Begining of new semester

Today the Community Service block for the second semester commenced once again. We were notified that  we will be training the same group of children from last semester. We waited for their arrival but nobody showed up. So we decided to take this opportunity to make modifications to our schedule of training with the students. Last semester we spared some time to allow the kids to engage in a activity rather different from swimming. We introduced a 20 minute session of teaching computer basics; such as how to handle a mouse properly, correct seating positioning while working on a computer, hand placement on keyboard for typing prior entering the pool for swimming training. By doing so we thought it will give the children a chance to gain some additional skills apart from just swimming. This however, was only successful to a certain extent. We realized that the children got rather distracted and bored after a few weeks into the new routine. Although a typing software was used to help them learn these fundamental skills, most of them deviated from the instructions given. Almost every child kept using their index finger to peck on the keyboard. Some were not seated properly and were still typing. We soon realized that this was not all that satisfactory. This is one of the goals that we wish to accomplish this semester. We need to ensure that the children remain focused and is given full attention by one of OSC members.

Children learn best when their personal interest in a particular area is present. So we decided to incorporated another additional activity to the program and alter the schedule which we already follow. We decided to incorporate cricket into the service program. So every other Thursday, we would only focus on cricket and computer training leaving swimming training for the next week. We ran a quick survey at the beginning asking the children what sport they wished to play. There were choices such as volleyball and netball, but obviously cricket was a dominating vote over the rest. By expanding the spectrum of activities the service has to offer it will only benefit the children. Playing cricket on the OSC field will give them the freedom of space and access to better environments to do what they enjoy doing most (playing cricket).

To keep the children encouraged to do what they do best, we also skimmed the idea to utilize our CAS budget to purchase cricket bats for the children. This way, we as the OSC community can help the children pursue their desired sport. 

This semester we aim to achieve the following goals as a team

• Ensure that the children are fully engaged and following instructions in the computer lessons
• Support them in the best possible manner to improve and developing their skills in using a computer
• Provide a suitable environment for the children to engage in playing cricket
• Maintain the same level of motivation towards teaching those children in need of extra support developing their swimming skills.
• Give my best effort to purchase cricket equipment for the children with Terunaga's assistance
• Be committed, show perseverance, and dedication towards the program at all times until my leadership is passed on.

SAISA Baskeball Day 1

Intense heartburn and sore leg muscles marks today as the first day of SAISA Basketball training. Today was a opportunity to see for ourselves our current position on fitness as a team an as individuals. 4 scheduled practices a week will prepare us for the upcoming SAISA tournament that is to be held at OSC. In today's practice, we focused on some basic fundamentals of basketball. Triple threat, dribbling, lay up's and jump shots were the few main aspects we focused on.

This gave me a opportunity to spot my weaknesses as a individual and also as a team. Overall, there are plenty of new faces that have signed up for this years boys basketball season. None of them I have ever talked with before. The fact that there were more new members to this years team from last years, I think caused a considerable lack of confidence for communication to happen in practice. Communication and collaboration are two main fundamentals that make basketball possible. In order for the the team and myself to improve, communication must take place at all times in practice and in game situations. It is also important that we support our team members in every step of the way until we reach our tournament. I will make a priority goal that I will improve my collaborative and communication skills throughout the season. 

A Little Part-ayy

As the year came to an end, we celebrated the success of the program with a delicious meal of Kentuckey Fried Chicken funded by Yariq Captain. It was a good opportunity for our team to converse with the kids and talk about their personal view on how they felt about their achievements of from the program. Some of them felt rather shy in the beginning, but eventually we got them talking. It was also a good opportunity to talk to the children about about their ideas for the future once they finish school. Almost all of the kids wanted to be a engineer or a doctor as it is stereotypically considered the two common and reputed occupations one can earn in Sri Lanka. At the end of the day everyone enjoyed the event and left with a smile to return next year.

During the party our group members discussed the possibility of providing the children with their school book for their school year. Their education is a matter of global importance and it is our duty that we support the children in what ever way we can. Unlike OSC, students in government run schools are required to purchase their own notebooks and stationary material. So we thought that it would be a great opportunity to provide the children with their school books as we have the adequate funding necessary. While this contribution may have benefited a group of children, it also brings out the ethical implications of only providing the school books to a group of 9 children. There are more children back at their school who could also benefit from the aid of free school books, but did not get the chance. Although it may be out of our hands to provide school books for an entire school, we can be satisfied with the fact that we were able to help at least a minute proportion of that school in what ever way we can. 

Sunset for Sunflower Village

As the semester comes to an end, I can proudly say that I have successfully achieved the objectives I indented to achieve for this semester. I have addressed all 8 criteria in this semester through service itself. One criterion that I have made significant progress in this semester is “engaged with issues of global importance”. As an addition to swimming lessons, we incorporated a 20 minutes session of computer training. In rapidly developing world, technology is a key tool which we utilize in our daily lives. Throughout all provinces of Sri Lanka, computer literacy rates are low as 10%. Therefore we separated some time each Thursday to allow the children get some experience in technology at the most basic level.

