Planning ahead

We are now coming up to term break and it's time for all the grade 12s to really think ahead and see that they have their CAS folder under control.  Most students have planned activities to cover the breadth and width of CAS - now they just have to make sure they do them all.  Many students are also writing university applications and asking for teacher recommendations. If you have been involved in activities as part of CAS, it can be good to mention them in applications.  Think about what you have learnt and how that might be of use in the next step in your education.

Christmas Volunteers and bakers wanted

Each year, Emmanuel Church hosts a Christmas party for those who otherwise wouldn't have one.  They are looking for volunteers to help on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.  Even if you can't be there in person it is possible to bake goods and leave them at the church on the 23rd December.  They are looking for saffron buns, cinnamon buns, small biscuits and ginger cakes.  The information is in Swedish but if you are interested in helping out, I can help you with translation - or ask someone else who speaks Swedish.  All goods are to home baked not bought.

http://www.volontarbyran.org/for-volontarer/

Diploma Student's newspaper

The newspaper is now up and running.  More details about how to get the latest news will come in the next blog.

Annexe Council

The Annexe council has some plans for the traditional spirit week at SIS.  I won't spoil the surprise by writing about them here.

Are you part of a CAS group with on going activities that you would like to see mentioned here?  Let me know.

Working collaboratively with others

Working collaboratively with others is not always as easy as it seems.  Working in a group requires patience, understanding and often compromising.  CAS is a great way to develop skills in this area. If the group you are part of isn't working the way you would like it to, think about ways to  change the way you work with others.  How can you improve the group dynamics?  How can you make all members of the group feel like they are an active part of the group?  Remember that this is why you do CAS - to learn by doing.  Don't forget to reflect on this outcome and show what you learn about yourself and working with others.

World Day Against Death Penalty

This week saw the Amnesty group led a discussion about the death penalty with the grade 11 students.  Many interesting and provoking thoughts were expressed and this is a topic that the Amnesty group will continue to work with.  They had filled the room with helium balloons attached to the names of people who had been executed in the last year.  At the end of the presentation students were asked to set the balloons free from the names by cutting the strings.

You will be hearing more from this group as they join Amnesty's Swedish campaign to free Hakamada Iwao, an 78 year old Japanese man with mental disabilities.  He is the world's longest serving death row prisoner having been on death row since 1993 and could be executed at any time.

Annexe Council:

The annexe council held a successful breakfast for the student sin the annexe on Friday.  It was great to see the annexe students working together to make this breakfast happen.  I believe they are also planning some events for Halloween.

Volunteer  opportunities:

At voluntärbyrån this week are still positions for helping with the 'Shockholmen' for Halloween. Tutoring opportunities, poster making and more.   http://www.volontarbyran.org/eng/for-volunteers/

Reflections

This week there has been much to reflect upon.  

The Rhino group spent the week going around talking to classes and encouraging people to join the Global March to raise awareness about Rhino and Elephant poaching.  They went round to a lot of classes and certainly raised awareness in the school.  Six people from the group also participated in the  March on Saturday, marching from the Thai embassy behind Humlegården and and all the way to the Chinese Embassy on Djugården.  Candles were lit and left at both embassies as symbol for the animals who have died for their horns.

The Newspaper group is on the verge of giving out their first edition and had to make some important decisions about content.

The Annexe council has found a new way to work that seems to be functioning.  The people in this group have decided to make committees to deal with different events and issues and take responsibility.  Many students have reflected on how this new way of working makes more people feel active in the group and is a good way to spread responsibility.

Writing reflections

It's important to remember that when you write a reflection it needs to be more than just what you did.  It should be about how you feel participating in the group/activity.  It should be about what you learn about yourself as a learner and others.  CAS is learning by doing so you need to show what you learn.  Even if you are part of an activity because you feel you have to be, you will learn something and that is the point of CAS!

Here are some questions that can guide your reflections.  Remember always to keep in mind the outcomes that you chose and see that you related to those as well.

• What do you perceive and notice?
• How you feel being involved?
• What do you think and feel about the activity itself?
• What does the activity mean to you?
• What value does the activity have?
• What did you learn from this activity, and how might you use this in other areas of your life ?

Coming up:

This coming week look out for activities by the Amnesty group.  Friday is World Day Against Death Penalty.

Are you a Halloween enthusiast? 'Shockholm'  is organizing an even in Stockholm and looking for volunteers. http://shockholm.se/