Skills Training, 29 October 2020

Hello Guides!

This was our first physical 集合 in 7 months. We had an inspection, lash training, patrol corner and played a game as well! 

Inspection

This inspection was to refamiliarise the Year 1s and Year 2s with inspection after not doing it for 7 months. Additionally, inspection helps to promote communication within the patrols and instil a sense of urgency in the Year 1s in preparation for the Annual Training Camp.

Reflection from a Year 1

Through the inspection we had during Thursday's CCA, I felt that I had learnt many new things during this session. In the first inspection which was involving Year 2s, I got to observe how an inspection was carried out and how the Year 2s communicated with each other. During the inspection where we split into two groups within a patrol, I learnt about the names of some of the items included in the 配备 with the help and guidance of the Year 2s. When it was time for the Year 1s to do it by ourselves, I did not feel very confident as I was not very sure of the arrangements of the items especially when the Year 2s were not allowed to help us with the packing of the logistics. When the Year 3s demonstrated how to do a proper inspection, I was surprised at how fast they did it and thought that I should learn from them to be as good in the future. In addition, I have also learnt that we should take care of our logistics and manpower.

 

Reflection from a Year 2

I feel that the inspection on Thursday was a good opportunity for us, the Year 2s, to teach

the Year 1s what is expected of a standard inspection. It was only during that 集合 did we realise that the Year 1s were unsure of how to ask for our manpower or logistics back when they have been kapped. Therefore, through the inspection during Friday’s 集合, we got the chance to teach the Year 1s how they should ask for the kapped logistics back, as well as the importance of being vigilant during the inspection. Additionally, we were tasked to take turns and to work in different groups for our various inspections. While one group carries out their inspection, the other groups can learn from the group that is currently working on the inspection layout. This has allowed me to learn from not only my own group’s mistakes but from the other groups’ mistakes too. Thus, the inspection carried out during Friday’s 集合 has been a great learning experience for me.

 

 

Lash Training

The Year 1s and Year 2s were given standard timings to follow while tying a square lash, diagonal lash, A-架, tripod and quadpod. During this time, the Year 1s can clarify any doubts they have as they are still not very familiar with some of the structures yet.

Reflection from a Year 1

Due to the Covid-19 situation we were unable to practice our lashes with our patrol and the real 白绳 and 木 for a few months, we were not so used to tying tight lashes as there was still some difference between the real experience and the small scaled one with the sticks and strings. However, we still enjoyed the lash training. We were not only able to revise on our lashes and also refreshed our memory, we also got to bond closer with our patrol mates. This is so as they encouraged us along whenever we faced a problem in tying a lash. After this lash training, we were also able to improve on our lashes by finding out what we can do better when tying our lashes after receiving feedback from our seniors. Besides improving on the amount of time we take to tie our lashes and its tightness, I think that we can have a better sense of urgency when tying the lashes. Lastly, I look forward to the next lash training!

 

Reflection from a Year 2

This lash training helped us to revise the lashes as we were unable to practice tying the proper lashes as we used sticks and strings during online CCA. I was happy that we can finally practice the lashes properly and guide our juniors along as they have not experienced many physical 集合 sessions. Hence, they might have forgotten about how to tie the tight and standard lashes. We enjoyed this session very much as we could interact physically with our seniors and juniors. As we did not have physical 集合 for a long time, we did not have a sense of urgency and did not 报时 and cheer much. I hope that together as a 团 we can improve on these to have a better sense of urgency and boost morale. I think that we also need to improve on the tightness of our lashes as our lashes are still not up to standard. I hope that we can become better role models to our juniors by improving in future 集合s. Overall, this lash training was very enjoyable and helped us practice our lashes so that we were able to better teach the Year 1s.

 

Patrol Corner

This is a time where patrol members can bond with one another to become closer and share their thoughts on the day’s 集合.

