Monthly Archives: January 2011

The Model ASEAN Day 0.01

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The project has been unveiled to Camia, Champaca, and Jasmin. Tomorrow, Dahlia and Ilang-Ilang. The following screenshot is the list of all countries and organizations involved in the Model ASEAN. Champaca and Jasmin will need this for their “homework” which they’ll pass by 11:40 tomorrow.

Camia will be electing their Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General tomorrow.Who will it be? Hmm. I’ve also sorted through Camia’s picks already. So far, I can already name the delegates for Japan, Papua New Guinea, UNDP and UNESCO. The others were picked by three or more people, hence we draw lots. Good luck!

SS2 Announcements: Post-Summit Paper, Voting for your ASEAN Leaders, Reading Assignments

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Hey guys! I hope you’ve had a good YMSAT week so far. I think we’ve all been very busy. As you’re having your competitions and manning your exhibits, I’ve been working hard on our final PowerPoint and polishing our Model ASEAN activity for February. And I’m still not done! For those of you with advance intel from the upper years, it won’t help really since this year’s activity is very, very different. Anyway, some reminders and announcements!

#1

The post-summit paper is by individual and due on January 31. I start receiving tomorrow, January 26, for extra credit. The guidelines were given to the class president. If you missed your copy, message me your e-mail and I can send it to you.

#2

In our first meeting back on January 31 or February 1, each class will elect their SECRETARY-GENERAL and DEPUTY SEC-GEN. (You will also be voting for an ASEAN Chairman, but this will come later.) Yes, these are the two ‘hidden’ roles and I’ve decided to announce it early so you can start thinking of the right person/s to nominate. Both positions are prestigious and extremely important to the ASEAN summit, but they have very different tasks and responsibilities. Here are their job descriptions:

SECRETARY-GENERAL

The Secretary-General will be the chief facilitator of the ASEAN summit and must ensure that everything is done in accordance to the ASEAN Charter. He/she will participate in other meetings alongside the ASEAN summit, such as those held by the various caucuses. He/she has the authority to review the agenda recommended by the ASEAN Chairman and to follow through on it during the summit as he/she sees fit. When conflicts arise, he/she is the chief peace maker. During the opening session (the first day), he/she will deliver the keynote address which sets the tone for the next days. During the General Assembly (the last day), the Sec-Gen will preside over the voting of the various resolutions. In terms of qualities, the Sec-Gen must be charismatic, persuasive, fair, and broad-minded. He/she must be incredibly aware and intelligent, and can keep the group on track to achieve their ultimate goals. He/she is also a master of Track I diplomacy.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL

The Deputy Sec-Gen is the chief enforcer of the Secretary-General. While the Sec-Gen is focused on the big picture, the Deputy Sec-Gen is focused on the details. He/she will be a master of the summit’s procedures, keep a log of the attendance and key motions, maintain order, and record all draft resolutions. Furthermore, the Deputy Sec-Gen must be ready to take over the duties of the Sec-Gen in the event that he/she will be unable to. In terms of qualities, the Sec-Gen must be firm, meticulous, detail-oriented, and has a command of the class. He/she must also be very aware, sharp, and can keep everyone in line. The only person the Deputy Sec-Gen answers to is the Secretary-General. He/she is also a master of Track II diplomacy.

And since I mentioned it –

ASEAN CHAIRMAN

The ASEAN Chairman will be elected only from the ten ASEAN members states which in turn will be determined through a random draw (on our first day back!). The primary function of the chairman is to set the agenda or priorities of the group, and be the voice of the other ASEAN countries in the event a single statement has to be issued from the ASEAN states. The ASEAN Chairman also hosts the summit; he/she will deliver the welcoming remarks in the opening session followed by the keynote address of the Secretary-General.

THEREFORE, I’d like you guys to start thinking of who your nominees are. We will have elections in the last few minutes of our first meeting back. In terms of requirements, the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General will be graded according to their performance (just like everyone else) and a pre-summit paper on the ASEAN, its history, issues and challenges, which they’ll work on together.

