Reflections
Being reflective is one of the IB Learner Profile attributes. Reflection is defined as thoughtful consideration of our ideas, experiences, and the world and an effort to understand personal strengths and weaknesses in order to support individual learning and development. In many ways, reflection is what makes CAS so meaningful to the IB experience.
Reflection IS...
honest
personal
done in many different ways
sometimes difficult
sometimes easy
sometimes creative
building self-awareness
necessary for learning
what I did, combined with how I felt
surprising
helpful for planning
done alone or with others
about thoughts, feelings, and ideas
a way to add perspective to experiences
Reflection is NOT...
forced
right or wrong
good or bad
marked or graded
mandated
copying what someone else said
predictable
to be judged by others
only a summary of what happened
done to please someone else
a waste of time
only written
only discussion
only led by teachers
It is not necessary for your reflections to always take the form of a traditional, written blog post. You are encouraged to use a variety of reflective methods throughout your CAS Program. Here is a non-exhaustive list of some possible forms your reflections may take:
A written blog post, with or without photos (traditional)
A short video or audio recording
An original infographic
A letter to themselves or someone else
A creative expression of some kind (poem, comic, dramatic performance, collage, song, dance, etc…), perhaps with a brief written explanation
A meme / series of memes (original creation), with a brief but meaningful written explanation
CAS Portfolio: Managebac
All reflections must be digitally logged in the CAS Portfolio.
SFS uses Managebac to house the CAS portfolio of each student. All CAS students are expected to maintain and complete a CAS portfolio as evidence of their engagement with CAS and achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes.
The CAS portfolio can also reveal how students have developed the attributes of the IB learner profile through their reflections. This portfolio must be up-to-date and relevant as it is a summation of their CAS programme. It could also be a valuable addition to a student’s resume for a prospective employer or educational institution.
Time for Reflection
Purposeful reflection is about quality rather than quantity. Below are the different approaches that a CAS student can choose from when deciding the right time to reflect:
Students can choose significant moments as the basis for reflection, for example when:
a moment of discovery is happening
a skill is mastered
a challenge is confronted
emotions are provoked
achievement deserves celebration.
Students can reflect during or at the end of a CAS experience or series of CAS experiences, to identify important moments, discuss a possible learning outcome, recognize personal growth and achievements, and plan for their next CAS experience.
Students can engage in group reflection with their peers to discover shared insights.
Students can reflect at the beginning, during, and at the end of a series of CAS experiences. This enables students to deliberate on such elements as planning, opportunities, expectations, challenges, progress, and personal growth. (Recommended practice at SFS)
Reflection offers students opportunities to understand the concept, process and value of CAS experiences. With experiences that add meaning and self-knowledge, students can adapt, adopt and integrate reflection into a lifelong practice.
Prompts for Reflection
Here are some prompts that can help you reflect on your experiences. These are meant to help you get started on the reflective process, and you do not need to address every single prompt listed here. Rather, select the prompts that seem most authentic to you in response to your experiences.
Before
Does this experience fit the CAS guidelines?
Am I challenging myself in some way? Or is this “more of the same”?
Who will benefit from this experience? How?
How do I know that this person/group will benefit from this?
Are there any resources I need for this experience? If so, what are they?
How might I draw on the knowledge and expertise of others to help me?
Are there any risks involved? What are some possible consequences of my actions?
During
After