Program

Guide

Creativity Action Service

What is CAS?

At the very heart of the IB Diploma Program there are three elements that run through

every other part of the curriculum: The Theory of Knowledge; The Extended Essay;

and CAS. TOK teaches

you how to think

ethically and logically,

and examines how you

know and learn. The

Extended Essay

demonstrates that you

are able to think

critically, apply scholarly

research skills, and

write at an elevated

level. CAS is meant to

help you apply what

you’ve learned in a

setting outside the

classroom. It helps to

show that you are a

well balanced person.

CAS was created with the aim to develop students who are:

Reflective thinkers – who understand their own strengths and limitations, identify goals and devise strategies for their personal growth.

Willing to accept new challenges and new roles

Aware of themselves as members of communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment

Active participants in sustained, collaborative projects

Balanced – who enjoy and find significance in a range of activities involving intellectual, physical, creative and emotional experiences.

Building on the mission statements of the IBO and AAS, the CAS program is designed as an experiential learning program that spans the 11th and 12th grades. Each of you will be required to complete approximately 150 hours in the three main categories of Creativity, Action and Service. While neither our school, nor the IBO, will be strictly counting hours, you will need to log your balanced participation in these three categories into the online ManageBac system, and provide meaningful reflections of your CAS experiences. The three elements of CAS are mutually reinforcing. Together, they enable students to recognize that there are many opportunities to learn about life, self and others, and to inspire confidence, determination and commitment. Creative and physical activities are particularly important for adolescents and they offer many positive opportunities for involvement and enjoyment at a time that, for many young people, can be stressful and uncertain. The service element of CAS is perhaps the most significant of the three, in terms of the development of respect for others, and of responsibility and empathy.

This process of application and reflection provides an opportunity to extend what is learned in the classroom and, in turn, for the CAS experience to have an impact on your classroom learning. It is intended to

provide experiences for students to develop self-confidence and empathy, and a willingness to help others. The IBO’s aim of educating the whole person comes alive in a practical, demonstrable way through CAS.

IBO Mission Statement The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

AAS Mission AAS empowers each student to

• Respect self and others • Love learning • Contribute as a globally aware citizen

in order to achieve individual academic and

holistic excellence

IB Learner Profile Balanced Reflective Inquirer Thinker Caring

Knowledgeable Open Minded

Principled Risk Taker

Communicator

CAS enables you to enhance your personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning. At the same time, it provides an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the rest of the program. CAS should be challenging and enjoyable, a personal journey of self-discovery. Each of you will have a different starting point, and therefore different goals and needs. For many students, their CAS activities will include experiences that are profound and life-changing. For this type of student development to occur, CAS activities 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.

When you are considering the creation of a project, or your participation in an activity, make sure that these four criteria can be achieved. All CAS activities must have a clear goal, or outcome. You will be asked to demonstrate how your CAS participation meets all four of these criteria. Further, you will need to reflect on how all your CAS projects demonstrate one or more of the following 8 learning outcomes:

1. Raising awareness of strengths and limitations

2. Undertaking new challenges

3. Planning and initiating activities

4. Working collaboratively with others

5. Building capacity for perseverance and commitment

6. Engaging with global issues

7. Developing clearer, more coherent ethics

8. Cultivating new skills

What Do I Have to Do?

CAS Hours & IB Requirements * Demonstrate a concurrency of learning * CAS activities should continue on a regular basis for as long as possible through the

Diploma Program. * Hour Counting is discouraged * In order for students to receive their I.B. Diploma, they must complete the minimum

amount of C.A.S. hours which is 3 - 4 hours per school week or approximately 150 hours with a balance between Creativity, Action and Service.

C.A.S. Hours & A.A.S. Requirements * There must be evidence of a long term individual goal to balance Creativity, Action

and Service hours throughout the Diploma Program. * Reoccurring activities with clear goals * Plan a Long Term C.A.S. Project * All activities must be pre-approved, and supervised * All activities must be planned and meet the 8 C.A.S.

Learning Outcomes. Take some time now to consider

how you are going to structure your individual CAS program. Ask yourself what kinds of activities you enjoy,

and what goals you can set for yourself Get out of your comfort zone, and remember

that CAS is for your personal development, not just another requirement for graduation. Your CAS activities should be

things that you think you will enjoy. They should be meaningful and

enable you to stretch yourself.

