In this blog post I will reflect on my personal growth in science and on my performance in the science assessment test for this term(term 2).
How have I has my knowledge and understanding for Science improved and grown?
If I were to use one word to describe how I am feeling right now, that word would be: "Wow". Many interpretations of what that could mean.
I am truly shocked, or perhaps surprised at how I fared for Science this term. This term was perhaps the term in my entire Secondary School life thus far where I scored the lowest. I shall elaborate more on that later, but now I shall do some reflection on how I actually fared this term.
As always before, I learnt new things this term; I learnt about Lenses, colours of light, reflection and refraction and much more. In contrast to what the syllabus was for last term(Chemistry), this term was focused on Physics. I never really liked studying Physics as a subject. It poses to me as an irony; I am very curious on how things work like in real life, but yet I dread all the different rules that I have to be able to memorise in order to score well for the test.
This term most of the topics were self-study topics, class lessons mostly being used to go through worksheets and assignments, as well as having some extra practice. This did not help me at all, I found myself constantly trying to keep focus when I was reading and understanding on say, what 'Colours of Light' were about on the Science Wiki. This leads me to realising something about Science and myself; all along I thought that Science was the 'Easy Subject' that I could conquer without effort, but this term everything I thought I knew was immediately crushed when I got back my results. I found it hard to remember anything, especially when we had to memorise the different situations in which light refracts(on the topic lenses). I ended up making up acronyms for myself, which really helped a huge amount.
The only topic that I felt really helped me in improving and growing in my knowledge and understanding for Science was actually 'Colours of Light', simply because I actually found a tiny interest in it. This clearly shows how big a factor 'interest' is to me when I am studying, and therefore allowed me to understand and make sure that I manipulate the factors that affect my studying in the future to my advantage. The reason why I found 'Colours of Light' interesting was because I never knew that white light was actually made up of different lights; the colours of the rainbow. It really changed how I perceived things and really could be described as 'mind-intriguing' at that point for me. Therefore I took the initiative and tried out the experiment on my own as well, and it turned out that I learnt much better this way.
So I must admit, I really have not improved in Science this term. In fact, I deproved greatly. I am not someone who would regret what has happened, but I definitely will use what I have learnt this term(metaphorically), remedy the mistakes I made, and make the necessary changes for better improvement next term; 前事不忘，后事之师。
My performance in the Science Assessment Test:
For this term's test, I scored a total of 22.5/40, which is actually 56.25/100. This means that this is the first time I did not get an A, but instead got a C5.
Never would I have imagined myself getting such a low score. It was a huge blow to both my confidence and arrogance, on how I had taken the fact that I have the potential to easily score an A1 for granted. In summary, this was a wake-up call for me.
After I got my results and went back home, I spent a lot of time thinking what went wrong. How is it that someone who got exempted for Science the previous year get a C5 for one of his term tests? It definitely could not be the issue of not being able to understand the syllabus, it definitely could not be the test paper being too hard! Then after thinking for a really long time, I came to a conclusion; Time. I had managed my time badly this term. As I had mentioned last term, I knew that the first two terms of this year will be very busy for me due to the intense amount of things I had taken up. What's more, this term was the peak busy period for SLC. I simply had no time to study. I would come home after my CCA three times a week at 6pm. Then I would take my dinner and bathe, after which I spent at least 2-3hrs settling SLC work(I had to do this almost everyday during term 2). By the time I actually started doing my homework, it was usually 10pm or 11pm!
I guess looking at the issue just with what I had just stated does not warrant me an excuse to get a C5. Truth be told, I don't have an excuse of getting a C5, but matters were only worsened when I could not study effectively due to this term being Physics. As I had stated earlier, I found it hard to concentrate when I was studying, and thus I ended up having to spend more time on each topic, which I simply could not afford! This term was really a mismatch of coincidences.
Nevertheless, I knew I could not let this drag on. If I do not act correctly and properly now, the issue would just be brought forward to when I am having my EOYs. Last term I barely missed my A1 and I was determined to get an A1 this term, this term I got a C5 and I am still determined to get an A1 next term. Right now I have realised my folly and arrogance, and I am sure that next term I will gradually improve. Despite the fact that I would not longer be able to get exempted, I know that it does not really matter as long as I learn from my mistakes and score well for the next test. It would have been better for me to have the wake-up call now then have it during the EOYs.
Onward to a new term; deprove I shall not, disappoint I shall not!
