SEISEN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
CAS Handbook
August 15, 2016
Table of Contents
Page 2 Section 1: What is Seisen’s Mission 3 Section 2: What is CAS? 3 2.1 The Three Strands of CAS 4 2.2 CAS at Seisen 4 2.3 The Aims of CAS 5 Section 3: What are the Requirements for CAS at Seisen? 7 Section 4: What Does CAS Look Like in Action? 7 4.1 How to Include the CAS Stages in Your Experiences 9 4.2 What is a Good CAS Experience? 12 4.3 The CAS Project 13 4.4 CAS Learning Outcomes 14 Section 5: How Do You Manage the CAS Portfolio Through ManageBac? 14 5.1 ManageBac 15 5.2 CAS Proposals 17 5.3 Reflections 21 5.4 Evidence 22 Section 6: How Is CAS Monitored and Information Shared? 22 6.1 Announcements 22 6.2 Reports 23 6.3 Checking Portfolios 23 6.4 Supervisor Reports 23 6.5 Finishing CAS 24 Section 7: Can the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Fit CAS? 25 Section 8: Frequently Asked Questions 26 Appendix 27 Calendar of Main Events 28 How to Get Started with CAS Checklist 29 Final CAS Checklist 30 Experience and Projects Guiding Questions 31 Sample CAS Experiences and Projects 32 CAS Planning Form 33 CAS Project Form 35 Sample CAS Proposals 36 Sample Reflections
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Section 1 WHAT IS SEISEN’S MISSION? OUR LIVES MUST BE A CONTINUAL WEAVING OF FAITH AND GENEROSITY.” — SAINT RAPHAELA MARY
Seisen, a Catholic International School that offers a safe environment for all, educates future world citizens to become men and women for others and with others, in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Seisen’s mission is to empower each student through shared responsibility, creativity, and human interdependence, to develop their unique talents and to become competent and compassionate players in our global society, capable of empowering others and of bringing hope and peace to our troubled world.1 Being a Handmaid of the Sacred Heart of Jesus school, Seisen aims to empower students who become global citizens “ready to share the responsibility of bringing rays of hope and peace to our world.”2 Service is at the core of our school’s philosophy and the heart of everything our students learn.
1
“Seisen Mission,” Seisen International School Mission Posters, Seisen International School, 2014.
2
“Mission and Philosophy,” Seisen International School, accessed April 22, 2016, http://www.seisen.com/about-seisen/missionphilosophy/index.aspx?Referer=https%253a%252f%252fwww.seisen.com%252f
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Section 2 WHAT IS CAS? 2.1 The Three Strands of CAS CAS stands for Creativity, Activity, and Service and is one of the three elements of the Diploma Programme Core: Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and CAS. “The Core is seen as the heart of the Diploma Programme and strives to make a difference to the lives of students. It provides opportunities for students to think about their own values and actions, to understand their place in the world, and to shape their identity.�3
Creativity
exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance
Activity
physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle
Service
collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need. One of the experiences chosen in Service must be done outside of Seisen.
3
International Baccalaureate Organization, Creativity, activity, service guide for students graduating in 2017, International Baccalaureate Publishing: The Hague, 2015, p. 3.
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2.2 CAS at Seisen At Seisen CAS plays an important role in our mission of developing internationally minded students dedicated to serving their communities. In order to achieve this, all experiences should be meaningful to the students and all learning and growth is demonstrated through their Experiential Learning portfolio that began in Grade 9. The Experiential Learning programme, which CAS forms a significant component in Grades 11 and 12, allows students to develop employable skills in non-academic scenarios. By doing so they engage in areas of interest to prepare them for life after Seisen and lays a foundation of reflective practice and resiliency.
2.3 The Aims of CAS “…CAS enables students to demonstrate attributes of the IB learner profile in real and practical ways to grow as unique individuals and to recognize their role in relation to others. CAS complements a challenging academic programme in a holistic way, providing opportunities for self-determination, collaboration, accomplishment, and enjoyment.”4 The CAS Programme aims to develop students who: • • • • • •
enjoy and find significance in a range of CAS experiences. purposefully reflect upon their experiences. identify goals, develop strategies, and determine further actions for personal growth. explore new possibilities, embrace new challenges, and adapt to new roles. actively participate in planned, sustained and collaborative CAS projects. understand they are members of local and global communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment.
4
International Baccalaureate Organization, p. 8.