They should also show that you are balanced, well

rounded, and open to change and growth. Don’t forget that to start a CAS project does not necessarily mean that you will always succeed. We can learn a lot from our mistakes. You may think that you will enjoy a new sport, or love painting, but you may be terrible at both. Your reflections on your CAS activities will chronicle your growth, and define your strengths, and interests. That information will help you to move forward to your next project with more clarity and self-knowledge.

Start with These Guiding Questions

1. What activity are you most proud of and how did it change you? 2. What are you really good at? What qualities do you most admire about yourself? 3. What trait/quality/skill do you want to improve? 4. Identify one activity you’ve wanted to attempt but haven’t done yet? Why

does it appeal to you? 5. Identify an individual you admire. What is it about his/her character

that makes him/her admirable? 6. How have your values changed in the past three to five years? 7. How do you see your place in the: immediate community,

broader community, world community? How has that perception changed over the past three to five years? How can you make a change in your community?

What Specific Activities can You do to Fulfill your CAS Requirements? * Too many to list.

* Virtually any kind of activity for/with a school athletic

team, a non-profit organization, or an academic

club would qualify.

* Let your imagination go: Organize a fundraiser

where students create something to sell.

Compose an operetta. Train for and run

in a marathon. Help at the orphanage.

Design a course, or create an educational

video. Learn karate, the Fox Trot, or how to

knit. Put together a video/slideshow of your

Discovery Week trip for future participants. Create

a newsletter or blog about pollution in city. Write a

children’s book about bullying. You are only limited

by your imagination. What determines a good activity is

your objective, your plan, and your reflection.

*personal challenge *physical exertion *real tasks *contribute to a *real consequences healthy lifestyle

*must involve the development of an exchange relationship with a learning benefit A Good CAS Activity • Is new role for you • Engages you in a real task… which has real consequences • Provides the structure and means for reflection • Turns you into a more active, aware, responsible and compassionate citizen than you

were before and than you would have been otherwise.

A Good Long Term CAS Project • Integrates the three elements of CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) • Reaches out to the community; • Meets needs expressed by the people receiving help; • Does NOT generate expectations that can be disappointed in the future; • Thoroughly respects all those involved; • Sets up an exchange relationship with learning benefits for you; • Is self sustainable and eco-sensitive; • Is replicable; • Involves the students in planning, carrying out and evaluating all aspects involved,

and in communicating the results; • Is open to new partners and actively involves people from different backgrounds,

age-groups, with different skills and needs; • Promotes use of different means and ways for reflection and result communication; • Sets an example for other IB students.

Can you think of an activity which combines Creativity, Action and Service?

Your CAS Project should focus on Service and aim to include the other two elements of CAS.

Reflections can be: • private or public • written or oral • can be expressed in different forms: diary; song; poem; video; photo exhibition;

drama; speech...

PLAN your activities: CAS activities shouldn’t be executed “on the fly.”

When planning, think: MORE hours at FEWER organizations.

PLEASE choose activities that will help you make decisions about life goals as well. Students considering a career in medicine might consider public health work, or volunteering in a biology lab doing research.

When applying to Universities, you will be required to write a personal statement. Being involved in meaningful CAS activities can help you write a highly reflective personal statement.

At least some of the activities you do should be something that pushes you out of your comfort zone. For example, if you’re uncomfortable around sick people, an appropriate CAS activity for me might be to volunteer at a hospital.

Some—or even most—of your activities must have an international component. If you have any questions, I can help you find organizations which have an international component.

CAS cannot include…

More than 25 hours with a single activity as a junior or senior. This will ensure that you have “undertaken new challenges” as outlined in the learning objectives. It would be too easy for a member of a sport team to log 150 hours and never really stretch herself in the way that CAS wants. HOWEVER, a student could log >25 hours at a single organization, just as long as she was doing different activities.

Any work you do for pay.

Any work for which you receive class credit.

Any proselytizing (attempting to convert followers to your faith). However, non-proselytizing hours associated with a religious group may be included. Teaching a Sunday school lesson on “Sermon on the Mount,” doesn’t count because you’re proselytizing; teaching arts and crafts to a Sunday school class does count.

