End of grade 12 and Ethical Issues

End of grade 12

This week the grade 12s made some final reflections.  We decided to do this with an illustration as so much of the work they have during the IB was in writing.  Some created diagrams - others included pictures from their activities.  Some used coloured pens and paper and others did them using the computers.  The idea was to sum up CAS and how it has changed them as a learner.  This was different from all the individual reflections they have done as they had to take into account all their activities.  With only one month to go until exams, students are now getting their folders in order and organising supervisor reports.

This week

Meanwhile the grade 11s are continuing to do good work and participate in activities.

The Rhino preservation group is planning presentations for the grade 10s.  This includes making a film as well as improving on the display they have in  annexe C and taking it the annexe B as well.

The Compassionate Journeys group is hoping to present their ideas to the grade 9s in the near future. They are making 'dream pillows' to send to the children in Ghana and are hoping to also sell dream pillows with a message about the plight of the children and raise money to by bicycles for the teachers so that it is easier for them to travel to the schools.

The Amnesty students have plans to make others in their grade aware of the plight of refugees with a monthly presentation during advisory time and sending out links for appeals to all the grade 11s.

Ethical Implications

It is interesting to meet with the students and talk about their ideas and how they can help others. We have had many discussions about the ethical implications of activities and the impact they have on communities.  Students often think that it would be great to fly to areas where help is needed. The benefits of being on the spot and meeting the community you want to help can be a great experience. Imagine a trip to Botswana where you could really see the rhinos and the community they live in. Where you could meet the people's whose lives are affected by rhino poaching.

At the moment a flight to Botswana costs around 8,500 sek.  According the WWF, it costs about 1,200 sek  to pay for the training of one field officer in anti-poaching techniques and rhino monitoring. Seven officers could be trained for the cost of one flight.  Or the money could be used for transporting rhinos or removing rhino horns to make them safe from poachers.  It costs around 10,000 sek to fly to Ghana. The Compassionate Journeys organisation found that by paying an incentive of around 2,000 sek a month they could get local teachers to work in their schools.  Even less is needed to buy a bike to help them to get to the school.

The IB hopes that by participating in CAS students will consider the ethical implications of their activities. Sometimes that might mean not doing what you originally intended and finding more effective ways of providing a service.

Next Week March 31 - April 4

Tuesday 10.30 Compassionate Journeys

Wednesday 15.30 Annexe Council

Friday 10.30 Amnesty

Breakfast at break and the CAS award

CAS award
Some students who are part of the MUN have been working on a way to highlight work of a global significance in the the school. The result of this work was announced to the IB students on Thursday. We will now have a CAS award - one for grade 11 and one for grade 12. It can be given to an individual or a group of students for a service activity that they have done as part of CAS. The criteria are:

1. The students should take most of the responsibility for the activity and must show commitment to providing a service in a community.

2. The students’ involvement should increase awareness of the global issue within the school or the greater community - this could be through a strong connection between the activity and the issue. When raising money it is important that people understand what they are contributing to and why this issue is important.

3. The students should demonstrate that they have an understanding of the impacts of their action and how it affects the community. This can be shown through reflections or presentations or discussions with for example supervisors, coordinators or other members of the community.


Breakfast at break
Today the annexe council organised a 'breakfast' during morning breakfast all the IB students in annexe C. The grade 11s brought the food and the grade 12s helped to eat it. There was a good atmosphere in the annexe and many students wished that they could have this every day. Representatives from annexe council said that they would definitely consider doing it again.

Reflections

This week the grade 12s have started reflecting on their CAS experience as a whole.  They are making posters or illustrations to show how they have developed and what they have learnt through their CAS experiences.  Each student is endeavouring to think about what they have done and how they have worked on the skills from the IB learner profile:

Inquirers 

Knowledgeable

Thinkers

Communicators

Principled

Open-minded

Caring

Risk-takers

Balanced

Reflective

They also have to think about how the have met the 8 learning outcomes form CAS:

1.    Increased awareness of your strengths and areas for growth 

2.    Undertaking new challenges 

3.    Planned and initiated activities 

4.    Working collaboratively with others 

5.    Show perseverance and commitment 

6.    Engaged with issues of global importance 

7.    Consider ethical implications 

8.    Develop new skills 

Writing reflections is not easy when you have to think about all these aspects as well as consider the consequences or impacts of your activity.  Students don't find it hard to find activities to do but writing a meaningful reflection takes time and thought.  A good reflection doesn't just say what you did and provide some evidence of participation.  A good reflection shows how the activity has impacted on you and any others involved.  Not every activity will change the lives of everyone involved but it is possible to reflect on your experience as a learner and consider the future when writing an effective reflection. Some of the best reflections are about how you could have improved your participation and how that knowledge can be used the next time you start an activity.  Reflections do not have to be in writing but that is often the form students choose so we have decided to make a visual reflection bringing all the CAS activities together as we near the end of the IB2 students' year.

I look forward to seeing some of the interesting illustrations from the grade 12s next week.

Meetings and events week 12 - March 17th - 21st

Tuesday 10.30 Compassionate Journeys

Wednesday 10.30 Rhino Group

Wednesday 15.30 Annexe Council

Friday 10.30 "Breakfast" organised by the annexe council for grade 11 and 12 students in annexe C.

Friday 16.30 Film Club - film not announced yet - in annexe B

Blog about blogs

Many of the students at SIS write blogs as one of their CAS activities.  This is a good way to be creative and students cover a wide range of topics from fashion to community issues.  Here are some of the current blogs.  One student also has a film on youtube and another twitters.

http://thescandinavian.blogg.se/category/us.html

A mixture of pictures, travel, sport and lifestyle.  Most recently some great tips about how to prepare for exams and stay healthy during the IB years – worth a read for all IB students.

http://myibstory.blogspot.se/

A blog about doing the IB. Some interesting reflections of what it is like to be at this point in your life.

http://stockholmfavourites.wordpress.com/

This blog is about Stockholm and places to see.  Great personal descriptions of what’s around in Stockholm

http://coolestkidintown.blogg.se

Interesting and provoking political and literary thoughts and poetry– in Swedish and now even in English

http://no713.wordpress.com

Reflections of his work in a Peruvian hospital last summer

http://thexpatelite.wordpress.com/

Lifestyle blog with some thoughts about living in Stockholm, lots of pictures.  Also come though provoking posts about current issues.

Youtube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq5UY2KeXNA

This video was made by one of our students for the Dutch embassy about the relationship between Sweden and The Netherlands – in Swedish and Dutch

Twitter

https://twitter.com/swedense

One of the IB 1 students is tweeting for the Swedish Institute about events in Stockholm

 

Welcome to the SIS CAS blog

The purpose of this blog is to update students, staff and families about the CAS activities and projects in the IB.  There are permanent pages with details of the current groups that are active at SIS.  I hope that in the future each of the groups will be able to contribute to the blog as well as post pictures and other media relating to their activities.

I will also include information about any activities that I see out in the community that might be an inspiration to our students to take action.

Meetings this week 10 March to 14 March

Wednesday - Rhino group - C10 - 10.30

Wednesday - Annexe Council - 15.30

Friday - Amnesty Group - C10 - 10.30