bit better at times. For the second part of Creative Gadgeting, we could build anything we wanted. Eventually, we decided on a rock climbing wall, getting a bit of inspiration from one of the Camp Development structures. I felt that our sense of urgency for this part could have improved greatly as we only managed to finish the basic outline of the rock climbing wall and did not manage to finish the diagonals or attach the 木 that would have made up the “rocks” of the rock climbing wall. Overall, this Patrol Activity was super fun and enriching and there were a few areas we could have improved on, the main one being our sense of urgency. 

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Reflection from a Year 3 in P6: 

During Patrol Activity on Monday, my patrol did both Standard and Creative Gadgeting. We were instructed to create a Gadgeting version of the Pioneering swing for the Standard Gadgeting structure. I was appointed as the Patrol Leader for the building of the swing and I had the opportunity to lead my patrol and provide them with instructions, since I was not allowed to tie anything. I had to memorise the structure as well as remember which 木s to use for the tripods, 顶角s and the two 木s used to connect both tripods. Six 中长木s were required for the tripods, six 中木s for the 顶角s and two 长木s to connect the tripods such that the seat for the swing can be hung steadily with 白绳. I also had to ensure that every patrol member had a task to do and made good use of the manpower my patrol had. This helped me communicate better with my patrol mates, including my juniors, and even allowed me to improve in my 敬礼 when asking for time extension. It gave me a better idea of how it is like to be an appointed Patrol Leader and how I can be more proactive when leading my peers and juniors. For the Creative Gadgeting portion, one Year 2 and one Year 3 were appointed as PL and PS respectively, so I had to listen to instructions from them clearly. We were instructed to build a rectangular frame with a 木 diagonally crossing both sides and we also added lashes using the 中短木 to represent our patrol identity. This activity allowed us to bond and become closer to one another since communication was crucial. However, I believe that we could have 报时 more often and also involve our Year 1s a bit more when we were tying the structures. Thus, I enjoyed this Patrol Activity and I look forward to similar activities in the future.

We hope everyone had fun and bonded with their patrol for the first Patrol Activity in Term 2!

Published by: 

Pok Jing 

53 届 Secretary 

Skills Training, 25 March 2022

 Hi Guides! 

For the first 集合 in Term 2, we were fortunately able to do Pioneering, to show a wider variety of activities that we do in Guides to the Year 1s. The Year 1s and 2s did Pioneering Lash Training before building a Kitchen Table. On the other hand, the Year 3s went for their PLTC Pre-Camp Lecture, followed by Mass Change and Inspection. 

Pioneering Lash Training

Each Year 1 paired up with their Year 2 senior, and the Year 2s demonstrated how to tie a square lash, and tripod or A-架 lash on spars. It allows the Year 2s to recap on their basic lashes on spars, and for Year 1s to learn how Pioneering Lashes are different from the Gadgeting Lashes. The lash training session also helped the juniors identify their areas of improvement on their lashes, and work towards tying tighter lashes in the future. 

Reflection from a y1:

On Friday, we had a fun but tiring Pioneering session! Since it was the first time we did Pioneering, I learnt that not all the 木s are kept at 团部. It was my first time going to the Backstore and I realised there was so much more 木 that were bigger and heavier to carry. I was also quite thankful that the Backstore was slightly easier to get to from the school’s media resource library than 团部. My friends and I found it difficult to carry some of the 木 as they were quite heavy. As these spars are quite long, we needed to have teamwork and good communication skills when carrying them. If one person was walking faster than the other, the second person would have to communicate with the first if she found the pace too fast. After carrying all the logistics, we proceeded to do Pioneering Lash Training. I learnt that the standard lashes like Square Lash, were tied slightly differently when using spars. We had to tie around the 木 4 times instead of 3. We were also required to start the lash using a Timber Hitch and not the Clove Hitch. I also noticed that we did not use the 白绳 to tie the 木, but instead using brown coloured 麻绳.  Lastly, to ensure our safety, I learnt that we should wear helmets when we touch the spars. All in all, I felt that the Pioneering Lash Training was very enriching and I managed to learn something new!

Reflection from a y2:

Through pioneering lash training, I learned valuable skills such as how to teach effectively. In the beginning, I simply told my juniors what to do and what to look out for. However, I found that that was not very effective as they forgot the steps after a while. This was when I recalled how my seniors taught me how to tie a tripod. They explained the principle behind the steps before teaching me what to look out for which I realised helped me remember the procedure much better. After I did the same to my juniors, they also remembered it relatively well. Besides learning how to teach, I think our teamwork and faith in one another was honed as well. For example, we have to trust that each of us will play our part well. The person in charge to 顶 the 木 has to ensure that the 木s are aligned at all times to ensure the stability of the tripod when opened, and the tripod will not 飞脚. The one supporting the spars also has to help coordinate when to open and close the gap for easy tying. I, who was tying the lash, found myself relying on the person supporting the spars quite a fair bit as the rope kept getting entangled, and I am very grateful at how well she supported me during the process. In total, Pioneering lash training helped me learn how to teach, foster stronger bonds with my juniors, and made me realise what areas we need to work on more.