 

Reflection from a Year 2

During patrol corner, we sat down in a circle and our seniors asked us a few questions, “how do you think you could have done better”, “what do you think you did well” and “what do you think of this whole 集合”. These questions got me thinking and reflecting on what we had done for 集合 that day. Upon thinking, I realised that we had many areas for improvement in order to do better for the next 集合. I think that patrol corner has helped us to bond as a patrol by sitting down and talking. At first, patrol corners were awkward as we did not know each other very well. We used to simply sit down and remain silent until someone starts to talk. However, for the recent patrol corner, we have started to become more comfortable with sharing our thoughts and patrol corner became a great time to interact with our patrol mates.

 

Charades

During this game of charades, the Year 1s and Year 2s are given a word in which they have to act out while the other patrol members guess the word. This promotes communication and bonding among the patrol and also helps the Year 1s better familiarise themselves with the different Girl Guides terms.

 

Reflection from a Year 1

We had a fun time playing charades on Thursday because it was less awkward than the first time we played it during the first few 集合s as we really became closer over the year so we really enjoyed it. It tested our knowledge of Girl Guides as we had to guess the items or activities and the fact that we had to act it out requires a certain level of understanding as well. Although we thoroughly liked the game, we think it could have been even more fun if everyone was engaged in it. However, the game might not have been carried out as smoothly because it was the end of the day and most of us were very tired. Overall, we had fun playing the game and it helped us to revise some of the Girl Guides terms.

 

Reflection from a Year 2

At the end of the patrol corner, we played charades. We had to guess a few Girl Guides terms from one person's actions. For the terms that the Year 1s did not understand, the Year 2s would explain them. Since the Year 1s are relatively new to Girl Guides in the sense that they have not participated in many physical 集合s, I think this is a meaningful way to expose them to various new guiding terms. I found this activity very fun and educational as it could help the Year 1s learn the various terms in Girl Guides and help them remember these terms better as they will learn it through a fun game. However, I feel that this activity could have gone much smoother if we were not so awkward with each other. Since we had not had a physical 集合 since February, I feel that it is understandable that this happened. However I hope that through more 集合s, we will get closer.

 

We hope that through this week’s 集合, everyone had lots of fun and learnt something new!

 

Published by:

Cefina 

52届 Secretary

Skills Training, 28 August 2020

Hello Guides!

During this week’s 集合, we had lash training and played a game of Skribbl.io as well!

Lash Training

In the previous 集合, the Year 2s had a recap on the various lashes. Hence, in this activity, the Year 2s would be required to apply their knowledge and communicate it in such a way that the Year 1s would be able to understand and can help the Y1s in recapping the lashes as well. 

Reflection from a Year 1

We managed to revise our three lashes through this 集合. We may have forgotten how to tie some of the lashes but through this activity, it allowed us to refresh our memory. Even though we knew some of the lashes already, after not attending CCA for so long, we almost forgot all our hard skills, but we were also a bit shy to ask for help before this session. However, after this session, we were more familiar and also knew how to tie those lashes with the thin string and the satay sticks that were given to us and we also tried to do mini-gadgeting. That was something that we felt might not have happened during physical CCA. Overall, we were happy that we had the chance to practice our lashes and 报时 more. We would practice our lashes even on non CCA days and would try to learn other lashes if possible, so that we could learn more skills and put them to good use in future activities.

Reflection from a Year 2

For the lash training, we had to teach the Year 1s how to tie square lash, diagonal lash and tripod. I think this activity was a good opportunity for us to improve our leadership skills and help the Year 1s remember how to tie lashes as they did not have the opportunity to practice them for a long time. Due to the sticks being small, it was quite hard to see how the Year 1s were tying and whether they tied it wrongly. However, we tried our best to observe them on the screen and fortunately, most of them managed to tie their lashes correctly, which we were very proud of. With the Year 1s around, we tried to 报时 more so that they would learn to have a better sense of urgency and tie their lashes faster. From this activity, we learnt how to communicate with the Year 1s better and teach them how to tie lashes correctly. By teaching the Year 1s, it also helps us to improve our own lashes as we would need to set a good example for them to follow. Overall, we learnt many things from this activity and enjoyed it a lot.

