ES2007 Final Reflection.

photo source: limerickflower.com

November 12^th, 2009 will be my last tutorial session for ES2007S. Looking back, it was August 17^th, 2009 I have my first tutorial session for ES2007S and it seems that August 17^th, 2009 was just yesterday. I stepped in the classroom with poor communication skills and I have no idea how to construct a proposal. My friend (non-physic major) told me that this module is going to take me a lot of time for the workload and I will have a lot of presentations (which most of the students don’t like). With the interest in improving my communication skill, I neglected all the negative “feedback” and I told myself: “I’m going to do this.” Ironically, I found that it is the easiest module for this semester (compare with my core modules and neglecting the grade)! Thankfully, I enjoyed every single moment I have with this module. I’m so glad that I have a very knowledgeable and supportive tutor, Happy sensei as well as a group of classmates who are passionate about effective communication. My classmates are not only passionate about the module, they are also very friendly and more than willing to help (for blog, peer teaching review as well as proposal’s comments). Thus, with the help from my classmates, I believe that my communication skills have improved and I’m more comfortable with presentations. THANK YOU!

Honestly, this module does provides me an excellent platform to improve my communication skills but due to time constraint (we have only 12 weeks for a semester), I think I’m still green in communication skills and there is room for improvement. How I wish there is ES3007S in CORS! Well, if there is no ES3007S in CORS, I guess I shouldn’t just stop learning communication skills. In fact, I should be independent and start learning communication skills by myself by connecting myself to the world! The world is the best platform for me to improve my communication skills!

Last but not least, all the best to Happy sensei as well as all my dear classmates of ES2007S Group 5 AY09/10 Semester 1 at NUS.

A bouquet of rose for Happy sensei as well as my dear classmate fellows.

My proposal presentation.

photo source: blog.lib.umn.edu

November 2^nd, 2009 was my proposal presentation for ES2007S. My heart beat fast and it was quite obvious that I’m very anxious that day. When it was my turn to present, honestly, I have forgot almost 70% of the “important points” that I have told myself (based on the rubric) after the rehearsal with my team. I don’t know why I just can’t help with my anxiety (what you think?).

Overall, I think I’ve spoken too fast and I was not very good in pronunciation. Ironically, I found that if I speak slowly, I’ll stutter. I have tried my best to overcome this problem during "my own rehearsal” (speak to myself) while I’m riding my bike back home or heading to school. I thought that I have overcome it but when I started to get nervous again, my brain went blank and my muscular system started to break down. Am I born with stammering or I have just pushing myself too hard or simply I have not enough practices?

On the other hand, I found that our team rapport was not good enough due to the “last-minute” change of my presentation—I want to “blackout” the screen for my last sentence and it was not part of the inertial plan. To my team members, I’m so sorry about that. Once again, if you were in my position, would you stick to the original plan for the sake of the team or just behave like what I have done in order to “score points”?

Well, I have really tried my best to present (my only strength was enthusiasm) but at the end of the day, I’ve got backfire. So, I hope that you can think it over again (by answering the questions i raised), learn my mistakes and prevent these from happening when you have your next presentation.