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Section 3 WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CAS AT SEISEN? You have seven basic requirements to complete CAS successfully at Seisen. Requirement • Calendar
• Balance
• Portfolio
August 15, 2016
What’s it all about? Creativity Activity Service
Regular Involvement in all CAS Start of Grade 11 February of Grade 12 Strands over 18 months CAS is an 18-month programme that begins at the start of Grade 11 and finishes in February of Grade 12. You should be involved in a CAS experience each week of your time in IB. It’s not about completing hours but rather about regular involvement in each of the CAS strands (reasonable gaps between experiences in a strand are allowed). There is a reasonable balance between the three stands of Creativity, Activity, and Service. • follow the one third rule – ideally each strand should be represented by no more than one third of your experiences – don’t allow any one strand of CAS to comprise more than 50% of your entire programme. • focus on a few experiences: don’t list every extra-curricular activity you do at Seisen. More experiences listed leads to more time being spent on reflections that may not be as meaningful. • Beginning in September, 2018, Grade 11 students entering IB must complete one regular Service experience outside of Seisen. Serves as evidence of your engagement with CAS • portfolios are done through ManageBac (see Section 5)
Achievement of all seven CAS learning outcomes (see Section 4) 1) identify own strengths and develop areas for growth 2) demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process 3) demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience 4) show commitment and perseverance in CAS experiences 5) demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively 6) demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance 7) recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions No experience should have more than 3 LOs. Each student must complete a collaborative CAS project using the five CAS stages (see Section 4) CAS Project Reflection is central to building a deep and rich experience in CAS. Reflection Students are expected to reflect upon significant moments in their CAS experiences. One reflection a week is required on ManageBac for one of your experiences (remember to spread the reflections over all your experiences throughout the CAS programme to show continuity). Students will have three formal, documented interviews with the Student Projects coordinator. 3 Formal Interviews CAS is a graduation requirement for both the IB Diploma and a Seisen Diploma. Graduation Requirements Roughly a month before the end of each quarter a message will be sent via ManageBac detailing the requirements for a pass indicator on your reports. The requirements will change slightly each quarter so check regularly for things you may need to add to your portfolio. The main goal is to help you get your portfolio ready for final submission step-by-step in February of Grade 12.
• Learning Outcomes
• •
• •
NB Students are encouraged to undertake the Duke of Edinburgh Award and use the Experiential Learning programme as pathways that diversify their CAS portfolios and develop toolkits for meaningful reflection in CAS.
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Section 4 WHAT DOES CAS LOOK LIKE IN ACTION? 4.1 How to Include the CAS Stages in Your Experiences The five CAS stages are: • Investigation: Students identify their interests, skills, and talents to be used in considering opportunities for CAS experiences, as well as areas for personal growth and development. Students investigate what they want to do and determine the purpose for their CAS experience. • Preparation: Students clarify roles and responsibilities, develop a plan of action to be taken, identify specified resources and timelines, and acquire any skills needed to engage in the CAS experience. • Action: Students implement their idea or plan. This often requires decision-making and problem solving. • Reflection: Students describe what happened, express feelings, generate ideas, and raise questions. • Demonstration: Students make explicit what and how they learned and what they have accomplished (uploading your evidence on to ManageBac).5
These stages should be regularly practised throughout the CAS programme. Evidence for all stages should be provided within each CAS experience through reflections and evidence. Don’t wait to document an experience after you’ve started it – include proof that you investigated and prepared for the experience before the action part began. Investigation (brainstorming and research) and preparation are the true beginnings of a CAS experience.
CAS STAGES
5
International Baccalaureate Organization, pp. 16 – 17.
August 15, 2016
The Stages in Action Investigation • Brainstorming • Identifying Interests • Identifying Skills • Research • Meetings
Preparation Action • Roles and • Doing your Responsibilities experience • Action Plan • Adapting when things • Resources don’t go as • Timelines planned • Budgets • Solving • Identify Skills Problems Needed Where can you find this in your portfolios? • proposals • reflections • reflections • evidence • evidence
Reflection Demonstration Upload • Uploading reflections to evidence and ManageBac reflections to • The Facts ManageBac • The Feelings • The Questions • The Ideas
Collect evidence and reflections for each stage of each experience and upload it to your portfolio. Don’t just document when you’ve started doing activities, but start when you first have the idea to do an experience.
