Final History Portfolio

Joseff Filamor

Copper

June 9th, 2014

History Portfolio

As the year comes to an end, I have come realize my strengths and weaknesses that I still need to work on for next year. I have always been bad under even the smallest bit of pressure. As we were introduced to Sophomore year’s history class, it forced me to do things I wasnt entirely comfortable with. First off; working with groups. During the Cortez trial, we were given groups and put in a courtroom to be prosecuted. My group, the Cortezs, were obviously the most guilty which made it all the more difficult. I volunteered to be a prosecutor and I went up with my knees shaking. Presenting in front of a group is one thing, but prosecuting against a group is another thing. Knowing that I am not the smartest person in the class, I was feeling the pressure. It all ended smoothly, although I wish I was a bit more organized when I went up. From doing the trial, I have come to understand that collaboration requires patience and organization. With a little more organization, I would have been able to execute the prosecution more properly. My main weakness is speaking in class. I am not exactly sure why I have the biggest fear or expressing my own opinions, I guess I am just afraid of embarrassing myself or being proved incorrect. Although, I feel confident when it comes to making video projects. In the beginning of the year, we were assigned a project to make a monolog about a pipeline. (VIDEO HERE) I am not under pressure when making a video, it is a lot more relaxing and stress free. I felt I did well on that video. Also, in the middle of the year we were assigned to research different revolutions along with an essential question to elaborate off of. We also had to make a video for that project (VIDEO HERE.) I feel like I did a solid job with those videos, I was organized and well prepared with my research. Lastly, for my journal entries. I have always loved creating journal entries because I am able to express my own opinions and not have anyone see them except the teachers. I am able to get constructive feedback and not have to worry about others seeing it. On journal 55, we were given a small sheet entitled “Does Process Matter?” A small part of my journal entry reads; Process matters in the sense of organization. Depending on what you are trying to achieve, the process can determine how ready you are and how organized you need to be. Another journal we had to write was about why religion causes conflicts. I wrote; Religion would not cause conflicts if we understood each religion. It’s because we are uninformed or not educated in every religion. We are brought up knowing if not one religion, no religion at all. If we a brought up knowing only one religion, the only we will truly understand is our own. If we understood other’s beliefs, maybe we can understand each other.