Assignment 4

Ko-ting Chen (David)

1551008863

Reflexive Essay

My High School
High school has been a very interesting experience for me. It has definitely had its highs and
lows and many confusing experiences in between. Overall, I feel like I have been equipped
for not only college, but also life as a whole. High school has taught me many things, both
academically and emotionally. It has revealed both good and bad, and as a result, has built
many aspects of my character. My experiences at The America School of Bangkok and Le
Cordon Bleu have shaped me into the person that I am today.
From both of these schools, I have learned a lot about my personal qualities, such as my
strengths and weaknesses, and my work habits and attitudes. One of the first things that I had
to learn at The American School of Bangkok, which consisted of my freshman and
sophomore years, was responsibility. I realized that after middle school, my teachers only had
so much responsibility for my grades and even actions. Whether or not I turned in my
homework or received a fair descent grade. My teachers were no longer held responsible for
whether or not I understood the lessons or even showed up for their class. I learned to take
advantage if I did not understand something and I consistently talked with my teachers about
a plan that would help me to succeed in their class. I was always much disciplined and
completed all of my homework, class work, and projects on time. Yet, when it came to
working with others, problems arose. I had to learn how to be humble myself and become
receptive to the ideas and opinions of those around me. I could no longer continue to talk
over others and disrespect their thoughts. In order to work in a group successfully, I realized
that I had to be patient, flexible, and respectful. Obtaining a positive self-esteem and selfworth was always a challenge for me. It was hard for me to encounter difficult challenges
with the mindset of I can do it, because all that I could see was whatever was right in front
of me. When I grasped the meaning of faith and being certain of what I could not see or
understand, I had so much more confidence and security in myself and in my future.
Throughout all of my years in high school, as I took all of the required classes, I learned
many things. I learned about communication, not only in English, but Thai as well. I learned
how to hold a conversation with a Thai-speaking person and I also learned how to write and
read in the language. In both English and Thai, I learned how to communicate my thoughts,
ideas and information in a formal and fluent form. I learned much of my writing skills from
the novels, books, and short stories that I read. My level of reading knowledge improved as I
learned how to understand interpret, and appreciate the written information in literature and
various other documents. Listening and speaking were also very important things that I had to
learn. Through listening, I learned how to receive, interpret, and process verbal messages and

other forms of communication. In terms of speaking, I learned how to organize my thoughts

and communicate my ideas, knowledge and information through fluent speech. Almost all of
these skills I was able to learn within my classrooms and other academic settings. As far as
the other subjects in school such as, history, social sciences, geography, physical health, the
arts, and science, I learned from the various courses that I took at The American School of
Bangkok.
Thinking and reasoning skills were also something that had to be developed over the course
of my years within high school. Even though this is circular language, I had to learn how to
learn. I had to learn how to use efficient learning techniques that worked best for me. I
realized that the way that I learned was not always the way that my teachers expected or even
wanted me to learn. I had to find new ways of applying my knowledge and skills. I definitely
learned how to think outside the box. Instead of the formal writing, projects, and methods of
teaching and learning, I was granted the freedom to express myself and my ideas in an
entirely new way. Decision-making, problem-solving, systems-thinking, and reasoning all run
hand in hand. I have learned these through both inner and outer classroom experiences
throughout high school. I have learned how to recognize problems, understand the variation
in environment/society, use logic, and ultimately drawing conclusions that lead to effective
and responsible decisions.
My high school experience has been a very challenging and exciting four years. I have
learned many things that will help me in life and I feel confident that I am ready for whatever
obstacle I may face. High school has defined, shaped my character, and helped me to mature
into the young man that I am today.