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4.2 What is a Good CAS Experience? A CAS experience is a specific event in which you engage with at least one of the three CAS strands. An experience may be a single event (e.g. volunteering at the Festival of Nations) or it may be an extended series of events (e.g. playing on a sports team or going to choir practice every Wednesday and Thursday). Because we are all different, what makes a good CAS experience for one person may not make a good experience for another. Students are encouraged to discuss their potential CAS experiences with the Student Projects Coordinator, but the following may also help you determine if an activity qualifies as a CAS experience. A CAS experience must: • • • • • • •
fit one or more of the CAS strands be based on a personal interest, skill, talent, or opportunity for growth provide opportunities to develop attributes of the IB learner profile not be used or included in the student’s IB Diploma course requirements not be paid address one of more of the CAS learning outcomes be verifiable through proposals, reflections, evidence, and supervisor’s reports.
You may also like to ask yourself the following questions: 1. Will the experience be enjoyable? 2. Does the experience allow for development of my personal interest, skills, and/or talents? 3. What new possibilities or challenges could the experience provide? 4. What might be the possible consequences of this CAS experience for myself, other, and the environment? * See the appendix for examples of CAS Experiences and Projects
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Experiences may fall into the different categories below:6 Ongoing
You may already be engaged in • learning to play a new an activity that falls into one or instrument for a school more CAS strands. You may performance continue but are encouraged • continuing service at the to further extend or develop Humane Society but seeking a participation if appropriate. different area of expertise
School-Based
Community-based
Individual
Activities sponsored by the school or school organizations that may fall into one or more CAS strands.
• learning to play a new position on the school basketball team
Activities sponsored by the local community.
• organizing a group to participate in the Tokyo Marathon • working with a group to create a community garden
You engage in a solitary activity • composing a song in which they work towards a • attending a gym personal goal.
6
Paxon School for Advanced Studies CAS Handbook,” Paxon School for Advanced Studies, accessed November 20, 2015, http://paxonsas-ib.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/7/4/10748351/psas_cas_booklet_-_class_of_2014_&_beyond.doc
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Experiences Seisen Offers See the Student Projects Coordinator if you’d like to start your own activity. Check to see if the experience falls into more than one CAS strand. Creativity Jazz Bands Choirs Show Choir (A) Journalism Yearbook Robotics Car Mechanics (A) Entrepreneurship Cross-stitching Videology Horticulture Fall Play Dance (A) Debate MUN Creative Writing Crafts Large Ensemble Vocal Ensemble One Act Play Three-School Spring Musical (A) Speech Brainbowl Broadcasting Club Festivals
Activity Volleyball Football / Soccer Futsal Basketball Track and Field Cross-Country Running Tennis Swimming Badminton Gym / Weights Yoga
Service Seisen Adventurers ES Tutoring (C) Student Council (C) Class Reps Bus Monitors SASA Dancers (A) (C) TASSEL (C) East Timor (A) (C) Bridge to Vietnam (A) (C) Lab Tech (C) Breast Cancer Awareness (C) Girls’ Athletic Association Social Justice Committee (C) Fine Arts Committee (C) The Green Committee (C) Women’s Education Support Committee (C) Library Assistant (C) Make a Wish (C) Outreach
* Although activities are listed here, they may not be offered every year. Check with the Student Projects Coordinator to see what’s on offer.
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4.3 THE CAS PROJECT One of the requirements of the CAS programme is the completion of at least one CAS project. The primary purpose of the project is to ensure participation in sustained collaboration. The project must: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Be designed with a defined purpose and goals Be collaborative Address at least one of the three CAS strands Last a minimum of one month, from planning to completion. Follow the CAS stages Include the CAS Project Form (in the Appendix)
Some tips for the project: • You can do a CAS project within one of your CAS experiences: create a new section in the newspaper, begin a weightlifting club outside your normal training schedule • The planning, execution, and reflection is all done as a group. • It doesn’t have to be a brand new initiative. You can take a pre-existing club/activity and change its direction.
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4.4 CAS LEARNING OUTCOMES7 Throughout your participation in CAS experiences, you are expected to demonstrate that you have met all seven of the learning outcomes at least once. Some will be met in a single experience, while others may be developed over time. They are as follows: Learning Outcome
Description
• Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth • Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process
Students are able to see themselves as individuals with various abilities and skills, of which some are more developed than others.
A new challenge may be an unfamiliar experience or an extension of an existing one. The newly acquired or developed skills may be shown through experiences that the student has not previously undertaken or through increased expertise in an established area. Students can articulate the stages from conceiving an idea to executing a plan for a CAS experience or series of CAS experiences. This may be accomplished in collaboration with other participants. Students may show their knowledge and awareness by building on a previous experience, or by launching a new idea or process.
• Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience • Show commitment and perseverance in CAS experiences
Students demonstrate regular involvement and active engagement in CAS.
• Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively • Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance • Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions
Students are able to identify, demonstrate and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences.
