Claire's CAS Journey

CAS is something that is required for the IB diploma, which students are required to complete multiple experience and project to pass. It helped us to not only focus on the academic work, but also things outside the classroom, and learn skills that we will not usually obtain in class.

1. Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth

I achieved this learning outcome to a great extent. During the volleyball competition, we had a major conflict between the student and the student council. We have never encountered a huge conflict between the students and the student council, so everyone panicked and didn’t know how to respond. As we were all panicking, the situation only worsened. I decided that not doing anything would not help the situation, and started to communicate with the students. As I went back and forth between the students and the student council, we slowly reached consensus, and the event was able to continue. This made me realize I can act quickly when there is a problem, and I know how to communicate with others. This also showed me that planning skills should still be developed, and the next time there is an event the planning should be more considerate.

2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process

To some extent, I have achieved this learning outcome. I am not someone who is familiar with martial arts, so attending the martial arts practices was challenging for me since I barely had any prior knowledge to it, so everything was new to me. I didn’t know most of the techniques that was taught, and I was learning slower than other classmates. Overtime, I was more used to the environment and know more about what is going on, I have developed more skills on martial arts, even though the class stopped rather soon after I attended, I still think I was challenged a lot physically, and I have developed some skills in the CAS experience.

3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience

One of the CAS experiences I had is mountain climbing, my friends and I decided to do it to help us build a habit of exercising. Before we went out hiking, a lot of planning was needed. We all have different time schedules, so we must find a time where everyone has time for mountain climbing. After making sure the time is fine with everyone, we then need to find a place that is suitable for beginners, but also a bit challenging as well. We also had to plan for the route we are going to be walking, to ensure we walk at least 2 hours for each hike. This is only one of example of how a CAS experienced is planned, and is also shown in other CAS activities, so I would say I achieved this learning outcome to a great extent.

4. Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

I achieves this learning outcome to a great extent, I had multiple CAS projects that requires months of planning and contribution, for example, the preparation of the Seussical performance required me to contribute two to three days each week, which I spent around ten weeks in total. Not only this CAS project, other projects involving the student council also required me to attend meetings daily, since we have a lot of planning to do and discussion about how the event would be held. The planning of the events could also be used to guide the next student government, so it not only helped us complete our event, but it can also help the future student governments.

5. Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively

I would say I achieved this learning outcome to a great extent, as most of my CAS experience is related to the student government, I worked with all the members of the student government to complete activities such as the MasterChef competition and the volleyball competition. We each took part of the projects differently, for example, the public relation was responsible to make Instagram posts to promote our events, the secretary was mainly responsible for the planning of the finances, every took part to the event someway or another. Even though there were conflicts made when we had different ideas, or the work wasn’t really balanced between members, we still managed to complete what we wanted to do. Collaborating with other people isn’t easy, but managing big events isn’t achievable working alone.

6. Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance

To a little extent, I achieved this learning outcome, most of my CAS experience was school and individual based, so the only CAS activity that was related to issues of global significance is the volleyball competition, as one of the goals of the activity is to promote exercising so students would be healthier, and their body would be more prepared for the global pandemic. Other than this activity, other CAS activities wasn’t really related to global issues, so I would say I only achieved this learning outcome to a very little extent.

7. Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions

Some activities that I contributed in was related to competitions and voting, so I achieved this learning outcome to some extent. I learned that it was important to stay neutral under and circumstances in a competition. When I was communicating with everyone in a conflict in the volleyball competition, there were people in my grade, and I felt peer pressured to give them more benefits, but it would be unfair for other grades, so I tried my best to not benefit my own grade.

Doing CAS is required for the DP diploma, so I wouldn’t say that I did these activities voluntarily, but CAS has certainly helped me learn a lot about myself and the skills that I think is necessary for my future life. Even though one may think CAS is a burden, but if you look at it in another perspective, you will certainly find it more enjoyable.

(◍•ᴗ•◍) APEX ALPHA MALE PIRAMYD (◍•ᴗ•◍)

(◍•ᴗ•◍) PILLARMAN (◍•ᴗ•◍)

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