Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) International Baccalaureate Kenmore West High School

Start with Self

CAS at the Center

CAS Defined 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.

CAS Program Basics The CAS experience, as a whole, should be evidence that students have: increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth undertaken new challenges planned and initiated activities worked collaboratively with others shown perseverance and commitment in their activities engaged with issues of global importance considered the ethical implications of their actions developed new skills

CAS Program Basics Creativity, action, service (CAS) should involve: real purposeful activities, with significant outcomes personal challenge – tasks must extend the student and be achievable in scope thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting reflection on outcomes and personal learning

Levels of Activities Project – Large idea, made up of many activities Project – Large idea, made up of many activities Example: International Development Trip Example: International Development Trip Activity – Smaller action that supports the overall project, made up of tasks Activity – Smaller action that supports the overall project, made up of tasks Example: organizing a garage sale fundraiser Example: organizing a garage sale fundraiser Task – most basic unit that supports the project Task – most basic unit that supports the project Example: working the table at the garage sale Example: working the table at the garage sale

The CAS Team CAS Coordinator – oversees the execution of the CAS program and organizes the evaluation of student progress CAS Coordinator – oversees the execution of the CAS program and organizes the evaluation of student progress CAS Advisers – building-based individuals who meets with students (about 10 students per adviser) CAS Advisers – building-based individuals who meets with students (about 10 students per adviser) CAS Supervisors – organization-based individuals who works with student directly at the task/activity/project CAS Supervisors – organization-based individuals who works with student directly at the task/activity/project

Cycle of Experiential Learning

Reflection: a key component The fundamental questions of reflection may be basic, but the answers may be quite complex: What did I plan to do? What did I plan to do? What did I do? What did I do? What were the outcomes for the team, others, and me? What were the outcomes for the team, others, and me?

Reflection: a key component Beyond the basics, students will consider: how they felt, how they felt, what they perceived, what they perceived, what they thought of the activity, what they thought of the activity, what the activity meant to the student, what the activity meant to the student, what the value of the activity was, what the value of the activity was, what they learned from the activity and how this learning (e.g. change of perspective) might apply more widely. what they learned from the activity and how this learning (e.g. change of perspective) might apply more widely.