Introduction to CAS “Unless this is done then an IB education will result in producing graduates who know a great deal but who do not care or act on what they know.”

Overview

The Nature of CAS Creativity: arts, and other experiences that involve creative thinking. Action: physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the Diploma Programme. Service: an unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student. The rights, dignity and autonomy of all those involved are respected.

Timelines CAS must begin in September of Year 1 (11) CAS must continue for at least 18 months At CHCI, your CAS portfolio is due on March 1 st of Year 2 (12) Grade 9 and 10 activities are encouraged, but you will not provide evidence or reflect formally on those activities.

IB Learner Profile InquirersKnowledgeable ThinkersRisk-Takers PrincipledReflective CaringCommunicators BalancedOpen-Minded

Learning Outcomes In order to complete CAS, the school must determine if the Learning Outcomes have been achieved. Therefore, in your CAS experience, particularly in your reflections, you must provide evidence that the outcomes have been achieved.

Learning Outcomes Increased awareness of strengths/areas for growth Undertaken new challenges Planned and initiated activities Worked collaboratively with others Shown perseverance and commitment Engaged with issues of global importance Considered the ethical implications of their actions Developed new skills

Learning Outcomes All eight outcomes must be present for a student to complete the CAS requirement. Some may be demonstrated many times, in a variety of activities, but completion requires only that there is some evidence for every outcome. So what qualifies as evidence?

Evidence of Learning Outcomes Written reflections Photos with captions Brochures with explanation Photo journals Facebook page Blog+ many more! Thank you letter Certificate Award Product created through the activity Journal Chart showing goal setting and achievement Audio recording

How much is enough? Guidelines: “Approximately the equivalent of half a day per school week, 3 to 4 hours per week, or approximately 150 hours in total, with a reasonable balance between creativity, action and service. Hour counting is not encouraged.”

How to begin? Check out the CAS pages on the CHCI website CHCI’s CAS Guidelines Between June 1 st of Grade 10 and September 15 th of Grade 11, you are expected to complete your PLANNERS  What do you PLAN to do to complete CAS requirement? Signed by Co-ordinator by September 15 th, grade 11

Following Through During grade 11 and grade 12, it is your responsibility to follow through with your CAS activities. Keep track of the activities in which you participate. Complete diaries regularly: one for each activity. Reflect on each activity when you are done and gather evidence of your participation. Summative Reflection: a one page reflection on your CAS participation, done in Grade 12 immediately before turning in CAS portfolio.

What is NOT CAS? Examples of activities which would be inappropriate are listed below: any course or project for which you receive a grade in the IB Programme any activity for which you receive financial compensation doing simple, tedious and repetitive work, like returning library books to the shelves or photocopying working in an old people’s or children’s home when the student: - has no idea how the home operates - is just making sandwiches - has no contact at all with the old people or children - actually does no service for other people a passive pursuit (such as a visit to a museum, theater, concert, sports event, etc.) all forms of duty with the family work experience which only benefits the student fund-raising with no clearly defined end in sight religious devotion and any activity which can be interpreted as proselytizing an activity where there is no leader or responsible adult on site to evaluate and confirm student performance activities which cause division amongst different groups in the community any unplanned activity or sport

Responsibilities of the Student Students are required to: Self-review at the beginning of their CAS experience and set personal goal (PLANNERS) Plan, do and reflect over an 18 month period Undertake at least one interim review and final review with CAS advisor (we will meet at least 3 times) Take part in a range of activities, including at least one project, some of which they have initiated themselves, and one that “crosses over” between two areas Keep records of their activities and achievements, including a list of the principal activities undertaken (DIARIES) Show evidence of achievement of the eight CAS learning outcomes (REFLECTIONS and SUMMATIVE REFLECTION) Turn in your CAS portfolio by March 1 st of Year 2 (Grade 12)

What might a CAS Programme look like? ActivityDates/Time Period C/A/S ? Evidence? Learning outcome Volleyball Team -Sem 1 of grades 11 and weeks, 4 x week, 1.5 hrs each time (practices and games) -Action -photo/ reflection -Collaboration -New skills Arts Showcase -Sem 2 of grades 11 and weeks, 1.5 hrs per week (planning) -4 weeks, 2 hrs practice each wk -Leader of Publicity -Performer (poetry reading) -Creativity (leadership role) -brochure/ reflection -Planned and initiated -Awareness of strengths and weaknesses Shoebox Project -Dec. grades 11 and weeks, 1 hr. per week -Service -letter/ reflection -Issue of Global imp -Ethical impl Assistant Coach: Community Soccer -Spring and Summer of grade weeks, 2 hrs each week (games and practices) -Action and Service -award/ reflection -New Challenge -Collaboration Guitar Lessons-15 months, 1 hr lesson each week,.5 hrs practice each week -planning of and performance in Coffee House -Creativity and Service (leadership in Coffee House) -facebook page/reflection -Persevered -New Skills -Planned and initiated

Assessment For OSSD, your CAS portfolio will be assessed to determine a final Grade in GPP3OI. For the IB Diploma, the CAS portfolio will be assessed as Complete or Incomplete—is their evidence of the 8 learning outcomes and were the activities sustained over the 18 month period, balanced between the 3 areas? CAS is compulsory to receive IB Diploma.

Final Reminders Visit the CAS page under the IB tab to complete your PLANNERS any time between now and September 15 th. Bring them down to Guidance for my signature. Become familiar with the forms, get yourself a binder and dividers, keep records! Questions?