Kitchen Table 

Building the Kitchen Table, a standard structure in Guides, introduces the Y1s to pioneering and the Kitchen Table and allows the Y2s to recap on their basic skills and structure as they guide their Y1s along. This activity also serves as an opportunity for the Y2s to hone their soft skills through leadership and communication since they do not have the Y3s to rely on.

Reflection from a y1:

On Friday, we were tasked to build a Kitchen Table. For me, we tried Pioneering once before, but I still found this experience challenging. This activity allowed me to learn the basic Pioneering skills and bond with my patrol mates. One thing I feel we could have improved on was our time management. We 过时-ed by a lot when collecting our logistics as we did not make use of our manpower properly and we were quite slow when choosing the 木. When we built the Kitchen Table, I learnt that the two main supports of the structure was the two tripods. As such, we had to ensure that our lashes were tight, by coordinating. One person had to 顶 the spars while the other person tied. Through the Kitchen Table activity, I also learnt a new lash called the super square lash which was used to tie two 木 together to make the chair. I also learnt that we made used of the table boards to make the table of the structure, instead of tying more 木. Even though we did not manage to finish the structure, I was still able to gain valuable lessons through this eye opener experience. I hope that in the future, we can have other opportunities to do Pioneering.

Reflection from a y2:

During our first 集合 in Term 2, we built a Kitchen Table. Firstly, we had to collect the logistics needed, such as spars. We faced some challenges as there was a shortage of spars. Since the Year 3s were not with us, it was our first time doing pioneering without them. It was hard collecting the logistics as we took a long time organising them and transporting them back to MRL. Hence, we took a long time to collect all our logistics and 过时. We could have collected the logistics faster if we were more organised and worked together as a 团 and not just caring about our own logistics. After we collected everything, we started building the Kitchen Table. It was our second time building a Kitchen Table, and we were all very excited. For the Year 1s, it was their first time doing pioneering as a 团. Overall, we managed to build the structure quite well. We were all very proud as we were the only patrol to complete the structure. Although it was not perfect, we felt that it was good considering that we do not do pioneering often. We took some patrol pictures sitting on the benches of our Kitchen Table. It was an amazing and fun experience to do Pioneering together.

Mass Change 

Mass Change aims to train the Y3s’ sense of urgency and discipline as well as allow them to practice mass change before PLTC. The shortened time duration trains them to ask for time extension in time when necessary.

Reflection from a y3:

On last Friday's 集合, we were tasked to report to the auditorium to attend the Patrol Leader Training Camp briefing, and as it was a formal event, we had to report in our 全制. We were also asked to prepare our PE attire on a hanger the night before. Hence, my patrolmates and I thought that we may be doing Mass Change. After the Patrol Leader Training Camp briefing, we were tasked to change into our PE attire in 6 minutes. We had to specifically use the PAC toilet. When we were broken off, we rushed upstairs quickly, and started changing out of our 全制. I had to balance multiple articles of clothing such as my spectacles, changing out of my 全制, putting on my pe attire, organizing my 全制 on my hanger and rushing back to GSL level 1, all under 6 minutes. It was challenging and pressuring to change in such a short time but we managed to 报时 quite often and it allowed us to take note of the time better. I made sure to maintain a sense of urgency and be as efficient as possible, and ensure that my 全制 did not touch the ground. With the help of those who had changed out quicker and went back earlier to ask for time extensions, we had not 过时'ed and I am grateful for their help. I feel that this was a valuable learning opportunity for me as I managed to improve on my speed of carrying out tasks, working under pressure and coordinating my actions, as well as to familiarise myself once again with Mass Change as we had not been able to do so for a long time. 

Inspection 

Inspection allows the Year 3s to improve on their sense of urgency, communication and coordination. In the first 2 rounds of Inspection, the ICs were assigned to allow different people to step up to complete the layout given. For the remaining rounds, no ICs were assigned which was a great opportunity for Year 3s to step up and take on the challenge of coming up with a standardised layout themselves.

