Hello guides!(:
Today about 20 Year 2 and Year 3 guides went for a tent pitching and fire lighting workshop held at the Guides Headquarters.
Firstly, we were taught on tent pitching. The tent that we will be pitching during ATC is very different from the ones that we’ve been pitching during skills trainings. Firstly, the items used to support the tent are different, and the material of the tent is also different. Even the pegs and mallot used are wooden instead of metal. After a demonstration done by Mr Mail, we broke up into 2 groups, Year 3s and Year 2s, and did some hands-on.
From the hands-on session, we realised the mistakes with our tents, for example, when to roll up the tent doors and when not to. We also realised that during ATC, it is very important to allocate manpower properly and clearly to the patrol to ensure swift completion of the tents because we have to build 2 tents per patrol, and we should not spend too much time on them as we also have other Camp D gadgets to build. Another reason for allocating manpower properly is so that the patrol members will know what to do in the next steps of pitching the tent, and not have nothing to do while waiting for the other patrol members to finish their jobs.
For the fire lighting session, we were given a demonstration on digging a pit, lighting and sustaining a fire. From this we discovered some new stuff. For example, one of them was that we should not give the 3 blows immediately when the fire has been lighted, but to wait for the fire to warm up first, and blow only when the fire is dying out. After the demonstration, we were given a hands-on session in which we had to form groups of 3.
As some of us did not bring our kindling, we either shared or took some provided by Mr Mail. Some mistakes that were made by my group was that we either broke the matchsticks while lighting them, or that we just threw it into the wigwam after lighting them, thus we had problems sustaining the fire initially. In the end, we still managed to light the fire successfully, but we had already wasted about 10 matchsticks. Then, we proceeded on to boil water in the kettle. From this activity, my group, consisting of 2 other Year 2s, learnt that we should treasure each matchstick because during OJ and outdoor cooking, we would only be given a certain number of matchsticks. We also realised that fire lighting in preparation for outdoor cooking can be done by just 2 or 3 people, and not the whole patrol is needed. One of the mistakes that we usually make during outdoor cooking is that a lot of people in the patrol will be crowding around the cooking pit when the fire is being lit. Thus we learnt that during outdoor cooking, we should allocate the jobs properly to the patrol, for example, the others can start preparing the food while the 2 or 3 people are lighting the fire.
This workshop really taught us new stuff and also made us revise the skills that we have learnt.
As for the sec2s, the importance of efficient manpower allocation was emphasised once again, that we have to delegate the jobs properly in order to ensure completion of the task as soon as possible.
So let's jiayous for ATC!
♥guides
8 November 2008
7 November 2008
6 November 2008
Hello (:
Today, we had pre-camp inspection in school. For pre camp inspection, we had to lay out all our patrol basics as well as other items such as our pei bei and styrofoam boxes. We would be judged based on our standadisation and arrangement of the items as well as for the items.
Overall, we had around 2 weeks to prepare ourselves for the inspection; to create all the patrol basics, including our flag, banner, identities, shorts as well as mealbags. Also, we were required to pack our styrofoam boxes, peibei as well as first aid kit.
We arrived early in the morning in school, with all the necessary items for inspection. After leaving our personal belongings in the respective classrooms, we then jihed back at the backstall. That marked the start of pre-camp inspection.
We were first of all, briefed on the respective classrooms which we would have to lay out our items in. This year, due to unforeseen weather circumstances, we had inspection in the classrooms, instead of in the field, as was customary. Therefore, we had to ammend some of the arrangements in our proposals, to fit the classroom setting.
We were then given 20 minutes to lay out our items and to get ready for the inspection. Actually, that would not have been a really difficult task; it was simply to lay out the items. It would not have required so much time, should we have been more prepared and should we have allocated the manpower more evenly, such that everyone in the patrol would be able to pitch in to help. We ended up having to ask for time extention. Perhaps we could have been more efficient, should we have just followed our proposals the way it was drawn in the first place. In the end, we changed a lot of things, which made everything seem extremely confusing and slowed us down immensely. However, we still managed to lay everything out in the end, ready for inspection.
Following up, our items were inspected by the councillors from various patrols. We had to stand in a straight line facing away from the classroom as the items were inspected. We were also called out one by one to be questioned on the meanings of our patrol basics designs as well as colour scheme. After the inspections by the various checkpoint leaders, our mistakes were pointed out to us. Mistaks included not standadising the arrangement out our items with the other patrols, not having the proper attire, not taking care of our items, as well as not labelling our items properly. Also, we were not very efficient, and lacked that sense of urgency.