Any work that you do for family, immediate or extended (e.g., babysitting for Aunt Sally for free.)

Passive activities. You must be doing something that requires active effort on your part. Visiting an art museum or attending a lecture doesn’t count.

Playing Halo/Hanging with your friends doesn’t count, unless it’s part of another organized activity. BUT organizing and playing in a Halo tournament to raise money for breast cancer DOES count.

Less is More Spend more hours at fewer organizations rather than fewer hours at more organizations. Why? Colleges like to see that you have stuck with an organization. Such a regimen also allows students to try out different duties within an organization. This not only facilitates personal growth, but by doing more hours within one organization, the volunteer coordinator at that organization can also write you a stronger recommendation. By “moving up the ladder” at the organization, you can emonstrate competence (to colleges and to yourself) by taking on duties with more responsibility. That’s good for both personal growth and your college application.

ManageBac

Receiving the email: Once you have received the email, please click on the link provided to set your password and sign-in information. Please use your school email as a sign-in. Web Access: After you have set up your password, you can access your account at aas.managebac.com Initial Set Up: During the initial set-up you will be asked to complete some important information. IB Diploma: Whether you are an IB Diploma student or not, please select IB Diploma. Photo requirements: 1. A current picture 2. FACE (head & shoulders) pictures ONLY. Do not use full body shots. Email Address: Only use the email address you provided the school. If you have changed email addresses, please see Mr. Bishop before you start setting up your account. IB Exam/Plan Worksheet: Please ensure ‘Accepted Candidate’ under the Grade 11 tab is chosen. Please select ‘SKIP this Step’ and proceed to the next page.

Access your ManageBac anytime. Login using your email address and password. If you forget your password, there is an ‘I forgot my password’ option. The system will send you an email to reset your password. After you log in, ManageBac will direct you to the OVERVIEW page. Upcoming Events are displayed on top. Any activities/deadlines which have been recently modified will be displayed on the bottom.

Adding a New Activity Step One: Select the IB Manager tab. Select CAS from the drop-down menu. Step Two: View the ‘What is CAS?’ video. Step Three: Click ‘Add CAS Activity. Make sure you have: 1. the amount of hours you are PLANNING to commit for the activity - do not worry, you can change this later 2. name and email address of the activity’s supervisor CAS Project: There can only be ONE CAS Project. The CAS Project is the major service project you plan on completing during your 2 years. Step Four: Dates can be approximate. But please try and be as accurate as possible. Step Five: Please enter a VALID email address. Unless this is an Out-of-School activity, please enter the following contact number: 111-222-33-44 If this is an Out-Of-School activity, you must receive approval from Mr. Bishop before entering the activity on ManageBac. Step Six: In your Description and Goals, provide as much detail about your activity as possible. This will help you in the future when you are reflecting on your goals and outcomes. Also, address EVERY Learning Outcome in your description. How will this activity increase you awareness of your strengths and weaknesses, what new challenges will you undertake, etc, etc.

Failure to address the learning outcomes in your proposal will result in a rejected activity.

Step Seven: Once you have completed the form, click ‘Add CAS activity’ on the bottom right corner. Your proposal will be sent to the CAS Coordinator for Approval. ** You do not have to receive approval to EDIT or REFLECT UPON your activity. In other words, start compiling and recording information for your CAS worksheet immediately. **

Reflections & CAS Questions Reflections: Must be completed as often as possible. Reflections compare ‘What you currently achieved’ versus ‘What you expected to achieve’. Reflections are continual snapshots of an activity. Marking every learning experience; one step at a time. ** Always provide relevant examples when writing reflections.** ** Reflections are NOT limited to Journal Writing.** CAS Questions should only be answered at the END of an activity. It is a detailed summary of your activity and learning outcomes. ** Always provide relevant examples when answering the CAS questions.** CAS questions should provide examples of learning from experience. It should NOT be a recounting of the activity. Remember, passive activities are not CAS. Be active in both your body and mind when you sign-up for a CAS activity. Ask yourself: “What can I learn from this activity?” If you struggle with the answer before you start, you may need to reconsider the activity.

If I can be of any help, please ask. CAS Coordinator: John Bishop / Djupedal Library / john.bishop@aas.ru