Reflection from a y3:

The Inspection activity was a great experience for me. From this activity, I learned to adapt to changes, and how to work more efficiently as a patrol and a batch. During one of the Inspections, we suddenly had to move from our current location to a different location upstairs. It was very haphazard at first because we all did not expect it or experienced it before. However, we managed to quickly bundle up the poncho and rearrange the Inspection layout at the new location. After that, during the next Inspection, we were suddenly told to move back to the original location. As we had previously relocated during the Inspection earlier, we were not caught off-guard and managed to return to the original location swiftly. This would not have been possible without the coordinated effort of everyone in the patrol helping. Additionally, as we felt that we needed to be faster in packing up the layout, my patrol decided to allocate each person to do one job, such as packing the 麻绳 into the plastic bag, putting aside some logistics and wrapping up the rest to pack into the 配备. As for the Inspection layout, when we were unsure of something, we could ask the patrol next to us to clarify when the IC was busy. Hence, we learnt to work together more closely as a batch. For most of the Inspections, we were not able to complete it on time as we could not hear the ICs properly. When someone asked a question, they would clarify it with that patrol instead of telling the whole batch. We could have avoided 过时-ing if the ICs had clarified the question with the whole batch instead. When we did not have enough time, we should have asked for time extension instead of 集合-ing when the time was up. 

We hope that the Year 1s managed to learn some basic Pioneering lashes and explored how to build a Kitchen Table. All in all, we hope that everyone managed to learn something new from this 集合. 

Published by: 

Pok Jing 

53 届 Secretary 

Skills Training, 11 March 2022

 Hello Guides! 

For today’s 集合, we did Standard Gadgeting and Creative Gadgeting. As it was raining heavily, we could not do Pioneering. 

Standard Gadgeting:

For Standard Gadgeting, we recapped on how to build a Baggage Rack. Even though this was a structure the juniors built multiple times, it still gave them an opportunity to improve on their hard skills, and focus on the small aesthetic details of the structure. 

Reflection from a Year 1:

Last CCA session, I learnt how to construct a baggage rack. I had the opportunity to practice the different lashes I had learnt and learn to tie them tighter. I also learnt what netting is and what it is used for. I learnt that the rafting and netting is used for putting things such as bags. I wonder if we are able to build more baggage racks with more layers so that we can put more things on it. I learnt a lot from this activity and find it very useful. I hope to be able to construct such a structure in the future, as it is very interesting.

Reflection from a Year 2:

Our patrol tied a baggage rack in the last 集合. We managed to complete the baggage rack on time, but there were many things that we could improve on. I felt that we could improve a lot on our baggage rack. Our lashes were quite loose and were not very tight. I felt that we could also 报时 more. As a Year 2, I believe that we could set a good example to our juniors by 报时ing more. We could also encourage our juniors, the Year 1s, to 报时 louder. However, we did manage to complete the structure in the assigned time. We also managed to ask for our logistics and manpower back quickly. This is a good thing and I believe that we should keep up the good work. In future baggage rack structures that we build, I hope we will be able to improve the tying of our structures. I hope that we can tie tighter lashes and 报时 more. I look forward to doing a better job in completing the baggage rack in future.

Reflection from a Year 3:

For last week’s 集合, we built a baggage rack. I think it was good to be able to build a baggage rack, as it is the first time the Year 1s are exposed to this standard structure. We also managed to benefit from this experience, as we were able to revise our knowledge on standard structures and identify our areas of improvement in terms of building a baggage rack. This time, we did well in terms of 报时 ing more and also allocating our manpower. However, we realised that some lashes were really loose and we had to 重抽 quite a few times because of that. This resulted in the netting not being finished and the whole structure being rather loose. In addition, the structure was slanted. We will learn from this experience and do more lash training sessions as well as familiarising ourselves with all the standard structures. Even though we did not manage to conduct pioneering and introduce this aspect of Guides to the Year 1s, I think that this experience was still a very fulfilling experience overall. We look forward to the next 集合 and being able to do much better next time.

Creative Gadgeting:

For the Creative component, the juniors were tasked to build a creative structure which represents their patrol. This activity allowed the patrols to express their creativity through designing a unique structure. Since the Year 1s have joined our CCA for quite awhile, they are able to engage more in the discussions of the structure and allows the patrols to bond more.

Reflection from a Year 1:

On Friday, we had the chance to do Creative Gadgeting. The session that day allowed me to improve on my lashes, and I was able to spend time with our patrol mates and form a closer bond with them. This activity allowed us to exercise our creativity, and make something that represents our patrol. We built a Quadpod which represents our strong sense of belongingness to the Guides family. We also formed a 4 to represent our patrol number. During this activity, the seniors also kapped some of our logistics, and I was reminded about how we should 照顾好人，照顾好东西, and how we could politely ask our seniors for the logistics back. I also managed to practise some of the basic lashes when tying this structure. All in all, during this last CCA session of the term, I had a lot of fun! 

