Communication:

I can find information whenever I need it and explain it clearly. During my independent novel study, I had to gather quotes to support the main idea in one of my paragraphs. By using my notes, I was able to identify strong, relevant quotes from the book. This boosted the clarity of my paragraph greatly.

Above: The paragraph I wrote for the Independent Novel Study

Thinking:

I can experiment to find possible options, make judgments, or ask questions. When I read short stories in French, I am required to write down new words, phrases, and structures. Afterwards, I try to guess what each new word means using context clues. For example, the short stories include simple pictures that I can use to figure out the word for a certain object. I can also attempt to guess the word’s definition by comparing it to similar English words.

Above: My French notes on new words

Personal and Social:

I set goals and work towards reaching them. Earlier this semester, I created nine goals to focus on. Throughout the semester, I’ve been working toward them and altering them when I needed to.

First, I set a goal to expand my relationships in the school. Thankfully, I’ve made well over three new friends this semester. I’ve made several new connections throughout the school, which has been great! Now, I have multiple friends in all of my classes.

For my academic goals, I kept up with all my assignments and met all my deadlines. Thus, I received proficient or higher in every class on my midterm report card. I also used a flashcard app called Anki to help me study French, which I found particularly effective for memorization. It uses an algorithm that figures out which day you should review flashcards in order not to forget them. In addition, I explained what I learned to my little brother, which helped me remember the material better.

For my health goals, I had to adjust them because high school is a lot busier than middle school. On top of that, the rainy and cold weather wasn’t great for my running goal. So instead of trying to get faster, I chose to maintain my current pace (which is how fast I run). I also changed my strength goal after realizing it was a bit too ambitious for me and that I didn’t have time for it. I ended up deciding to keep my strength at the level it was already at. However, I did reach my healthy eating goal by choosing more fruit and yogurt instead of my favourite snack of chips.

Above: The flashcard app I use for studying French

Goal Setting for Semester 2:

A goal I want to have for Semester 2 is to, again, make way more friends in my new classes. While I’ve made a lot more friends now, I also want to expand my connections in my courses in the second semester.

Second, I want to start running more again, like I did in middle school, as the weather will start getting better in the spring while we are heading towards summer. This will increase my heart and lung health, leading to strong cardio and higher quality of life.

Third, I want to talk with my friends in other schools more. Though I did set a goal to hang out with my friends from middle school, I never ended up doing it, though I did text them from time to time. So, I realized it would be more effective to just text them more, and then gradually hang out more again when we have a break, like winter break, spring break, or summer break.

Lastly, I want to sleep better. My sleep schedule is currently going to bed anywhere from 10:00 to 10:30, and waking up at 5:50. Typically, my watch says I only got 6 and a half hours of sleep, since it took me a while to fall asleep. I found myself feeling tired in class, and only feeling a bit better on the weekends when I could sleep in. So, I want to go to bed a bit earlier. This will help me feel well rested and come to school prepared to learn. I think this is beneficial for my success and crucial for my studies.