Students are able to identify and demonstrate their understanding of global issues, make responsible decisions, and take appropriate action in response to the issue either locally, nationally or internationally. Students show awareness of the consequences of choices and actions in planning and carrying out CAS experiences.
7
International Baccalaureate Organization, pp. 11-12.
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Section 5 HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CAS PORTFOLIO THROUGH MANAGEBAC? 5.1 ManageBac All students are expected to maintain and complete a CAS portfolio as evidence of the engagement with CAS. The portfolio is used to demonstrate completion of CAS for both the IB and Seisen diplomas. At Seisen, you will maintain your portfolio using ManageBac. It is very important that your experiences and reflections are kept up to date as this is how we are able to monitor your on-going progress. A couple of things to keep in mind: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Request approval before you actually begin the experience Find an appropriate supervisor before you begin For long term experiences, reflect regularly Include evidence of your experiences Once you have completed an experience, finish your reflections and submit the supervisor review form.
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5.2 CAS Proposals Seisen requires you to submit a proposal for any experience you are doing before you begin. Doing so helps to ensure that your experiences meet the requirements for the IB and Seisen Diplomas. All proposals are submitted and approved via ManageBac. Here’s what you need to include: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Name of the experience Indicate which of the strands it includes (it can be more than one) Indicate if it’s a CAS project Start and end dates Include the supervisor’s information. If it’s a Seisen club, use the supervising teacher. If it’s an outside organization, use the person you’re working with at the organization. You may use a Seisen teacher for experiences you do outside of the school as long as they are informed before you begin and agree to supervise you. 6. Tick the learning objectives you’ll complete 7. In the writing box: a. explain what the experience is b. describe your roles and responsibilities c. describe the goals you want to meet d. explain how it helps to achieve the indicated learning objectives8 The Student Projects Coordinator will approve or ask you to add more information before it’s approved. Step 1:
Sally Shu Sally Shu
click here to access the proposal page
8
See the Appendix for an example.
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Step 2:
write the name of the experience and choose dates your experience will cover
• tick which strand (can be more than 1) your experience covers • only tick CAS project if it meets the requirements
What to write here: • description of the experience • your roles and responsibilities • your goals • explain how this experience will help you meet the LOs
tick the LOs your experience will cover
add the supervisor’s info here
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5.3 Reflections “Being reflective is an attribute of the IB learner profile…and is central to building a deep and rich experience in CAS.”9 During our CAS classes, we will discuss the purpose of reflection and the key components of a good reflection. There are four key elements of successful reflection that should be included in each of your experiences: Facts
What does it look like? • details about what you did and the results • item by Item account of the events • the challenges faced and the results Feelings What does it feel like? • your emotional responses to the experience – the highs and lows • what made you happy, excited, patient, impatient, angry, frustrated, bored, or confused? Ideas What came into your head? • overall thoughts about how the experience went • your initial predictions – were they accurate? • how did the experience help you grow and improve? • what kind of ethical dilemmas did you face? Questions What did you begin to question? • what’s the next step after an unexpected challenge? • how can you change the course of action after realization it’s too easy or too difficult? Summative This should be done at the end of an experience just before you send the supervisor’s report to the supervisor. Reflection • ensure the learning outcomes listed in the proposal have been fully explained in detail • give a final account of how you grew emotionally, physically, and mentally from an experience • give an account of how your experience affected those you worked with • any lingering questions you have that grew from the experience * See the appendix for a sample reflection 9
International Baccalaureate Organization, p. 26.
August 15, 2016
Reflections: Number, when, and how Number When How • no maximum • beginning, middle, and end • video • no minimum • significant event happens • audio recording • Seisen requires one reflection be • quitting an experience • written posted each week to your • in person meeting portfolio. You choose which • any way you can think of experience to add it to, but you should aim to spread them around throughout the quarter. (No matter how many reflections you have, you must include the four key elements across all your reflections for an experience plus the summative reflection where LOs are discussed at length) If the experience is happens over the short term or is done only once, you may only have one reflection that includes everything in it.
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Steps to uploading a reflection Step 1:
Sally Shu
August 15, 2016
click here to access the activity you want to do a reflection for
Step 2:
click here to access reflections
Step 3:
click on the icon that corresponds to the type of evidence you want to upload
write your reflections here and tick which LOs this reflection is about
Sally Shu
* If you’re uploading a webcam or audio reflection, just add it as evidence but don’t forget to write a quick description in the writing box and tick which LOs you’ve met.