Reflection from a Year 2:

During 集合 that day, our Patrol completed the Creative Gadgeting activity. We had to come up with ideas to showcase our Patrol without any use of A-架. Thus, our patrol decided to build a tripod with 顶脚s. Following that, we came up with an idea of using only thirteen 木s to display the thirteen Guides in our Patrol. After completing the tripod, we decided to use short-half bamboos to hang the number five, and 短木 to tie the roman numeral (V) to represent the number of our Patrol. Afterwards, we brainstormed for other ideas that we could add on to our structure and finally, we came up with the idea of chaining thirteen 白绳a to show how united and lovable our patrol is. This activity was extremely enriching for all of us as we learnt how we could include our juniors, the Year 1s, as well as how to guide them along their tying of the lashes and knots. We feel that through this activity, we had the chance to allow our juniors to feel more welcomed and comfortable in the Guides Family, allowing them to feel a better sense of belonging to our Patrol. Hence, we felt that this was an activity that made us closer to each other and feel more connected.

Reflection from a Year 3:

On Friday's 集合, we were tasked to build a creative structure representing our respective patrols using the logistics we had used for the baggage rack earlier. When I heard that we would be doing creative Gadgeting, I felt glad as I enjoyed having the freedom to design my own structure. At the start, my patrol could not come up with an idea quick enough, but in order to save time, we just decided to tie a tripod first. Eventually, I managed to come up with an idea to build a 'P3 Christmas tree' with our tripod, and add a triangle to our 'Christmas tree' as my rationale was that a triangle had 3 sides, and it would represent my patrol, P3. I tied a triangle using 3 short half bamboos with a batchmate and a Year 1 junior. We chatted a bit and managed to bond while tying the triangle. With the atmosphere lightened and creative juices flowing, I instructed my Year 2 juniors to attach the triangle at the top of the tripod. I did a bit of netting on the triangle afterwards. To utilise our logistics as much as possible, I decided to add more layers of 定脚s using 中短木 to represent the layers of our Christmas tree, but we did not have enough 中短木, hence we had to ask from another patrol. We did our final touch-ups on our structure while chatting, before the time was up and we had to 集合. I have come to cherish my patrol very much and I am very comforted by Friday's Creative Gadgeting, as I managed to bond and laugh with my patrolmates, and I hope that we can make more meaningful memories for many years to come.

 

All in all, we hope that everyone had fun and managed to revise the basic lashes. 

Published by: 

Pok Jing 

53 届 Secretary 

Patrol Activity, 7 March 2022

 Hi Guides, 

The following are some reflections from the various patrol members during this week’s Patrol Activity. It is also the first Patrol Activity we had with our Y1s!

Reflection from a y3 in P1:

On Monday, we carried out the first PA with the Y1s. As the concept of working on a different activity is new to them, we patiently guided them through pioneering basics that their batch mates may not have learnt yet. Although I was not the appointed IC, I found that the patrol activity has provided me with many chances to step up and teach the Y1s basic pioneering lashes. We were tasked to build a swing out of spars. One problem we encountered was the timber hitch, which was something that caused a lot of confusion among us. Embarrassingly, I was not very sure of how to tie the timber hitch, having seen many different substitutes for the hitch. However, the Y4 seniors managed to do a demonstration, which is much appreciated. Another problem was leaving the Y1s out a few times. Since the Y1s did not know how pioneering lashes differ from gadgeting lashes, we unknowingly shifted the work to the Y2s instead of teaching the Y1s patiently. A part of this was due to being behind time, and we were rushing to complete the structure within the time limit. However, this was mostly overlooked on our parts and served as a reminder to include our Y1s as new members of the patrol. One takeaway was that we managed to complete the swing, albeit having to ask for time extension. While we certainly could have been faster, the first pioneering structure with the Y1s proved to be a success. As memorable as it was, there were many takeaways in our first Patrol Activity with the Y1s, and I hope we can have equally, if not more meaningful patrol activities together in the future. 

