Backtrack to identities

What makes us who we are?

Identity is the combination of physical appearance, personal attributes, relationships, that allow us to recognize ourselves and be recognized as a unique and continuous person over time. It connects our present self with our past, giving us a sense of coherence and authenticity, allowing us to say: "this is who I am"

Black Ethnicity Day at the ABPF

This is one of many possible answers to that question about identity. Now, I will present all the activities we did in the English AB Initio course with Mr. Samaniego about identities

Throughout the year, we have done a variety of activities covering the topics from the English AB Initio course. I will share the ones that caught my attention the most and that I want to share with the readers of this AMAZING blog!

"Identity resides in the continuity of our consciousness; we are who we are because we can remember and connect our present self with our past, making memory the core of our personal existence." Locke.

The Reunion Party

 To make the activities on this topic more engaging, Mr. Samaniego suggested having a reunion party. Each of us took on a different character to play at the event, where we all spoke and interacted in English. In the end, we introduced ourselves one by one, sharing details about the imagined lives of our characters.

This activity helped me understand how different a person’s life can be depending on where they’re from. People’s backgrounds—like their culture, education, and religion—can shape unique traits and set them apart from others. 

I was inspired by a great teacher who undoubtedly left a mark on my school journey. Although he probably doesn’t know it, he played an important role in my personal growth J. Marin

Social identity map

The goal of this activity was to identify the physical traits that make each of us unique, like our height, age, eye color, and hair type. It also focused on recognizing personal qualities we have, or that others see in us, such as being supportive, honest, friendly, and trustworthy. By reflecting on these traits, we gained a better understanding of the key aspects that define us as individuals and learned more about how others view us. These characteristics have developed gradually and help form our individual identities.

My ideal partner

I found this activity very interesting, and it was my favorite one, since it involved describing our ideal person. Even though I haven’t had much luck in that area, I felt very inspired while doing it and had a clear idea of the type of person in mind. It also helped me learn more about myself while covering part of the topic.

Also

Personal Attributes

Personality

Physical appareance 

Clothes

Within these subtopics stemming from "Personal Attributes," we can highlight the importance of each factor in shaping a person's character, as these qualities make up their identity. To cover this topic, Mr. Samaniego introduced us to new vocabulary and organized a range of activities in class. Students also responded to questions related to the theme.

Relationships

Neighbors 

Family

Friends 

This topic covers an essential aspect that goes beyond just how we connect with our surroundings. It explores how we choose to present ourselves to others and which parts of our identity we decide to share. It also emphasizes our natural need for social interaction and the unease we often feel when alone. While we recognize that the world offers many chances to form friendships, we also need to reflect on how positive or potentially harmful these connections can be for us.