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5.4 Evidence Along with reflections, you are required to upload evidence of your experience to ManageBac. Evidence shows the involvement you have had with your experience and could include but is not limited to the following: • Photos • Certificates • Membership in an organization
• Video of your experience • Letters from a supervisor • Showing the Student Projects Coordinator in Person
• Coach’s reports • Activity Logs • Links to a personal website
* See uploading reflections to learn how to upload evidence. It’s the same process. Adding extended commentary on evidence could count as doing a reflection. You should also comment on the evidence you upload with your reflections.
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Section 6 HOW IS CAS MONITORED AND INFORMATION SHARED? 6.1 Announcements All announcements are made through the ManageBac message board. Students are expected to check the board regularly for all CAS related information.
6.2 Reports A Seisen progress indicator appears on your quarterly reports to show whether you are on track towards completing CAS or need to take action to get back on track. Seisen Indicators: PASS The student has met the requirements outlined by the Student Projects Coordinator for the quarter being reported on.
INCOMPLETE The student is missing one or more of the requirements outlined by the Student Projects Coordinator for the quarter being reported on.
FAIL The student has not met one or more of the IB and / or the Seisen CAS programme requirements. If this indicator is given, the student is ineligible for their IB and Seisen diplomas.
The Student Projects Coordinator will release the requirements for a PASS/INCOMPLETE indicator no more than one month before the end of the quarter. The requirements are based on progressive steps needed to complete the CAS programme and may not always be the same each quarter. ManageBac Indicators: ManageBac uses flags to indicate the level of progress on CAS. These will mirror the requirements for Seisen’s progress indicators. ManageBac Indicator
Seisen Progress Indicator PASS
INCOMPLETE / FAIL PASS (Final Indicator)
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6.3 Checking Portfolios The student projects coordinator will check portfolios once at the end of each quarter to assess if students have met the requirements for a PASS or INCOMPLETE indicator. Students are responsible for: • reading any comments and taking action as recommended by the coordinator on ManageBac. • taking action on advice given by the coordinator during CAS interviews and meetings • having portfolios ready for assessment by the deadline – extensions are only given when requested prior to the deadline • meet with supervisors regularly to find out about any areas of concern before the supervisor’s report is sent.
6.4 Supervisor Reports Before sending out the report, make sure you have explained how all the learning outcomes have been met. Also make sure that there is evidence and a summative reflection. A supervisor is responsible for saying whether or not you have completed an experience successfully. If the supervisor believes you need further improvement, you must meet with them to negotiate what steps need to be taken.
6.5 Finishing CAS In February of Grade 12 the portfolio is expected to be completed. The student projects coordinator will do a thorough check assessing which requirements are finished and which still need attention. Students will receive feedback about final touches to be made to the portfolio which must be completed by the beginning of March of Grade 12. When all requirements have been met, candidates are recommended to the IB Coordinator for passing. (see Final Checklist in Appendix) If requirements are still missing or incomplete, the coordinator will notify the HS principal, IB Coordinator, and parents.
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Section 7 CAN THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S INTERNATIONAL AWARD FIT CAS? At Seisen, students are encouraged to undertake a broad range of activities and experiences outside of the classroom. Internationally minded students walk individual paths that lead towards understanding the value of learning from others, applying their skills to new situations, and taking risks that challenge themselves mentally and physically building a strong sense of resiliency along the way. Gaining experience is about the journey rather than the test. Both Seisen and the Duke of Edinburgh International Award believe in the same values. The Award is “a fun adventure and major challenge, three progressive Award levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) and a wide range of activities offer endless possibilities to anyone aged 14 to 24. Millions of young people around the globe have already taken part in the world’s leading youth achievement award –pushing personal boundaries, gaining new skills and enhancing their CVs and university applications.”10 Sections of the DofE 1. 2. 3. 4.
