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Strength & Growth is one of the seven CAS learning outcomes which are chosen when  starting a new CAS experience/project. Strength & Growth involves expanding on your current skill sets and growing as an individual by breaching your comfort zone and developing new experiences.
Selecting the strength & growth learning outcome for your CAS project/experience will add strength and growth-related questions to your CAS Questions reflection form on ManageBac that are obligatory to answer.
Examples of Strength & Growth projects/experiences are those which allow students to expand upon their skill sets, and possibly open the door to develop new skills.
Learning a new language: A student might challenge themselves by learning a new language, such as Mandarin or Spanish. They could take classes, participate in language exchanges, or attend immersion programs to develop their language skills. Through this project, the student would develop their communication skills and gain a deeper understanding of a different culture.
Training for a marathon: A student might challenge themselves to train for a marathon. They could start by running shorter distances and gradually increase their mileage over time. Through this project, the student would develop their physical fitness, perseverance, and goal-setting skills.
Volunteering at a homeless shelter: A student might volunteer at a homeless shelter, serving meals, providing clothing or other supplies, or organizing activities for residents. Through this project, the student would develop their empathy, interpersonal skills, and sense of social responsibility.
Participating in a theater production: A student might participate in a theater production, either on stage or behind the scenes. They could learn acting, directing, or technical skills, and work with a team of other students to produce a high-quality performance. Through this project, the student would develop their creativity, collaboration skills, and self-confidence.
Building a robot: A student might challenge themselves to build a robot, either independently or as part of a team. They would need to learn programming, engineering, and other technical skills to design and build a functioning robot. Through this project, the student would develop their problem-solving skills, technical skills, and ability to work as part of a team.
Overall, a Strength & Growth project should be challenging enough to stretch the student's abilities, but also provide opportunities for personal growth and development.
The International Baccalaureate CAS programme has several learning outcomes, one of which is "Strength and Growth." In order to fulfill this learning outcome, students must meet the following requirements during their experience:
Challenge themselves: Students must engage in activities or projects that challenge their existing skills, knowledge, or abilities. They should step out of their comfort zone and take on tasks that push them to grow and develop.
Reflect on their experiences: Students should reflect on their experiences and identify areas where they have shown strength and growth. They should consider how their experiences have contributed to their personal development and identify areas for improvement.
Demonstrate perseverance: They should be able to identify instances where they have persisted despite difficulties and overcome obstacles.
Develop self-awareness: Students should develop self-awareness and a better understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses. They should be able to identify areas where they need to improve and take steps to address these areas.
Overall, the "Strength and Growth" learning outcome is designed to encourage students to develop their personal and interpersonal skills, challenge themselves, and become more self-aware.
NOTE
This list may not constitute the full list of requirements for this strand as observed by your CAS advisor. This means that your CAS advisor may have specialized requirements which you must achieve in order to use this learning outcome. If you are unsure if your project meets these requirements, consult your advisor.
The Strength & Growth learning outcome received a difficulty rating of 1.6 according to Diploma Programme students at the International School of Breda placing this learning outcome as the least difficult to complete outcome or 7th in difficulty (Out of 7).
The Difficulty Rating
The difficulty rating is a spectrum created to measure how much students struggle with CAS learning outcomes. A group of CAS students is asked to rate each learning outcome on a scale of 1-5 on its difficulty level and the average rating is the difficulty rating. All the averages are then laid out and ranked from highest (Hardest difficulty) to lowest (Easiest difficulty).
Assessment of Difficulty Rating for Strength & Growth
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: 1.6/5
Ranking: 7th in difficulty (Out of 7)