Personal Project Report

Student Name: Laith Joqqa

School and year: Bishop School, year 5

Supervisor: Marianne Ballan

Title of project: Swimming

Word count: 2130

Explain and justify your topic of interest?
Swimming has always been a hobby for me, but recently, it became
even more than a simple hobby, it became a passion. I became so
interested in swimming that I chose this as my personal project
topic, in order to have a chance and participate in the 50m
freestyle swim in the Olympics.
Why have you chosen to do this for your Personal Project?
Because I love swimming so much. Also, I want the people know
what the real meaning of swimming is. However, I want them also
to know how swimming could help the human in his own real life
academically and physically.
What do you hope to gain from it?
The benefits of swimming are wildly known to help in getting a
fitter body, and build up muscles in a harmless way, and also has
medical benefits that nobody can ignore. But the real reason why I
chose to start practicing swimming is because sports help in the
development of the brain, and this would immensely help me in my
studies.
What do you want to learn?
What I would like to benefit from this project is the ability to
increase my stamina in order to help me beat my swimming record,
in addition to master the required techniques needed in the
freestyle swim, which would also help my stamina, thus beat my
record
What is the history of your personal interest in this topic?
I started swimming ever since I was 5, where I would go on family
trips to hotels and swimming pools, at first, I was taught how to
float on water by my father. Once I got older, I got interested in
swimming, and decided to join the “Sharks Swimming team” and
learn how to truly swim with all the techniques that were used by
the professionals during swimming competitions.
Use a Global Context to FOCUS your topic
The global context that I judged was fit to my goal was cultural and
personal issues. I chose this global context because my goal was a
reflection of my personality and what I wanted to become. Also, I
wanted to change the people’s opinion about swimming because
they all think that it’s a waste of time.
Goal & Global context
My goal in this Personal Project is to raise awareness about swimming
in our country. Also, to let the readers know the types of swimming and
the benefits of them. I have chosen swimming as my Personal Project
for many reasons. First, I am a passionate swimmer since I was a kid.
Also, I want people to know the real meaning of swimming. At the same
time to know how swimming could bring benefits in their daily life.
Swimming has always been a hobby for me. However, recently it
became even more than a simple hobby, it became a passion. I became
so interested in swimming that I chose this area as my personal project
topic. My ultimate goal is to have a chance and participate in the 50m
freestyle swim in the Olympics. Furthermore, my target audience are
people who are interested in learning more about swimming and show
them reasons to take it as a hobby.
In swimming there are four types of swims that a professional swimmer
has to learn. First, let’s start with butterfly. “To swim the butterfly
stroke, start by extending your arms above your head so they're
shoulder-width apart. Then, with your palms facing outward, pull your
hands toward your body in a semicircular motion. Next, quickly push
your palms back through the water past your sides and hips, which will
help propel you forward” (jhgdsjhgf, 2018). Second, freestyle, to swim
freestyle you should start with keep your head in line with the rest of
your body and look directly toward the bottom of the pool, then keep
your body horizontal and your legs don’t drop, also don’t lift your head
to breath and swim on your side with exhaling underwater, however
use a high-elbow position while pulling backward with your arm and
don’t extend your arm entirely above the water surface before
dropping it, also you have to use tow beat kick for long distance
swimming. Third, “the breaststroke is a fun and easy-to-learn
swimming technique. Swimming the breaststroke is a great form of
exercise that engages the arms, legs, shoulders, and neck. There are
basically three simple motions. First, kick your legs behind you. Then
you just glide for a bit and pull yourself forward with your arms. With
some practice, you’ll be swimming the breaststroke in no time”. Forth,
backstroke to swim backstroke correctly first you have to make the
right body position and it is to make your body position parallel to the
surface of the water and make your head always straight, then start
move your hands with the rotation of shoulders and start to pull your
hand under the water, Also you have to move your legs as fast as you
can so your body will not fall down. These are the four types of
swimming and how to swim every single stroke.

Every sport in the world has advantages and disadvantages. But, the
most sport that doesn’t have many disadvantage is swimming. On the
other hand, swimming has so many advantages. For instance, having
more fit bodies, building stronger muscles in a healthy way, and
bringing medical benefits without great effort. But, the main reason
why I chose swimming as my Personal Project is to stress on the idea
that sports help in the development of the brain, and this would
immensely help me in my studies.

If you want to be a professional swimmer you will face a lot of

challenges. However these challenges could let you to give up and to
stop swimming easily. But if want to face them you can do it because
it’s not hard to do them but you have to believe in yourself that you can
do it. These challenges could be injuries, weather, time etc… but the
main challenge begin at the first time you start training and it is
between you and yourself, if you want to continue tell you get bored
from it or until you death comes.