As a result for all the various mistakes made, we were given consequences: a variety of physical activities, such as pumpings, sit-ups, star-jumps, jumping jacks, as well as jogging around the classroom blocks. "As the going gets tough, the tough gets going"; we still tried our best, to complete the various activities.
Though, perhaps there is one thing we could improve on; that would be our patrol spirit. Through the ATC, it is of importance to maintain a high morale and patrol spirit so as to encourge each other on and to push each other on, even when the going gets tough. It was said that our patrol spirit today during the pre-camp inspection was not very high. It could have been due to the fact that we were not allowed to cheer loudly. Nevertheless, that is one thing we can work towards, to improve our patrol spirit. We can all do better!
Overall, pre-camp inspection, though rather tough at times, was a enriching experience for us all. For the year ones, it could be considered as a new and refreshing experience, this being their very first inspection. For year twos, this pre-camp inspection gave us a chance to experience leading our patrols. It gave us the opportunities to lead our year ones. It made us question ourselves: Have we got what it takes to be an effective leader?
Pre-camp inspection gave us all a taste of what ATC will be like. Although we may have had certain short-comings or made certain mistakes, we still have ATC ahead of us.
Wishing everyone the best of luck and jiayou!
Love DHS guides :)
Today, we had pre-camp inspection in school. For pre camp inspection, we had to lay out all our patrol basics as well as other items such as our pei bei and styrofoam boxes. We would be judged based on our standadisation and arrangement of the items as well as for the items.
Overall, we had around 2 weeks to prepare ourselves for the inspection; to create all the patrol basics, including our flag, banner, identities, shorts as well as mealbags. Also, we were required to pack our styrofoam boxes, peibei as well as first aid kit.
We arrived early in the morning in school, with all the necessary items for inspection. After leaving our personal belongings in the respective classrooms, we then jihed back at the backstall. That marked the start of pre-camp inspection.
We were first of all, briefed on the respective classrooms which we would have to lay out our items in. This year, due to unforeseen weather circumstances, we had inspection in the classrooms, instead of in the field, as was customary. Therefore, we had to ammend some of the arrangements in our proposals, to fit the classroom setting.
We were then given 20 minutes to lay out our items and to get ready for the inspection. Actually, that would not have been a really difficult task; it was simply to lay out the items. It would not have required so much time, should we have been more prepared and should we have allocated the manpower more evenly, such that everyone in the patrol would be able to pitch in to help. We ended up having to ask for time extention. Perhaps we could have been more efficient, should we have just followed our proposals the way it was drawn in the first place. In the end, we changed a lot of things, which made everything seem extremely confusing and slowed us down immensely. However, we still managed to lay everything out in the end, ready for inspection.
Following up, our items were inspected by the councillors from various patrols. We had to stand in a straight line facing away from the classroom as the items were inspected. We were also called out one by one to be questioned on the meanings of our patrol basics designs as well as colour scheme. After the inspections by the various checkpoint leaders, our mistakes were pointed out to us. Mistaks included not standadising the arrangement out our items with the other patrols, not having the proper attire, not taking care of our items, as well as not labelling our items properly. Also, we were not very efficient, and lacked that sense of urgency.
As a result for all the various mistakes made, we were given consequences: a variety of physical activities, such as pumpings, sit-ups, star-jumps, jumping jacks, as well as jogging around the classroom blocks. "As the going gets tough, the tough gets going"; we still tried our best, to complete the various activities.
Though, perhaps there is one thing we could improve on; that would be our patrol spirit. Through the ATC, it is of importance to maintain a high morale and patrol spirit so as to encourge each other on and to push each other on, even when the going gets tough. It was said that our patrol spirit today during the pre-camp inspection was not very high. It could have been due to the fact that we were not allowed to cheer loudly. Nevertheless, that is one thing we can work towards, to improve our patrol spirit. We can all do better!
Overall, pre-camp inspection, though rather tough at times, was a enriching experience for us all. For the year ones, it could be considered as a new and refreshing experience, this being their very first inspection. For year twos, this pre-camp inspection gave us a chance to experience leading our patrols. It gave us the opportunities to lead our year ones. It made us question ourselves: Have we got what it takes to be an effective leader?
Pre-camp inspection gave us all a taste of what ATC will be like. Although we may have had certain short-comings or made certain mistakes, we still have ATC ahead of us.
Wishing everyone the best of luck and jiayou!
Love DHS guides :)
1 November 2008
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