Reflection from a y3 in P2:

For this Monday’s Patrol Activity, we played treasure hunt. We were split into two groups in our patrol. Each group had to compete to see who could finish 5 stations faster. Afterwards, based on the letters given after finishing each station, we had to figure out where the final destination was and find the treasure hidden there. There were two treasures hidden, so the group who finished faster could go find the better treasure first. We tried our best to complete the stations as fast as we could. The 1st station was”Don’t answer the question”. We were asked a question and could only answer with Guides related answers or a senior’s name, while avoiding to answer the question correctly. It was fun hearing each other’s answers to the questions. For the second station, we had to find a First-Aid pouch hidden in the classroom, then tie an ankle bandage for the assigned casualty. We took quite some time trying to find the First-Aid pouch, but we still completed it under the given time. Next, we had to find post-its with structure names for station 3. The Y1s then had to match the post its to the pictures of the structures given. The 4th station was also looking for post its, but on the post its there were trekking signs. We got to revise our trekking sign skills. For the last station, a Y2 had to describe a senior to the Y1s. However, there were certain words that could not be said, and the Y3s could not help the Y1s. It was tough as the Y1s did not know many of the senior’s names, so the Y3s could help by saying three things about the senior’s role or fun facts about them, before telling the Y1s who the senior was. I felt that it was a good opportunity for the Y1s to recognize their seniors. Finally, we pieced the letters given together and went to the final destination, which was 团部. It took us a long time to find the final treasure as it was hidden really well. All in all, we enjoyed this week’s Patrol Activity a lot as it was fun and helped us revise our soft skills as well. 

Reflection from a y3 in P3:

On Monday's patrol activity, we had lash training and built a kitchen table. Hence, we had to go 团部 to search for helmets as we would be handling spars. However, we ended up having to take some from another patrol as there were none left in 团部. After that, we taught the year 1s how to tie standard lashes on spars. I tried my best to encourage and teach the correct information to the junior I was assigned to. After lash training, we proceeded to build the kitchen table and we managed to work rather efficiently, except for the occasional misallocation of manpower. We had faced other difficulties such as the heights of our 顶脚s and the misalignment of our structure. The spars were big and heavy and thus I made a mental note to look out for my patrol-mates' safety. Eventually, we managed to complete the structure and even sat on it. I feel that this was a really pleasant bonding experience with my patrol and I hope that we will be able to make more memories together. I also feel that this was a great introduction for the Y1s into Pioneering and allowed them to see a different side of Guides activity. All in all, I feel that this Patrol Activity was fun and I learnt more about Pioneering and revised on the standard structure and lashes. 

Reflection from a y3 in P4:

For this Patrol Activity we did 绳桥, we had to tie two A-架 frames with diagonal lashes and tie 定脚s to the A-架. Then, we tied the rope to both frames. From this, I learnt about the importance of the basic lashes as we have to put our weight on the square lash. I helped to 定the structure while others tried the 绳桥. Then, I had my first experience of climbing on the 绳桥. I feel that 定-ing the structure is harder than actually going on the 绳桥 because we have to ensure that the rope is taut so that the person climbing is safe. I was told to be at the end of the 绳桥 and pulling it with my weight. It was quite a scary experience as i had to put my weight on the rope and ensure that i do not slip if not the people 定-ing the 绳桥 would slip too and the person going on the 绳桥 would fall to the mat. I would say going on the 绳桥 was fun as i got to experience it for the first time. It was quite hard as we had to shift our legs on the rope. Furthermore the rope is very rough and it made my hands quite painful. But overall I still think it is a fun experience. I would do it again but with a bandage the next time so that my hands would not hurt that much. It was also very mesmerising to see our seniors go on the 绳桥 as they can do it well and professionally.

Reflection from a y3 in P5:

On 7th March, we had Patrol Activity. We did Pioneering Lash Training and Fireman’s Ladder. For Pioneering Lash Training, it was the Year 1s’ first time doing Pioneering. Thus, we had to guide the Year 1s. We managed to teach them how to tie a timber hitch, square lash, and diagonal lash. Overall, we were a bit slow in teaching and therefore we could have improved our sense of urgency and 报时-ed more often. For Fireman’s Ladder, we had to tie the lashes very tightly as they needed to be able to withstand the weight of a person. Although the lashes were quite tight at first, some of us did not hold the structure by the lash and thus, they became loosened slightly. An area we could have improved on was our sense of urgency. We took quite some time tying the lashes, and not all of them were very tight. At the start, most of us were a bit nervous and unsure of going up on the Fireman’s Ladder and flipping. However, after watching a few of us attempt it, more of us started trying. We would also cheer to help encourage our fellow patrol mates when they were attempting the Fireman’s Ladder. I felt that this really helped to boost the patrol’s morale. Overall, the Patrol Activity was fun and I was quite happy as all of us stepped out of our comfort zone and attempted the Fireman’s Ladder at least once. Even people who never managed to flip over the Fireman’s Ladder before managed to do it this time. Not to mention, it also gave us a great opportunity to bond with each other. However, we could have 顶 the 木 better as at times, it got a bit wobbly and started tilting to the side, that was dangerous and could have injured one of us. 