Research Skills:
The research skills I had before beginning my project included searching
up suitable commands such as citing and checking the credibility of
sources, finding different sources to obtain information, and knowing
the difference between primary and secondary sources. These skills
allowed me to research materials and techniques suitable for making
dioramas. For example, I searched up particular phrases such as “types
of swimming,” “what are the benefits of swimming,” “how could
swimming help the human body,” etc. Furthermore, I checked the
reliability of the source, checked the type of source, paraphrased and
summarized research notes in my process journal, and found
appropriate sources such as YouTube tutorials, magazines, websites,
etc.
A research skill I developed was analyzing and evaluating sources. I
developed this skill by using the C.R.A.A.P. method that our school
taught us in a lesson. The C.R.A.A.P. method was beneficial research
component because it allowed me to find the currency, relevance,
authority, accuracy, and purpose of sources.

In order to complete my personal project I had critically think about the

challenges that it might face me in my product creation process, I knew
there were some problems during creating the product and I already
had it. But they didn’t stop me of reaching my goal so I didn’t stop
swimming, even though If I couldn’t go I had to run for 30min and to do
some exercises for 60min only for not losing my fitness.

Criterion C
In order to complete my personal project I had critically think about the
challenges that it might face me in my product creation process, I knew
there were some problems during creating the product and I already
had it. But they didn’t stop me of reaching my goal so I didn’t stop
swimming. Even though, if I couldn’t go I had to run for 30min and to
do some exercises for 60min only for not losing my fitness. However,
my product relates to my goal by first, describing the types of
swimming. Second, to break the record that it is very hard to me to
break it. And third, to encourage people to swim.
Thinking skills:
During making the product and achieving my goal I had so many
challenges that stopped me from making my product. Such as breaking
my hand before one week of my competition. Also, I had ankle rupture
that also stopped me three weeks from swimming. However, I had
Troubleshoot systems and applications before making my product such
as I broke my telephone camera so I couldn’t film the video. Moreover,
during making the product I kept asking myself “what if i couldn’t
achieve it?” “What if I had a muscle strain?” every day I kept asking
myself these questions because I had Deficiency in magnesium and
sodium so every time I go to swim I have a muscle strain.
Communication skills:
During writing my report I Use a variety of speaking techniques to
communicate with a variety of audiences because I want to know what
they think about swimming these things could help me writing the
report. Also, before writing any information I had Share ideas with
multiple audiences using a variety of digital environments and media so
I could take some notes and apply it to my report. Furthermore, also
Read a variety of sources for information and for pleasure so I could
know if this information is correct or no
Social skills:
I used my social skills by using social media networks appropriately to
build and develop relationships so I could understand more information
about what I am doing such as writing a message “who knows any
information’s about personal project.” After that so many people
started to text me and listen to their ideas which mean I had Listened
actively to other perspectives and ideas, even though I had to respect
their opinion even if it was wrong. So, I listened to the people opinion
then I had to make fair and equitable decisions that I can achieve my
goal with the help of people.

Criterion D
 Personally, I am proud of my final product because after breaking
my hand and after much illness I reached it with Determination
and will and fatigue, this mean that I didn’t stop with all the
calamities that got me. However, my product had met my goal
because I discussed the four types of swimming and reached my
record that it was very hard to me to achieve it but I did it
successfully. The thing that could make it better that if I achieve it
in the competition not in my training but I broke my hand before
one week of the competition so I couldn’t enter it. The impact
could be that my new record will placed at the Jordanian
 swimming federation so the next time I participate in any
competition they select the eye on me so maybe I could enter the
Jordan team.
 My knowledge of this subject has changed by turning it from a
sport to a dream by diligence. However, this experience has
changed my point of view by hanging on to this sport and making
it a hobby for me. Even though, my global context has helped me
so much during doing everything because I had to relate
everything to it, and it was cultural and personal issues which
means my personality and what I wanted to become and how I
wanted to change the people’s opinion about swimming because
they all think that it’s a waste of time.
 My personal project had helped me so much in my own life and in
my school, such as I become a risk-taker of what I am doing ,
communicator with the people around me , principled of myself,
thinker in of all the things around me. All these things has helped
me in my life and in my school and in every second in my life even
with my family by asking them about my thoughts. However,
there is some ATL skills that also helped me during making my
personal project such as the social skill that I used when I want to
ask someone on the social media, research skill that I used when I
want to take any information, communication skill that I used
when I go and ask my coach about some techniques. All of these
things has helped me in everything in my own real life.