Service Skill Physical Activity Adventurous Journey
At Sesien, the Award is a nice fit because it covers many of the same elements as CAS and the Seisen learner profile. You may count the activities you do for the Duke of Edinburgh as CAS experiences as long as they meet at least one of the CAS strands and a Learning Outcome. Earning your DofE award along with your IB Diploma is a great way to meet other keen young people your age making a big difference in their communities. 10
“What is a Duke of Edinburgh Award?”, Duke of Edinburgh International Award, accessed April 22, 2016, http://www.dofe.org/what-is-dofe
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Section 8 Frequently Asked Questions • Can I start my programme in the summer before grade 11? o No. The 18 months starts from the first day of school in Grade 11. • Can I finish CAS early? o No. You must participate in some form of CAS experiences until February of Grade 12. • Is a supervisor required? o Yes. If there is a safety risk the supervisor must watch you do the experience. • Who can be a supervisor for an experience? o Anyone who can help enrich your CAS experiences can be a supervisor. They should be able to offer you guidance, and also be able to verify your commitment to the experience. o Be sure to ask them if they would be willing to be your supervisor before you start. • Can the experience incorporate more than one CAS strand? o Yes. • Where can I go for ideas of how to get involved in a CAS experience? o Go online. Ask a friend. Ask your parents. Read messages on ManageBac. Come meet with the Student Projects Coordinator. The experiences are out there, you just need to be proactive! • What is the monitoring process? o The coordinator will meet with your entire class during CAS classes as needed, and also meet with you formally for three personal interviews. You can also schedule appointments when needed. o Communication will happen frequently through ManageBac, so make sure you’re keeping reflections and experiences up to date. o You will get comments on your report card each quarter. • Can school clubs count (MUN, StuCo, Green Club)? o Definitely! Please remember that just sitting in a meeting once a week listening to other people talk really isn’t a good CAS experience. • Can a student not doing the full diploma still undertake CAS? o YES! It’s also a requirement for the Seisen diploma. • Can my experience count if it is part of my Duke of Edinburgh Award? o Of course! • How many CAS projects do I need to complete? o Just one! But many students enjoy working collaboratively so they often have several. • What happens if I don’t complete CAS? o Your IB Diploma will be withheld until the requirements have been met. You will have up to one year to finish any outstanding requirements.
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APPENDIX (Forms, Calendars, and Examples You Should Use)
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Calendar of Main Events September – 1st CAS Interview with the Student Projects Coordinator October Grade • CAS requirements – ask questions 11 • begin uploading proposals and reflections and evidence to ManageBac During your • upload a reflection each week to ManageBac entire Grade • upload proposals to ManageBac before you begin any new activities 11 year • meet with Student Projects Coordinator as needed • continue to work in a variety of experiences (long term and short term) making sure you’ve got C, A, and S happening continuously nd April of Grade 2 CAS Interview with the Student Projects Coordinator 11 • update on portfolio completion • areas of success and concern Summer • students are encouraged to stay involved with a limited number of their CAS experiences and upload periodic reflections August – • ensure you’ve got sufficient progress – if not, this is the time to make major February 2017 corrections (i.e. in August) Grade 12 • upload a reflection each week to ManageBac • upload proposals to ManageBac before you begin any new activities • meet with Student Projects Coordinator as needed • continue to work in a variety of experiences (long term and short term) making sure you’ve got C, A, and S happening continuously rd First week of 3 CAS Interview with Student Projects Coordinator February in • final reflections due grade 12 • reflect on entire CAS programme • decision made to pass CAS requirement
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How to Get Started with CAS Checklist Follow these steps to put yourself on a good path for starting CAS Read the CAS Handbook • has all the info you need for CAS Attend all CAS classes • gives introduction information to CAS • explains how to fill in forms and manage a portfolio • opportunities to ask questions Use the Planning Form to record initial ideas for your CAS programme • you need a collection of experiences that span the 18 months of CAS in all three strands. • don’t forget combinations of long-term and short term experiences • identify which Learning Outcomes match with an experience Bring the Planning Form and questions from the CAS classes and handbook to your first CAS interview Begin uploading proposals for all CAS strands to ManageBac • maintain the CAS balance Schedule appointments with the Student Project Coordinator at any time with any questions.
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Final CAS Checklist: My CAS Programme Evidence of planning my CAS programme (Use the programme planning sheet) Regular commitment over at least 18 months of CAS (Maintain balance between CAS strands, long term and short term experiences, no lengthy delays in any strand) Understanding and ability to use the CAS stages when planning the CAS project (Submit the projects form as evidence to your portfolio) Completion of at least one planned CAS project undertaken over at least one month from investigation to final reflection Evidence of having met all seven learning outcomes Includes all evidence uploaded to your portfolio (collect evidence regularly) Reflections completed on CAS experiences (once a week over the entire CAS programme) 1st CAS interview completed 2nd CAS interview completed 3rd CAS interview completed
Complete Date
Comments
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Experience/Project:
GUIDING QUESTIONS
The following guiding questions may help you determine whether an intended experience/project qualifies as CAS:11
Will this experience
Is it a real task that I
allow me to have a new
am going to undertake?
role?
Does it have real consequences
What do I hope to learn from getting involved?
for other people and for me?
How can this experience
What can I reflect on
benefit other people?
during this experience?