#3

For everyone and those who want to get a head start, here are the final readings for the 4th quarter. Expect three to four more quizzes before the year is over. These are all essential to prepare you for the Model ASEAN, particularly the readings for week three.

Week 1 (January 31 to February 4)

Chapter 15: Sec 1 (for refresher), Sec 2 (for pre-lecture)

Week 2 (February 14 to 18)

Chapter 26: Sec 1 and 2 only

Chapter 34: Sec 1 to 4 (whole chapter)

Week 3 (February 21 to 24) – Note: February 25, a Friday, is a holiday

There will be a pre-ASEAN summit long test (objective + essay) on the following:

  • Map of Southeast Asia (including sub-regions, cities, capitals)
  • The ASEAN Charter
  • Special Readings from A Modern History of Southeast Asia

The special readings will be available starting Week 1.

Also expect to read up on your drawn country/organization. Details of this will be revealed on the first day we get back.

So apparently, a BILLION things are happening in SS2 after YMSAT week. We’re going out with a bang! See you all then!

The Big Post-Summit Blog Post

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Every game has two aspects: the game and the metagame.

The game is what you play by following certain rules, accomplishing objectives, finishing within a certain time, and seeking the advantage within an established environment. The metagame (literally beyond the game) is determined largely by external factors, is not confined in any environment, and is not governed by the rules of the established game. For example, the game of basketball is played in four quarters and can be watched on TV. The metagame is played when fans match up players using statistics, when we speculate on the fortunes of the team during the draft, and when bets are made on who wins or not. The Middle East Summit (henceforth MES) was like that. The game is what you played every SocSci period, and the metagame covers everything else you’ve done outside of it. You really can’t have one without the other.

The MES was originally designed as a simulation of Middle East peace talks. For the past school years, the game has remained largely unchanged. But if my students before saw the game as it is now, they’d see one that is much more complex, deep, and even unpredictable. The resources and objectives available are still designed to lead to certain behaviors, although now there is much more room for playful minds to maneuver in. Continue reading →

A note about LT1B… and an ASEAN tease

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The summits are almost over and I can’t wait to write about them just as much as I can’t wait to see what you write as well. The guidelines of LT1B will only be available through your Class President as I will not post it online, nor do I encourage you to post it as well. Know that it is individual and is due on January 31. I begin accepting papers on January 26 with extra credit per day early.

And with that out of the way, I’d like to offer a quick ASEAN tease. Each one of you will be given one of the assignments below — or are you?


Notice anything about the number of assignments though?

MidEast Summit FINAL BRIEFING teaser and other things

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First of all, the sections of my PPT on nationalism and oil are now online.

During the final minutes of our first meeting next week, you’ll each receive a document that looks like this:

All the final briefings share those final two sections. Here is the full text:

TO AVOID AT ALL COST

The United States and the Soviet Union committing their military strength (not military aid) on opposite sides of a conflict. If the two superpowers enter on either side of a conflict, the conflict quickly becomes a nuclear war. Everyone receives a final score of -10 points and the exercise comes to an immediate end.

ABOUT MILITARY CONFLICTS

If one side, either in the Iran-Iraq War or in the tense Egypt-Syria-Jordan-PLO versus Israel situation musters twice the military strength of the opponent, that side is able to conquer its opponent. At the start of the conference neither side is in that position, but one side or the other may get strong enough with support from either the United States or the Soviet Union. In addition to contributing troops, the United States and Soviet Union are able to aid countries by giving military aid (in which case the superpowers are not considered to be directly involved in the fighting). Each $1 billion in military aid produces one-quarter million more troops. Only certain countries can be attacked in the game. Only Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Iran can be attacked. The PLO, United States, and Soviet Union also have military capabilities, but they can only be used offensively – these countries cannot be attacked.