Skribbl.io

This game of Skribbl.io is where Girl Guides related words are given and the appointed person for that round of the game would have to draw it out. The rest of the people are to guess what the person is drawing. Through the game of Skribbl.io, Y1s and Y2s would be familiar with the types of knots and lashes, as well as some other basic terms in guides.

Reflection from a Year 1

I find the Skribbl.io game very meaningful. From the Skribbl.io game, I managed to learn a lot of new words such as “fire altar” and “rafting”. I was also able to recap on some words that were previously taught to us last time such as “顶脚” and “八字结”. I enjoyed the Skribbl.io game a lot as it was very fun to try to guess the word. The Skribbl.io game also allowed me to talk to my seniors more as I asked them the meaning of new words. The Skribbl.io game is also very encouraging as there is a thumbs up button we can press to show that the drawing is good. Many of my patrol mates gave me the thumbs up button which really lifted my spirits. Although we were not able to have CCA in person, I think that the Skribbl.io game allowed us to still learn what we would have learnt in a physical CCA session. It also allowed us to interact more with each other across different levels which increased patrol bonding. Through this game, I learnt new words and their meanings, was encouraged and was also able to talk to my seniors more. 

Reflection from a Year 2

We got to play a game that I have never played before. Personally I feel that the Skribbl.io game was very fun and meaningful. It was definitely a very good experience to bond with my patrol, especially with the Year 1s. We took turns to draw out a word related to Girl Guides and the others had to guess the word. It was very interesting. It also refreshed our memory on the terms that are commonly used in guides for us Year 2s, like for example quadpod as we have not attended CCA for a few months. This game can also teach the Year 1s on what are the commonly used terms in Girl Guides. As the Year 1s did not have much experience in Girl Guides as compared to the Year 2 batch, this game can provide a platform for us to teach the Year 1s easily without needing to communicate face to face while also having fun. This game also promotes discussion within the patrol, letting us bond with each other. Overall, I find this game very interesting, fun and meaningful and it would be great to be able to play it again in the future.

Hopefully through these activities, everyone was able to better familiarise themselves with the different types of lashes as well as Girl Guides terms!

Published by:

Cefina 

52届 Secretary

Skills Training, 21 August 2020

Hi Guides!
 
During this week’s 集合, we had a lecture, played Kahoot, did mini gadgeting and came up with a batch cheer!
 
Lashes and Knots Lecture
As it has been a few months since the Year 2s have returned to Guides, this serves as a recap for basic knots and lashes, and to emphasize on things to take note when tying lashes or structures. Standard timings are also included to set the standard and remind them that they need to have a sense of urgency even if it's E-CCA. As they have to be the ones teaching the Year 1s how to tie these knots and lashes, this lecture will refresh their memory and slowly integrate them back to guides. The Kahoot was conducted in a game form to involve everyone in the quiz. Misconceptions by juniors could also be cleared up immediately to prevent confusion afterwards.

Reflection from a Year 2
Before the activities on mini gadgeting, we had a lecture on knots and lashes where we recapped all of our basic lashes learned throughout our 1.5 years in guides. It was helpful as it served as a quick revision after a long period of time not practising them due to the Covid-19 situation. It was especially helpful as the lecture slides included instructions on how to tie a quad-pod which I was not very familiar with. Following that, we played a game of Kahoot. It was very fun and insightful especially since this was our first time playing a game of Kahoot to get to better know our knots and lashes. The Kahoot allowed us to quickly revise what we had learnt from the lecture as well as corrected any misunderstandings so we can better teach our juniors.
 
Mini Gadgeting
This gives the Year 2s an opportunity to practice their lashes even online and to put what they have learnt in the lecture to use. The tying of tripod with 定脚s gives them a chance to familiarise themselves with the correct way to tie it. The creative gadgeting allows them to make use of their creativity and critical thinking to tie a gadget within the requirements and the limited logistics they possess. It also allows them to practice various different types of lashes as they are required to build a structure using at least 3 lashes. 