Which strand(s) of CAS will this experience/project cover? ___C ___A ___S Which of the learning outcomes does this experience/project meet? __1 __2 __3 __4 __5 __6 __7
11
Paxon Advanced School.
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SAMPLE CAS EXPERIENCES & PROJECTS CAS and the Diploma Programme12 Students should be able to see connections between CAS and the various subject groups that they are studying in the Diploma Programme. Below are sample CAS experiences and projects and how they may be tied to the Diploma Programme groups: Group 1
Sample CAS Experience/Project
Creativity
Activity
Service
Producing audiobooks for the blind
ü
ü
Provide language lessons to those in need
ü
ü
Record the oral histories of people living in an elderly residential facility
ü
ü
Form an astronomy club for younger students
ü
ü
ü
Maintain financial accounts for a local charity
ü
ü
ü
(Language & Literature) Group 2 (Language Acquisition) Group 3 (Individuals & Societies) Group 4 (Sciences) Group 5 (Mathematics) Group 6 (The Arts)
Take dance lessons that lead to a theatrical performance
Additional Sample CAS Experiences & Projects Activity Teaching children with disabilities to swim Coaching a basketball team Teaching young students how to play the guitar Working with children to paint murals Choreographing a routine for the marching band Leading a hiking expedition Rehearse and perform a dance production for a community retirement home Exchanging artistic or musical skills with other local schools
C ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü
A ü ü ü ü ü ü
S ü ü ü ü ü ü ü
12
Paxon Advanced School
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CAS Planning Form
13
Make a rough plan of the activities you would like to be involved with during your CAS program. This is of course flexible and will change, but it is important to have some idea of what you would like to get involved with. Bring the completed form with you to your first CAS interview in September. Experience
Supervisor
Approximate date you’ll begin and end this experience
How often will you be involved (i.e. how many times per week).
C
A
S
Keep in mind that you need to be involved with a combination of experiences that cover all three CAS strands for the entire 18 months you’re doing CAS. 13
“Aberdeen International School CAS Handbook,” Aberdeen International School, accessed November 20, 2015, http://www.isa.aberdeen.sch.uk/documents/ib/ISA_CAS_Handbook%20_2017+.pdf
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CAS Project Planning Form (use to help you organize your project) Student project leader(s)
Team members Title of project Anticipated dates of CAS project Description of project How are we following For each CAS stage, describe what has been done or what you plan to the CAS stages? do. Investigation Preparation
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Action
Reflection Demonstration Links with organizations / groups and contact information Supervisor and signature (if required) Team member signatures
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SAMPLE CAS PROPOSAL
Girls’ Varsity Volleyball I plan to train and coach the Varsity Volleyball team for the 2015 season. I will be doing most of the planning for the regular training days, but there will be opportunities to collaborate with Coach Jury and Coach Brittney regarding weekend tournaments and weekly game days. As a trainer, I am responsible for the functional conditioning of the players for the sport, as well as developing their skills as individual and team players. As a coach, it is my task to provide the players with game instructions, guidance, and opportunities to collaborate with each other to maximize each individual's strengths and to help compensate for each other's weaknesses. (DESCRIPTION, GOALS AND ROLES) I am picking up from where I left off two years ago. I will continue to provide guidance and inspiration to these developing athletes. Volleyball is just a tool to help these players learn about life and the principles of hard work, perseverance, teamwork, and camaraderie. By regularly evaluating the progress the players are making I will be identifying practices that work and strategies that need to be improved on. The decisions that have to be made, from choosing the composition of the team to who deserves to play and in which positions will provide numerous opportunities for me to consider the ethical implications of my choices. Coaching and training on top of all my other responsibilities is no easy task, and as the workload piles on perseverance and commitment will certainly be necessary for success. (LOs) The students who join and make it to the team will certainly benefit from the program. They receive physical conditioning and skill development in a controlled environment. They will also be exposed to various opportunities to grow and learn to be accepting of others, especially of those from other cultures. The program will benefit me as well, for it will develop my skills and talents as a trainer and coach. As much as the students learn from me, I, too, learn a lot from my interactions with the team. (LOs)14 14
“Activity Proposals,� Brent Subic CAS Blog, accessed November 20, 2015, http://cas.brentsubic.edu.ph/activity-proposals.html
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SAMPLE REFELCTIONS “… The children were very open in accepting me. They were always the ones who made this brief interaction between two strangers seem comfortable. Through the compassion I constantly saw in these very sick children I was exposed to an amazing outlook on life. One of the false assumptions I made about working at Children’s was that as a result of my work I would feel good about myself for giving my time to these children. In fact, I did feel good about myself but it was not because of what I had given. Instead it was the children who gave to me. From them I learned how positive and selfless people can be… Good things in the reflection: • False assumptions challenged • Lessons learned • Feelings discussed Keep in mind: • This reflection can’t stand alone and would need others to follow it that give more detail (The facts, feelings, ideas, and questions as well as comments on how the learning outcomes were achieved).