If one nation announces that it is attacking another, the announcement must be publicly made in the conference circle. At that point, any allied nations joining in the attack must announce themselves. Once all attacking nations have announced themselves, any nations coming to the defense of the victim should announce themselves too. If the attack is repulsed, all invading countries lose one-third of their armed forces (round down), while the defender(s) lose nothing. If the attack succeeds, the attacked nation ceases to exist, and its members join the victorious groups.

Also, note the following things:

  1. The chairpersons are required to come in formal/business attire during both days of the summit. The easiest and most practical option is to simply wear a formal jacket on top of the PSHS uniform. Dressing up in full formal or national dress is also welcome — but do it quickly. We can’t delay the summit just because you’re dressing up (not a problem for those with first period SocSci).
  2. Secretaries are welcome to bring laptops and other references during the summit. Prepare those permits and make sure I sign them on Monday.
  3. On day one of the summit, we will be electing a chief facilitator who will manage the summit and make sure that all goals are resolved. However, only the chairpersons from the United States of America or the Soviet Union are eligible. Choose wisely.
  4. There is also a slight change to one of the objectives. The United States now has to secure 12 (up from 9) million barrels of oil a day. Good luck, US!
  5. Your country profiles are due on Monday. Feel free to comment here or message me in Facebook for your questions. Don’t forget to have two copies (original and photocopy) and place (no stapling or fastening) them in a short folder.
  6. And I’m sorry to the Lebanon teams if I scared you about having no army. You’re not alone. :)

Getting ready for the MIDDLE EAST SUMMIT

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Our summits are scheduled during the last two meetings on the week of January 17 to 21 and the venue will be the ASTB Conference Room. Here are some steps to help you get ready for the summit.

STEP ONE: Know your team

I announced this after Win As Much As You Can. If you missed the groupings, here it is now in its full glory (click for full).

STEP TWO: Know your objectives

Here are the twelve issues you have to resolve in the summit. The participation of individual teams may or may not be even throughout the various goals. Part of preparing for the summit is knowing which are the ones most important to you.

Here are the goals in a convenient and easy-to-print page or image.

STEP THREE: Work on your COUNTRY PROFILE as a team

The country profile is a multi-section document that will serve as your main resource for the summit. Don’t think of it as just another requirement; this assignment is your primary way of learning about your country and its involvement in the Middle East simulation we’re doing.

This document is due on January 17 (Monday) for everyone. This will be counted as LT#1A for the 4th Quarter. (LT#1B will be revealed on January 14.)

DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE for the COUNTRY PROFILE HERE. The template also contains INSTRUCTIONS on what you’ll have to for each segment of the paper.

STEP FOUR: Appoint a CHAIRPERSON

Between you and your teammates, choose someone to sit on the main negotiating panel. This person will be in business attire (like the lawyers in the previous mock trials). The rest will serve as secretaries. Don’t be fooled by the name. You’ll be very busy during the summit.

AND LAST STEP (FOR NOW): Psyche yourself up for the summit!

PICTURE THIS! We’re simulating something that looks like this in the world out there.

Here is a preview of some upcoming slides where I discuss what will happen starting day one of the summit.

SS2 3Q Grades Preview + MidEast Summit TEASER!

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Two big things to look at today.

First up, a preview of your third quarter grades. (Click the image for the full size.)

Note on QUIZZES: Your score here is composed of your group reporting score (on When Asia Was the World) and the two jury scorecards or one jury scorecard and one voluntary task during the trials. Scorecards were graded on a pass/fail basis: complete submission will give you an automatic 10/10 while a non-submission (for whatever reason) will be zero. Voluntary tasks were also graded on a pass/fail basis.

SHOUT OUT! To whoever made the court report for the Dahlia China trial, reveal yourself if you want to be credited.

And second, a killer teaser: a sneak peek of the Middle East Summit groupings!

Full groupings to be revealed at an undisclosed location. O_O