My actions through the year

During Class

After that, during the first weeks of class, I was hoping to meet new people. There were lots of opportunities in breakout rooms, but even if I spoke up first and was energetic, it was not as easy. The language barrier was an obstacle and sometimes my classmates would be shy. Still, I was determined. I distinctly remember the first group assignment, I ended up asking my groupmates to send me information they found through email and then I sent them back the final work. I was a bit disappointed with how unresponsive they were, but after class they both wrote to me to thank me and apologize, they were just shy and struggled with English. However, they both asked me for my contact information and were way more comfortable texting, I was joyous. We are still friends to this day.

This is not to say I did not have positive experiences in breakout rooms. Sometimes we would have great discussions and get to know each other better. Many of my classmates had interesting ideas and they were often impressed by mine, too. Of course, during class I would also make the effort to contribute as much as I could, especially during the first weeks. However, I wanted to give space for others to participate, I did not want to take over the conversation, so I would stay quiet sometimes as well.

Still, I was happy to see that tutors appreciated my viewpoints. I feel I expressed this the most at student forums and on the UN worksheets for Global Contemporary Issues. Each week we would read about one issue, research examples, and then give our opinion. I hoped to make relevant and solution-oriented statements. Some feedback I received on these and on my Progress Reports from tutors was:

Thank you Abigail. You have provided an effective summary of the UN issue on Human Rights. The two sources you have chosen are relevant and informing on the subject and you give a good outline for both. Your additional information section is insightful and personally reflective on the issue. Well done! - Comment on a UN Global Issue worksheet

Abigail is an excellent student. She is a very active contributor to class discussion, providing insightful and intelligent comments. (...) She is a very positive addition to the classroom. - Contemporary Global Issues

Abigail is a fantastic student. She works very hard and contributes excellently to class activities and discussion. She has performed to a high standard so far in the weekly required tasks and has made some impressive contributions to our history forum. She is a very promising young historian. - Historical Perspectives

Abigail is a bright and enthusiastic student who attends all classes and asks questions. She listens to feedback and adapts her work accordingly. - Extended Project

This feedback made me really proud and pushed me to keep going. I was glad to contribute to discussions with my opinions. This also made me feel an important part of our classes, while building connections with my classmates and teachers. Granted, there were areas where I needed to improve, but I would listen to the feedback and do my best to respond to it by growing and adapting. Still, these interactions kept me motivated for the rest of the year.

Abigail Hernandez KapPACK E-portfolio

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Vanesa Carralero-Lozano 26 July 2022, 13:40

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Vanesa Carralero-Lozano
26 July 2022, 13:40