Liberal Studies is the investigative study of various topics from different disciplinary combinations which will enhance our critical thinking, communication skills and problem solving. To begin with, the past few weeks have revolved around grasping different ways to approach knowledge through multiple supplementary readings, class discussions and powerpoints. To name a few, Land as Pedagogy by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, the powerpoint on Indigenous Knowledge, The Wood Wide Web and others are in-class readings that showed what methods we can use to approach knowledge.

To start with, in the article “Land as Pedagogy- Nishnaabeg intelligence is diversity” I learned that if you’re living your life in an engaged way and If we are open to this, then knowledge will flow through us based on our own actions. Simpson’s purpose is to convey the idea that indigenous peoples/Anishinaabe will have access to knowledge “by being open…and [active] in a way of living that generates a close, personal relationship”(12) which suggests that you will perceive and be “open to that kind of knowledge”(12) depending on your surroundings, norms, society we live in and environment we associate with. Simpson is stating that Indigenous people have to be engaged in a way of living that generates a close relationship with their world. Indigenous teachings for example, are built on the very basis of taking into account who they are as a tribe and relationship to surroundings. By learning from and listening to nature, they are “learn[ing] both from the land and with the land”(pg.7). They have the right to freely pursue their cultural ways, like being connected to their homelands through spiritual ceremonies and language. In addition, I found the powerpoint on “Indigenous Knowledge” engaging and emotional because of the tragic event of Residential Schools. Aboriginals especially children, were stripped away from their Aboriginal rights; they were taken away from families, forbidden to speak their language and wear traditional clothing, were raped and killed due to “The Indian Act, which was enacted in 1876 and has since been amended, allows the government to control most aspects of aboriginal life: Indian status, land, resources, education”(slide 6).

To continue, during the first month of LBST 100, we have had several group discussions that were utilized to share questions and opinions about the readings. I have discussed within my group but not in front the class. However I do participate with my group and get things done. Similarly, I have had a learning experience with speaking in front of people, like guest presentations. For example, on Saturdays I read lectures at church and due to this I have learned how to be calm when speaking in front of a large audience. Therefore, I hope to use this knowledge in the near future. To sum up,  I have gained much knowledge in the first month of Liberal Studies and I hope to learn more aspects of approaching knowledge.

 

I was born in Burnaby, B.C and lived there for 14 years with my parents and two siblings. I come from a Spanish background so Spanish was most spoken at home. Later, my parents learned more English and we began to speak Spanglish. Grade 5 is when I began to be interested in Asian cultures. Before that I never paid attention to other cultures but probably because of the advanced technology, I was exposed to more.

I can speak Spanish, English, basic Japanese and a good amount of Korean, which is a great skill I’ve obtained. Another hobby of mine is learning new languages. I can introduce myself in six languages: Hindi, Spanish, English, French, Korean and Japanese. My friends and parents are always startled by my comprehension of a different language. For this reason, I strive to learn new languages. Not many people have the skill to comprehend a different language at a fast pace. People always say that my pronunciation is perfect which gives me hope. Therefore, I’m aiming to be a fluent speaker in multiple languages. Anyone who knows me very well will most likely know about my desire to learn new languages. I particularly find the Korean language fascinating. Perhaps in a few years I can travel to South Korea. Some aspects of their culture that I’ve learned is their filmography\music, like K-dramas and Kpop customs, traditions and lifestyle. For many years now, I have been watching a variety of dramas and listening to korean music and through these I gained so much knowledge. As a result, listening to kpop songs and watching K-dramas became a hobby. In fact, both aspects today are extremely popular worldwide even more than before when I was introduced to it.

Is transferring during high schools twice difficult? From my experience, it is difficult. In 2013, I moved from Burnaby to Surrey which meant transferring to a different school halfway through ninth grade. I had to say goodbye to my friends, classmates, teachers, childhood friends and my 14 year old home. On the other hand, I was excited for a new change: bigger house, new surroundings and new friends. However, I did not expect the opposite, such as a non-multicultural environment ( 90% south asian ), an exceptional attitude from classmates, as well as deviant behaviour from students. I imagined an awesome school with welcoming classmates but it was not. I literally wanted to go back to Burnaby because it was difficult to make friends there since everyone had their own group already. I eventually was able to join a group and they were very nice.

The time at this school did not last long. After 3 years of living in Newton we had to move again and I was in my eleventh grade. The new area we were moving to had a good vibe and I felt good about this place. I was thrilled. I was hoping that this school would be very different than the other school. Surprisingly, my first week of school went great because classmates were actually welcoming and I was able to find an awesome and hilarious friend group. People in our new neighborhood were very welcoming too.

In high school there are accomplishments which I achieved and demonstrated well throughout grade eight to twelve. In addition, I am able to solve problems, using information to develop opinions and make decisions which is something I could not achieve at the beginning of high school. I was able to accomplish this for the first time when I had to solve a problem on my own at Science World when I was an assistant facilitator. There was an elderly lady smoking in the “no smoking” area and workers tried to tell her but the lady could only speak Spanish. Luckily, I knew how to speak Spanish; therefore I helped with the situation. Surprisingly, I was awarded for what I did. I learned numerous things in school and experienced various things which helped me realize things about myself. I plan to use these attributes I achieved to develop my critical thinking, self-reflection and communication skills.

Acquiring education is the only way to achieve my goals, which is why I plan to complete my undergraduate degree at Capilano University and optimistically pursue a career in teaching. I wish to become a language teacher. When I was deciding on my program, the Liberal Studies program stood out for me. The reason for this is because it consisted of a four year degree and it involved exploring fundamental courses in the Arts and Sciences such as Anthropology and seemed very flexible. At first I had no clue what career I wanted to pursue so I thought that this program would be a good choice. Overall, I hope to approach knowledge in various ways and to develop my critical thinking. In brief, moving to three different high schools was difficult. However, I learned something from each school and that is to not care what others think but to be yourself and don’t change for others.