Bal Mela was one of the most fun service experience. A lot of children from various government schools gathered here, and us volunteers held a mela for them. This mela had a lot of actives, where each volunteer was divided. I was at the tattoo making booth, which was one of the booths with the most rush. Being someone with no artistic skills, this was a little difficult especially since there were a lot of kids waiting in lines already, however after a few trial and errors I got the hang of it. I also observed other volunteers doing the same thing and tried copying them by observing the way that they were doing it.

Learning Outcomes

Throughout this experience, I was able to demonstrate 4 learning outcomes- LO1 – Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth Screen reader support enabled, LO2 – Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills, LO4 – Show perseverance and commitment in CAS experience and LO5 – Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively. I was able to demonstrate the first learning outcome by recognising my artistic skills were not your strength. However, instead of avoiding the challenge, I worked on improving by observing and learning from others. This helped me develop a new skill and expand your abilities. LO2 was used since despite having no prior experience with tattoo-making, I took on the challenge and gradually improved through practice. Overcoming the initial difficulty and adapting to the situation also demonstrated my willingness to develop new skills. LO4 was used when even when my booth had one of the most rush, and the task was challenging for me, I did not give up. I kept trying, learnt through trial and error, and remained committed to ensuring that the children had a great experience. Since this was also on a Saturday, I showed my perseverance by coming to the school. Lastly, LO5 was used since I observed and learnt from other volunteers to improve my own skills. This demonstrated teamwork, adaptability, and the ability to work collaboratively therefore justifying the learning outcome as well.

Takeaway

Overall, by taking part in Bal Mela despite initial hesitation, I embraced a challenge and successfully managed a high-demand booth. This experience proved to me that growth happens when you push past discomfort. Moreover, You didn’t give up despite the initial struggle through which I also realised that even without prior artistic skills, I can improve by observing and learning from others. This experience reinforced the value of adaptability and problem-solving in unfamiliar situations. Beyond just fulfilling a CAS experience’s requirement, I found joy in bringing smiles to the children’s faces. This highlights the importance of service as a meaningful and rewarding experience rather than just an obligation.

TOK Connection

This Bal Mela experience was also connected to TOK since it it highlights experiential learning entirely. Like I mentioned before, initially, I lacked artistic skills (personal knowledge), but by observing and imitating other volunteers, you gained new techniques. This shows how personal knowledge can evolve through interaction with shared knowledge (skills and techniques demonstrated by others). Moreover, this experience also throws light on knowledge and collaboration. This experience illustrates how collaborative learning can shape knowledge. Watching and learning from my fellow peers expanded my skill set, reinforcing the idea that knowledge is often constructed collectively rather than in isolation.