Reflection from a Year 2

As it was my first time using the bamboo sticks, I had difficulties trying to tie lashes on them as they were much thinner compared to the usual gadget poles we use. I dropped the bamboo sticks countless times due to it being so light and my lashes were quite loose which resulted in my tripod almost collapsing. Using bamboo sticks to tie a tripod was truly a new experience for me. Constant 报时 and cheering became quite difficult to do as I was too busy trying to tie tight lashes. However, I learnt that even if I meet an obstacle, it is never impossible and constant 报时 and cheering is the basics and I should be doing so. Hence, I decided not to give up and eventually managed to tie a tight lash as well as 报时 and cheered very often.

Reflection from another Year 2

This was also my first time thinking of a structure without my seniors or batch mate’s help. Therefore, I took reference from the previous structures that we have built before and modified it slightly to meet the criteria of the creative gadget. However halfway through, I realised that my structure wasn’t actually very suitable to use under the situation that my seniors gave me. It wasn’t able to hold anything on top while the criteria for the structure was for us to place our belongings. Having only about 5 minutes left, I had to just try to change it to the best of my ability to meet the criteria. In the end, I was not able to complete the structure on time. However, I learnt that problems may arise after we have already built the structure and we have to learn to think of a solution as quickly as possible and think through on how I am going to build the structure before starting on it.

 

Batch Activity

This activity gives Year 2s a chance to discuss and create their batch cheer. This also gives Year 2 a chance for them to communicate within their batch, and think about their batch characteristics, allowing them to bond better.

Reflection from a Year 2

For batch activity, we had to come up with a batch cheer and were given nine minutes. We had to discuss through Zoom and one of the seniors shared with us what her batch did for their cheer. After we came up with the cheer, we had to perform it for the rest of the 团. Through the batch activity, I feel that we bonded as a batch as we had the opportunity to work together to come up with the cheer. We also had to work around the fact that we were all using Zoom and could not discuss face to face. While this posed a challenge as some of us could not use our microphones or cameras, we managed to overcome those difficulties and came up with a cheer. I found this activity quite interesting as it allowed us to bond while allowing us to further develop our sense of belonging to guides.

 

We hope that everyone managed to enjoy the activities planned and bonded well with their batch mates and patrol!

 

Published by:

Cefina 

52届 Secretary

Skills Training, 15 August 2020

Hello Guides!

For this week’s 集合, we had a lecture, played some station games and bonded more with our patrol mates through the patrol corner!

Guides Lecture

The main purpose of the Guides Lecture is to teach the Year 1s about the basic information in Guiding such as 礼节, Guides motto and Guides promise. As for the Year 2s, it was to clear any doubts they had as well as to recap the basic 礼节 and Guides information, in addition to the new online 礼节.

Reflection from a Year 2:

For the Guides Lecture, it further corrected my understanding of what Guiding is about. Although I am a Year 2, I still had some things that I was unsure of which were confirmed during the lecture. One of them was things such as what ABCDEO’s every letter stood for. I will definitely obey them and show respect to the guiders and seniors. The presentation gave me more confidence to be able to execute my duties to meet the utmost standards. I also think it helped the Year 1s to better understand what Girl Guides is about as I may have missed out some information while informing them. With this, I can also better educate the juniors about what to do should they forget, as I now fully understand the standards to be met. I did not know all the words of the taps song and this Guides Lecture helped me to confirm the words so I can sing it more accurately the next time we have 集合.

 

Following the Guides Lecture, we had several station games. There were 3 stations: The Camera Challenge, Pictionary and How Well Do You Know Guides. Here are some reflections on the stations.

 

Station 1: The Camera Challenge

This station would require you to turn off all your cameras as it is the test of your patrol’s tacit understanding. Your patrol will have to mute your mics for the first round and turn on your cameras one by one without any two people overlapping. The sequence should be random and should not be according to batch, you will have to restart the round the moment two cameras are on at the same time. 2 minutes will be given for each round and after the 1st round ends, you can turn on your cameras. For the 2nd round, the same rules apply but your mics can be unmuted. Communication only through mics are allowed.