Reflection from a y3 in P6:

During Patrol Activity on Monday, my patrol did lash training as well as played Captain’s Ball. For lash training, we each had to tie square lash, diagonal lash, A-架, and tripod twice and time our lashes. This activity allowed us to revise our standard lashes. The feedback provided by the Year 4s also helped us to identify areas of improvement in our lashes. The Year 1s and Year 2s could also brush up on their standard lashes and improve in terms of tightness and time management. I believe that I could have tied my lashes tighter and also took a shorter time to tie my tripod. For the Captain's Ball activity, we were first instructed to tie two separate ‘hoops’ for the game. The patrol was split into two smaller groups so that we could work on the ‘hoops’ more efficiently. We could also step up to instruct our juniors on how to build the ‘hoops’. The game of Captain’s Ball allowed us to step out of our comfort zones and work together as a group to defeat the opposing team, especially for the Year 1s as some of them may still be a bit unfamiliar with Guides. I enjoyed this Patrol Activity as it allowed my patrol to bond as well as improve on our hard and soft skills. Communication was key especially during Captain’s Ball when we had to instruct our group mates on where to move and where to pass the ball. All in all, this Patrol Activity session was very meaningful and I do look forward to similar Patrol Activities in the future. 

We hope everyone had fun and bonded with their patrol during this week's Patrol Activity!

Published by: 

Pok Jing 

53 届 Secretary 

Skills Training, 4 March 2022

 Hello Guides, 

For this week’s 集合, the Year 3s did Camp D while the Year 1s and 2s did played Station Games and did Standard Gadgeting. 

Station Games: 

Station 1: Repair the Frame: 

For this station, two Year 2s were assigned as PL and PS, and they stepped up to lead the patrol into building two carbon-copied frames. This station aims to give an opportunity for the Y2s to lead their Y1s in tying a creative frame. The Station Master also untied some of their lashes, which aims to teach the juniors to remain composed and learn to tie faster with the limited time left. 

Reflection from a y1:

During last Friday’s CCA session, I felt that the station 1 activity was quite fun although we had faced some difficulties. At first, we were not given a time limit and we were all rather confused, however after we were told that we only had a few minutes left, we all panicked and tried to complete the structure in time. Luckily, after splitting the jobs accordingly, we all managed to finish just in time. When we had to 拆掉 the structure it took quite a while and a lot of effort. Hence, we had passed the time limit. However, we still managed to finish the task.

Reflection from a y2: 

I think that the station was good for training our communication skills as we had to split into two groups and make a frame each. We did not complete because of problems in communication. Even so, everyone tried their best to communicate and standardised our frames to make sure that they were similar. Also, we should learn how to be more alert during the station as the seniors tried to untie our lashes and we almost did not notice. However, I think that we managed to avoid total destruction of our frames by warning each other about what the seniors were doing. Overall, I think that it was a good activity to test our skills, speed, alertness, communication and teamwork. I just think that we could have made our lashes slightly tighter as some were loose and we did not notice until we took apart our structures. 

Station 2a: Puzzles with a Twist:

For this station, the juniors are required to solve 3 puzzles that were jumbled and placed together. This aims to allow the juniors to think fast and critically, which helps them improve on problem solving. Through this mini game, it allows them to bond as they work together to fix the puzzles. 

Reflection from a y1:

I felt like the puzzle with a twist game was quite challenging, especially the second puzzle which only had solid colours and it was really hard to make out what it was, even after solving the puzzle. This game was really challenging and put our thinking skills to the test to figure out where to put the puzzle pieces. It allowed me to work with my patrolmates, which we were short of as the other people were not able to come. However, it was really fun and it gave me a sense of accomplishment when I finished the puzzle. I was also able to learn more about my patrol mates and chat with them while solving the puzzle. All in all, station 2a was an awesome game for patrol mates to put our heads together and think, as well as bond.

Reflection from a y2: 

One of the station games we played during 集合 was Puzzles with a Twist. For this station, we were required to reassemble 3 puzzles where their pieces were jumbled up together. It was quite a tough challenge as some puzzle pieces only had a type of colour and no other clues, so we had to figure out where the puzzle pieces should go. I feel that this activity allowed us to think more critically and I also learnt the importance of teamwork. In order to solve all 3 puzzles, we had to work together and everyone had to contribute in fixing the puzzles. I find this station interesting and fun as we seldom play such puzzle games in 集合. As a Y2, we also had to organise the patrol and make sure everyone was involved in the solving of the puzzles. In the end, I felt really happy after we managed to solve all three puzzles together as a patrol. This game allowed me to bond with my patrolmates and juniors as we worked together to solve all three puzzles, and we all had fun playing this station.