“For the past two years I have kept a journal of poetry and stream of consciousness pieces that I have written. It now contains about 30 works. I write in it rather sporadically, either as ideas come to me that I feel would make good poems, or I feel the need to vent my emotion on paper. I have shown this journal to certain teachers and friends, and I have submitted several of them to Mosaic. For me this journal is a way to stay sane, sort of catharsis for my soul. By writing poetry about situations that I am in I can think through my options and how best to deal with them. Similarly, it helps me to understand better what I am feeling. And if someone else can benefit from my writing through Mosaic, all the better. After all, art is not only beneficial for the artist, but also for the observer of that art.” Good things in the reflection: • Gives lots of facts about her process • Realizations about why her work is important for her and others • Feelings discussed Keep in mind: • This reflection can’t stand alone and would need others to follow it that give more detail (The facts, feelings, ideas, and questions as well as comments on how the learning outcomes were achieved).
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“As one of my service activities I wanted to help an elderly person as I realized that their problems are sometimes neglected or forgotten. That is why I turned to an environmental nurse so that she could find a person in need of help and willing to be helped. I stayed in contact with the nurse and after a while she gave me the name and address of an old lady whom she described as lonely and having problems with walking. I was happy that I found the opportunity to offer my help to a person in need. On one day the nurse and I visited the elderly lady in her flat. Beforehand, the nurse informed me that the lady used to work physically and retired early (at the age of 45 due to health problems). I got acquainted with her and from that day on I started visiting her regularly once a week.I went for walks with the lady and every week we went shopping to the nearest supermarket. However, the most important task turned out to be far more difficult than I had expected. I made the greatest effort to make the woman cheerful, to create a friendly warm atmosphere, but I noticed how reserved and depressed she was. She mentioned the fact that she had been lonely for a long time and it stuck in my memory. It made me realize how loneliness affects human psyche. At the beginning I found it very difficult to make her smile, because she was only saying how miserable her life was and complained about the problems that she faced. I tried to show my understanding and convince her that life is worth living regardless of the difficulties one faces, but it seemed to me that it did not speak to her. Sometimes I wondered if my visits and help were bringing her anything good. Surprisingly, as time was passing by and we came to know each other better, I noticed a change in her and a change in the character of our interaction. I was very happy when on one day she confessed to me how grateful she was for my help. The activity gave me fulfillment and made me conceive how serious is the problem of loneliness in life and I realized the importance of attention that needs to be paid to lonely people.”15 Good things in the reflection: • Gives lots of facts about the experience • Realizations about why her work is important for her and others • Feelings discussed • Learning outcomes directly addressed Keep in mind: • This reflection can’t stand alone and would need others to follow it that give more detail (The facts, feelings, ideas, and questions as well as comments on how the learning outcomes were achieved). • It’s a bit lengthy. Remember that a collection of smaller reflections can be a better idea for time management rather than long ones. 15
Reflections courtesy of Panama International School on Brent Subic CAS Blog.
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WORKS CITED “Aberdeen International School CAS Handbook,” Aberdeen International School, accessed November 20, 2015, http://www.isa.aberdeen.sch.uk/documents/ib/ISA_CAS_Handbook%20_2017+.pdf “Activity Proposals,” Brent Subic CAS Blog, accessed November 20, 2015, http://cas.brentsubic.edu.ph/activity-proposals.html “What is a Duke of Edinburgh Award?”, Duke of Edinburgh International Award, accessed April 22, 2016, http://www.dofe.org/what-is-dofe “Homepage,” Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus United States Province, accessed April 22, 2016, http://www.acjusa.org/ International Baccalaureate Organization, Creativity, activity, service guide for students graduating in 2017, International Baccalaureate Publishing: The Hague, 2015. Paxon School for Advanced Studies CAS Handbook,” Paxon School for Advanced Studies, accessed November 20, 2015, http://paxonsas-ib.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/7/4/10748351/psas_cas_booklet__class_of_2014_&_beyond.doc “Mission and Philosophy,” Seisen International School, accessed April 22, 2016, http://www.seisen.com/about-seisen/missionphilosophy/index.aspx?Referer=https%253a%252f%252fwww.seisen.com%252f
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