Reflection from a Year 2:

This was a new game for me so I found it really interesting. It consisted of two rounds, one of which we were not allowed to communicate. The round in which we were not allowed to communicate was challenging but we still managed to get it right on the first try. For the second round, we were allowed to communicate. However, I felt that we could have communicated more effectively to make this station easier and completed it more efficiently. From this station, I learnt that communication and teamwork is crucial to archive our end goal as a patrol. Through communicating, we are able to get our ideas across better and things would turn out easier than before. This is something that I will definitely work on throughout my guiding journey.

 

Station 2: Pictionary

Everyone will be given a chance to draw a word that has to do with guides for example, mass tins. When the game starts, everybody except the person drawing has to mute your computer speaker such that you will not be able to hear the station master. When everybody is ready, the station master will tell the person a word and she will be given 30 seconds to draw it out. When 30 seconds is up, you can unmute your speakers. Afterwhich, the person drawing will flash her picture on the screen and the remaining people would have to guess it within 15 seconds. This process will repeat and everybody should be able to take a turn. 

Reflection from a Year 2:

This game was really fun because I have always enjoyed playing Pictionary and this was my first time playing it with my patrol mates online. It was really enjoyable guessing what our patrol mates were drawing even though I was slightly confused at the details of their drawing several times. From this game, I learnt that it is essential to have teamwork within our patrol such that we will be able to cooperate better. In this game, we were also not allowed to communicate verbally. As such, I recognised the importance of verbal communication as it ensures we will be able to get our ideas across clearly and understand us. With this understanding, we will be able to better work together as a team towards our common goals. Most of the words given were also related to Girl Guides which allowed us to have a better understanding of Girl Guides.

 

Station 3: How Well Do You Know Guides

In this station game, the station masters will be asking you a series of questions that are related to Girl Guides. This is to test how much you have learnt from the lecture earlier on. You will be given 30 seconds to answer each question and communication is allowed. One person in the patrol can only answer one question, which means everybody should have a chance to answer at least one question.

Reflection from a Year 2:

This game really tested our knowledge about Girl Guides, mainly what was shared during the lecture. I feel that this was a good game as it could allow the Year 1s to know more about Girl Guides, especially when they have missed CCA for a long time due to the Covid-19 situation. This game also refreshed my memory on Girl Guides such as the motto, Be Prepared. Through this game, our patrol also managed to communicate more and bond with each other, especially when we have not met each other quite some time, as we discussed together about the answers to these questions. I also realised through this game that a team was essential because we will not know all the answers to all the questions all the time. Hence, we will need to also rely on our patrol mates at times. Together as one, we will be able to work more effectively and answer the questions using a shorter amount of time.

Following the station games, we had Patrol Corner!

Patrol Corner

During this time, we managed to catch up with one another. It was also for the Year 1s and Year 2s to clarify their doubts with us. We also did goal setting so that we were clear on what we would like to achieve for the rest of the year and what we hope to improve on.

Reflection from a Year 2:

For Patrol Corner, we reflected on our experience during Saturday's 集合 and during Photo Taking on Friday. I realised that I should practise tying my scarf more often in order to get it right and be able to teach the Year 1s well. I also realised that I should communicate more with my patrol members whenever possible, be it Patrol Corner or during other activities. The setting of goals helped me come to realise what I want to achieve in my guiding journey as a Year 2. I want to hold more responsibility over myself and the Year 1s. To achieve this, I must have self-discipline, commitment and patience. Instead of hoping that the Year 3s will guide and discipline the Year 1s, my batchmates and I should take the initiative to inform the Year 1s of the necessary information first. Overall, the patrol corner really helped me reflect on my guiding journey through the goal setting as well as allowed me to bond more with my patrol.

We hope that through these activities, everyone had picked up something new and enjoyed bonding with their patrols!

 

Published by:

Cefina 

52届 Secretary