Station 2b: Broken Telephone 

For this station, the juniors played a well-known game, Broken Telephone. A message was read to the first person, and they would have to pass down the message as accurately as possible, and the last person is required to guess what the message is. This game helps the juniors to improve on their communication skills and allows the juniors to bond over a game. 

 

Reflection from a y1:

Last Friday on 4th March, the Year 1s and 2s played station games. We played the game of “broken telephone” where we whispered to each other a sentence once and passed it down the line. We tried to pronounce the tongue twisters as clearly as possible but unfortunately, we failed most of the time as the sentences given rhymed and were tricky to say. Despite that, we had lots of fun laughing at each other as we tried to comprehend what the others were saying. I feel that through this activity, I was able to bond with my seniors and patrol mates and we had lots of fun playing the game. I also learnt the importance of communication so that others would not get the message wrong and lead to misunderstandings in the future. In total, last Friday’s 集合 was very enjoyable and .

Reflection from a y2: 

 The station game was very fun and enjoyable. It basically trained our brains to remember things fast and also develop a good rapport which is similar to telepathy. The tongue twisters were also funny. It was challenging because some of the words and names did not make any sense. However, it was still a really engaging way for the Year 1s and Year 2s to bond together, and develop our team spirit. Even though we did not get some of the sentences right, we still had a good laugh about it. Through this activity, I also learnt that communication is a key form of passing information, and we have to be clear in our instructions to avoid misunderstandings. Besides, I got the chance to bond with my patrol mates through the game. As such, I also hope that more of these kinds of station games will be planned during future 集合s. 

Station 3: Escape Room 

For this station, it tests the adaptability of the juniors and gives them more opportunities to work with each other. Much communication is needed as the juniors attempt to crack the riddles, and we hope the juniors can learn to work together and discuss with each other.   

Reflection from a y1:

In Station 3, the Escape Room, the room was completely dark and it was really hard to see. We had to find 6 riddles hidden in the 3I classroom, solve them and tell the seniors our answer. Altogether, I found 4 pieces of riddles. The first one I found was hidden in the flowers in the classroom decoration. The second one was in a blue folder in a shelf. The third one was below the hand sanitizer at the front of the class.The fourth and final one was pinned on the notice board closest to the teacher's table. I remember that the second riddle was a maze. I solved the maze but when I showed the seniors my answer, they told each other that the maze had two answers and the number 03 was the correct answer. The last one I found was a famous riddle on how many holes a shirt has. This shows us how teamwork is essential when completing any task at hand. Those that are good at finding items in the dark should find them and pass it to the people who are good at solving riddles. Communication is also important in the sense that it allows for coordination to prevent the disorientation of the group. For example, if we had not communicated properly, some people may have been looking for riddles even after they were all found. This could result in valuable time being wasted. Overall, all of us had lots of fun in the escape room and it helped bond us together even more. I hope we will get to play more of these games in the future!

Reflection from a y2: 

During the last 集合, station 3 was an escape room. While doing this activity my batch mates and I had no luck finding any of the clues. We looked under tables and chairs, yet we could not find anything. However, the Year 1s seemed to be able to find the clues with ease. They were able to find all the clues while we could not find a single one. This made me realise that we could not find the clues because we were not looking in the correct spots. Thus, we came up with a plan. The Year 1s were to find the clues first. Then, we would try to decipher the riddles and when we were done, we would help them find more clues. This made me realise how important teamwork is. Without the Year 1s, we would not have been able to find the clues. We were able to solve the clues faster and more efficiently with the help of our Year 1s. Since we had to do it in the dark, it also made me realise how important our vision is to us. When we are unable to see, simple tasks like looking for pieces of paper in a small classroom becomes much more  difficult for us.

Standard Gadgeting: 

For this activity, it introduces the standard structures to the Y1s and allows the Y2s to recap on their structures. It is also an opportunity to teach the Y1s exactly how to tie the structures and teach them step-by-step as well as other common lashes we use, other than square and diagonal lashes. 

Reflection from a y1:

On 4 March, we were tasked to complete 2 standard structures, an indoor fire altar and a shoe rack. We faced a few challenges as of course, Year 1s had no idea what we had to do, and the Year 2 seniors were also trying their best to recall how the structures were supposed to be built. Furthermore, our seniors upped the level of our task by kapping some of our logistics. In hindsight, I highly doubt that I would know how to ask for our items back if I had caught them in the act. I am glad that we managed to complete the structures in the end. I will continue to learn from my amazing seniors.