Throughout the 20 minutes that we separated for the children in the technology labs, we stuck with the idea of letting them play games that tested their ability to type on a keyboard. At the beginning of the year, we asked the children if they have a computer at home or has used a computer before. Every one raised their hands to having used a computer, but only a few raised their hands to having a computer at home. This also made a significant difference in the variance of those with the skill and ability to type properly, and those with not. Only a few kids were comfortable keeping up with the pace at which they type, but the rest found it rather challenging. 

This coming semester I will focus on helping those children who had difficulty with the newly added computer program. It is essential that they get the maximum out of the available technology that is not available to them back at their own school. As mentioned earlier, being computer literate is a great skill for one to have under his or her sleeve. Having some knowledge at a young age will benefit them in their future.

School Books to The Children

Earlier this month we decided to give school books to the sunflower village children so it spares them the effort, money of worrying over writing material. Today we presented the books to the children in the SMPR. All 9 students arrived to OSC and the books were distributed out to the children. It was a pleasure to provide them with material that will help them in their education and more over, the smiles that they had on their faces were even more satisfying to see as it was a indication of thankfulness and  happiness.

Dissapointment ....

Today, the first week after October break was a dissapointing day because we were unable to carry out swimming lessons due to bad weather. But however we still managed to spend this time productivly in the computer labs. The time that we would have spent in the pool, we utilized in the computer labs letting the kids play educational computer games which would help them develop their level of english at least by a minor ammout and exposure on how to use a computer.

 Terunaga helping a student from the Vidyawardene  school

Yariq heliping a kid find keys on the keyboard

Ravin guiding a student in how open up a program  

Sunflower Village Returns!

After three consecutive delays, the kids finally arrived for their first swimming lessons on 22nd of September. Our expected number of kids was around kids, but ended up with 8. Never the less, we accepted the challenge.

As planned, we assembled in Miss. Abeyawardene's room for a brief 15-20 minutes to get to know each other.

We noted down their names and introduced ourselves to them. Afterwards we took the kids down to the pool for the first lesson. The grater majority of the children have not even been a swimming pool before which made it bit of a first time experience for some of the kids.

To begin with, we decided to make the kids walk across the width of the pool to make them feel more comfortable being in the pool. Afterwards, with little support from the swimming pool lifeguard we managed to conduct our first swimming lesson. Some of the kids had difficulty with the most fundamental skills such as blowing bubbles and kicking their legs straight holding on to the side of the swimming pool. This indicated a changeful future for us as trainers.

In order to make sure that each of the 11 kids were performing the skill taught properly, we divided the group of kids so that the 5 students from OSC would get 2 kids each to monitor. Almost all of the students from OSC have experience from last year’s group, so it was not difficult to get along with the kids.

As an addition, we have incorporated an extra segment to the course that is to teach the kids the fundamentals to using a computer. We found out only 3 kids owned a personal computer out of the group of 11 and that is one of the reasons why we decided to incorporate this new segment to the program. It also gives a new dimension to the project so that it will not bore the kids just purely learning how to swim every Thursday afternoon.

By the end of this year, I hope to see the same level of success as last year’s group with this lot. Although I will no longer be in charge by the end of this school year, it would be a great deed for me personally to see that these kids get the maximum of what the students of OSC has to offer.

After three consecutive delays, the kids finally arrived for their first swimming lessons on 22nd of September. Our expected number of kids was around kids, but ended up with 8. Never the less, we accepted the challenge.

As planned, we assembled in Miss. Abeyawardene's room for a brief 15-20 minutes to get to know each other.

We noted down their names and introduced ourselves to them. Afterwards we took the kids down to the pool for the first lesson. The grater majority of the children have not even been a swimming pool before which made it bit of a first time experience for some of the kids.

To begin with, we decided to make the kids walk across the width of the pool to make them feel more comfortable being in the pool. Afterwards, with little support from the swimming pool lifeguard we managed to conduct our first swimming lesson. Some of the kids had difficulty with the most fundamental skills such as blowing bubbles and kicking their legs straight holding on to the side of the swimming pool. This indicated a changeful future for us as trainers.

In order to make sure that each of the 11 kids were performing the skill taught properly, we divided the group of kids so that the 5 students from OSC would get 2 kids each to monitor. Almost all of the students from OSC have experience from last year’s group, so it was not difficult to get along with the kids.

As an addition, we have incorporated an extra segment to the course that is to teach the kids the fundamentals to using a computer. We found out only 3 kids owned a personal computer out of the group of 11 and that is one of the reasons why we decided to incorporate this new segment to the program. It also gives a new dimension to the project so that it will not bore the kids just purely learning how to swim every Thursday afternoon.

By the end of this year, I hope to see the same level of success as last year’s group with this lot. Although I will no longer be in charge by the end of this school year, it would be a great deed for me personally to see that these kids get the maximum of what the students of OSC has to offer