Luke Lee's Journal

Final CAS Reflection

Introduction

CAS is really a new thing that I experienced, before I entered Kuei shan, I have never come into contact with CAS, although for the first time with I heard about CAS, I really don’t think this is a really good mechanism due to it requires students to fulfill things that they in ono mood of doing, but later on, I figure the true meaning of CAS, it can let individual to grow and learn, it challenges you and makes you grow to become a better person.

After looking at the CAS experience that I have completed, and looking at the learning outcomes that I have fulfill, I feel like I really know more about myself during the times of completing those CAS experience, and I really become a better person and can-do things that I cannot do before.

1. Identify my own Strengths and Develop areas for Growth (to a large extent)

I feel like this particular learning outcome is what I learn the most in every CAS experience, before I got to Kuei Shan, most of the time that I spend my free time on is to do things by myself, I never have the chance to go out with friends because I feel too lazy about it, but because of the requirements of CAS, I must go out with someone I know in order for some activity in CAS to be fulfilled, and this requirement is what really makes me grow when I am doing my CAS experience.

For the CAS experience I choose to represent this learning outcome, I choose the CAS experience that I go out with my friends to play bowling, and when I am doing this CAS experience, I learn that I can communicate well with others, and since CAS experience needs to be complete multiple times in order for the hours to fulfill the total amount of hours that IB requires, I got a lot of chance to go out with others and to practice my communication skills, and this is where I feel that one of my strength that I have never known have been figured out and grow to make me become a better person, and this is what I consider that this CAS experience have completed a large extent for this learning outcome.

2. Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process (To some extent)

Before knowing what CAS is, I have never tried ice-skating before, because of having a flatfoot, I have never mastered sports that require a good sense of balancing, and this time, with the requirement of completing CAS, ice-skating is really a challenge that I have to face in order to fulfill all learning outcomes. I remember the first time I get in touch with ice-skating, since all that is lifting you up is with the blades on your shoes, so it is really difficult to stand or walk even run on those particularly designed shoes, so for the first day of this CAS experiment, I was not able to leave the wall because there will be no physical contact other than the blades on my shoe, but after several days of training, I am able to walk or even slide for a distance, and although after completing this CAS experience, I still haven’t been able to slide like the professionals, but this experience really makes me learn a new skill that I have never get ion contact with, and to be able to pass through parts of the challenges is what makes me feel that I have completed some extent of this learning outcome with this CAS experience.

3. Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience (To some extent)

Although I would not consider myself as a great player of basketball, but at least I am better than my friend which I brought to complete this CAS experience, because of the purpose of this CAS experience is to train my friend which have been resisting to play basketball in anytime, and also because to make myself better at this sport, there is some planning required to be more effective of having a progress at this experience.

For this experience, me and my friend have searched for ways of preforming better at basketball, although some of our plans have not done things exactly as we planned due to some of the plans are designed for much more professional players, but for all this process that me and my friend gone through, I learn how multiple plans should be done in case some plans doesn’t work as planned, but with better planning that could have been done, I feel that this learning outcome is completed to some extent.

4. Show commitment and perseverance to CAS experiences

(To a large extent)

Although bicycle is a faster way to trough through different places, but it is not as easy as it looks, with this experience, since because of the hours required, I have to travel with bicycle for a long distance, and although it is quite easy when the wind is with the same direction that we are riding, but when the wind is blowing towards us, it becomes hard to ride, and because of the long distance for this travel, and to be able to come to the same place to ride the bike while wind blowing toward us every day is what I feel that shows the commitment while completing this CAS experience.

5. Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively (To a large extent)

While helping in a clinic, the transfer of information is really important, without the correct way of transporting this information, some of the patients will have to wait until we have completed our current tasks, and this is where I learn the benefits of working collaboratively.

In this experience, one most memorable thing is that when one patience asks me things about the products, and I have no idea what he is talking about, and this is why that working collaboratively is important in order for the things to work properly, because of not working collaboratively may cause works to stagnant, and I think that this experience really helps me on understanding the benefits of working collaboratively.

6. Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance (to some extent)

As time goes by, the average global temperature has become higher and higher, and by picking up trash, I believe that I have achieve some extent for this learning outcome, because of picking up trash does not directly affect how the temperature is growing, so this experience doesn’t quite fulfill this learning outcome.

7. Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions (to a large extent)

As mentioned above, one of my CAS experiences is picking up trash on the road, because of doing this experience does not really give you any physical rewards, but it does make you feel like you have done something good, and this is why I feel like I have completed this experience with a large extent.

While completing this CAS experience, there are many trashes that have been thrown on the streets, and this really makes me realize the importance of doing ethical choices and actions.

Overall

What advice do you have for upcoming CAS students regarding making CAS enjoyable, sustained over time and meaningful?

CAS is something that gives a long period of time to complete, I feel like you don’t have to do something that isn’t something that you are interested in, CAS is something that will eventually make you learn something, and it will also fulfill most requirements that IB give on CAS, so there is no need to force individual to do something unnecessary.

Five years from now, what will you remember most about your CAS programme?

For all the CAS experience that I have done, I feel like the strength and the skills that I have learned from CAS is what I will remember the most, because of CAS, I have become a more outgoing person, and because of it, some new skills that I have never tried before is learnt, and this is what I will remember after 5 years with CAS.