Reflection from a y2: 

Last Friday, we did Gadgeting.  This was the first time we had 集合 without the Year 3s guiding us. Since the Year 1s were around, we had to step up and lead the Y1s in completing the structure. We got to experience what leading felt like and since the Year 1s were still not very familiar with the lashes, we had to step up and guide them along. I did not know that this was how it felt for the Year 3s when we first joined. I feel that we could have worked faster even though we completed our structures as we had to ask for time extensions a few times. This experience made me realise that teamwork makes all the difference as without help from my patrol mates, nothing would get done. Through this activity, it allowed me to recall how to build the standard structures, since we did not have the Y3s help and we also had to make sure we teached the Y1s correctly. I feel that this activity also allowed me to bond with my juniors as I guided them patiently on the steps to build the structure, how to tie the lashes, and explaining the structure’s function. All in all, I felt that this was a great learning opportunity for me and I also got to interact with my juniors more. 

Camp Development: 

For Camp Development, the Year 3s had to work in 3 groups, instead of their usual patrol members. They were tasked to build the structures they had planned after the Camp Development Lecture. This allows the Year 3s to learn the essence of Pioneering as they embark on a Creative Structure they planned from scratch. The Year 3s also had to step up and lead one another in order to complete their structures. 

Reflection from a y3:

On Friday, we had Camp Development. We initially found it daunting as we had seen our seniors look very tired after their Camp Development. However, it was quite memorable as we were able to build a structure related to a theme park or playground. My group decided to build a rock climbing wall, although we had to make many changes to our idea. However, we took quite a long time for the collection of logistics, so we will take note of that in the future. Even though we spent more time during the first half of the session, we managed to increase our sense of urgency to work faster in the second half, allowing us to finish our structure in time. Through this, we were able to bond with our batchmates more, and allow us to work together to write proposals and build structures together. The Year 4s also guided us through the planning stages so we are grateful to them that they supported us through the planning process and the session itself. It was an enriching experience and we hope that we will be able to improve on our sense of urgency and overall in future 集合s, especially since we will become 领导层 in a few months.

Reflection from another y3:

This Friday's 集合  required us to build a pioneering structure based on what our group had planned. As a Year 3, this experience allowed me to understand what I could improve on for both soft skills and hard skills. Firstly, the feedback that the seniors gave was very valuable. As one of the few times being IC, I was still unsure on what to do and it was mainly the other IC that did the leading. However, the seniors did give very helpful advice that I could learn from. The first thing would be foresight. Through the discussion with them, I realized the importance of thinking through and imagining the process on how the structure was going to be built beforehand. As such, I would have a better understanding of how the structure should be built, and any hiccups that may possibly occur. I also learnt that thinking of a backup plan was also important, such that we could adapt to any situation that occurred, for example, the 木 that we picked was too short or the structure we built was not stable. Second, they also highlighted the importance of situational awareness, such as being able to make use of the surroundings to take measurements such that it would be accurate and also save time. The seniors also pointed out how we could have planned the structure better, such as rafting 木 together for the slide, instead of attaching floorboards. Hard skills wise, I felt that I could improve on the tightness and speed of tying lashes, as well as revising them more. This was because there was one instance where I had to tie 八字结, but I kept tying it the wrong way. All in all, even though this experience was tiring, it was a very enriching and valuable experience that I had, from the planning of proposals to the building of the structures.

Reflection from another y3:

The Camp Development was very enriching for me. As I was selected to be one of the ICs of my group, it allowed me to step up more. The challenges I faced during the proposal submission and the actual implementation of the Camp Development has taught me a lot. During the proposal submission, some difficulties faced was trying to find time that most of the group could come together to discuss our structures. We managed to discuss a few times, and the rest of the proposal was done when we allocated some time to do it. Additionally, from the feedback given by seniors for the proposal submissions, I now understand more that 2D and 3D frames need diagonals to prevent shearing. During the tying of our structure, we faced some difficulties. We realised that the 黄木 we chose for the base frame was not ideally long enough. As the seniors had told us to bring extra 木, we could use the extra 2 黑木 instead. This taught me that we should always be prepared to face any type of challenges during tying of structures, and to also have foresight to think about what difficulties we might face and how we can overcome them. Another challenge I faced initially was having the group be on time with the timeline to tie the structure. After my senior suggested giving them timings for the lashes, the group’s sense of urgency had improved greatly and we even managed to finish the structure with spare time to try it out. From the Camp Development, I have learnt a lot more about planning for Guides activities, planning for possible challenges and solutions to them, stepping up to look at the bigger picture of the structure constantly, and giving timings when asking group members to tie lashes.

We hope that everyone had some takeaways from today’s 集合, and had fun!

Published by: 

Pok Jing 

53 届 Secretary