Do You have a Project?

This week, I am pleased to say that the CAS portfolios are looking very good.  Lots of people have added evidence and reflection to each of their experiences.  Great work.

To get the gold trophy you need to have:

• evidence for all experiences
• CAS project with the CAS stages started and added in the correct way (see previous post about that)
• reflections for experiences that have been going for most of the term.

Reflections and evidence can be:

• pictures/photos
• recordings
• meeting agendas
• attendance records
• audio recordings
• videos
• and anything else you can think of.

Projects

It is important that you have at least begun planning your project even if you haven't actually started it yet.  That means you have written a short description and goals as well as filled in the CAS stages form and uploaded it under 'evidence and reflection.' (See last post about how to that correctly).

If you really cannot come up with a project I have some ideas.  The week after the exam week, I will take all the people who do have not yet started a project and they can join one of the ones I have. Here's one suggestion about how to design a service project can really meet a need in the community.

Convictus is an organisation that helps homeless people.  They take in donations in the form of clothes but often what they get is not what they want.  Homeless people need items such as: underwear, socks, towels, woollen socks and mittens/gloves, backpacks. You can see the notice from the window here.  Just now they also want sleeping bags.

I also read in an IB newsletter about some primary school children who decided to donate items to homeless people and found out that the most common items that are donated are 'unwanted t-shirts, old dresses and scuffed shoes.' * What they found out was most needed was: clean underwear and socks.  

This is a case of really finding out what the need is rather than just collecting a whole lot of items that are not really needed.  It is easy for people to throw away unwanted clothing - but actually spending a few crowns to buy some underwear or socks is much more useful.

The primary students in Wisconsin were able to get donations of new, clean socks and underwear that really helped people in need.

If you don't have a project and would like to help in this way, come and see me and I can help you contact the organisation.  Or come up with your own idea and find some people to work with! Just try to find a real need.

* Odum, Sophie-Marie, editor. “Thinking Outside the Box.” IB World The Magazine of the International Baccalaureate, Oct. 2017, p. 5.

CAS Stages

A lot of people have started their projects.  Great work!  You now need to make sure you have added the CAS stages in the correct way. The CAS stages document can be found on the page at the side here - 'links to documents.' Or by clicking here. 

How to add the CAS stages document to your project

1. Each person in the group should take a copy of the document and rename it with his/her name and the name of the project. You should NOT have a shared document.  Parts of the document can be the same as other group members but there are sections you must fill in yourself.

2. Once you have created the document, click on share.  Make sure it is set to 'anyone with the link can view.'  Copy the link.

3. Next step is to go to your project on MB. Select 'Add Reflections & Evidence.

4. Once you are there you need to choose 'website.'

5. You then paste in the link.  

It is important that you follow those steps. Do not send just share the document with me!  Do not upload it as a Pdf.

Opportunities

English teacher wanted Mondays approx 15.30 - 17.00

An Afghani refugee has asked if I could find him an English teacher.  He has been learning Swedish for a couple of years, but doesn't really speak any English. He is 18 years old.  You need to be creative and able to communicate with a person who doesn't speak the same language as you (unless you know Dari or Swedish).  I can help you with ideas and maybe a book to use.  Please speak to me if you are interested.

Dutch Speakers wanted for Christmas Event

On Sunday 26th November, the Dutch Embassy is holding s traditional party for children and would like some volunteers to help out.  Click here for full information in Dutch

Keeping on Track

Continuity

CAS is not something you can do all in one go.  It is not something you can do 'afterwards.' The idea is that you participate in CAS experiences for at least 18 months of the IB Diploma programme.  This might mean that some weeks you spend several hours, another week just one, but you must always have a CAS experience that is ongoing.

Planning - writing a description and setting goals

CAS experiences should be planned.  Before you start you should have added your goals and a description of the experience. The experience should then be approved and you can start participating.  It should not happen the other way around.

Adding Evidence

This should be ongoing.  As soon as you start an experience, you should have some evidence of participation.  This can be schedules, emails, photos, planning documents, receipts for payments, membership cards, posters, recordings, minutes from meetings showing attendance, screen shots of websites you are working on etc. Do it as you go along and it will not be a big chore.  Wait until the end and it will take much more time.

Adding Reflections

By now you should be thinking about reflecting. If you started something at the beginning of the term and have not yet found a moment to do a reflection, start to think about it now.  Reflection can be done at any time - maybe after a match if you play a sport, at the end of campaign, when something significant happens.... Reflections can be in writing, audio recordings, videos, pictures that show how you felt.  They should show how you covered the learning outcomes, but can also be other points.  They can be done individually or in groups.

CAS Project Planning

CAS projects must follow the CAS stages.  The first stage must be filled in and completed and then approval gained from the CAS coordinator before you continue.  If you are doing a project and haven't followed this procedure, you are at risk of not being able to count it as a project. At this point, everyone should have an idea and start planning their project.

Deadlines - for green flags 

At the end of this week - November 17th you need to have the following to get a green flag.

• planned and approved CAS experiences
• evidence for all CAS experiences that you have commenced
• reflection for all CAS experiences that have gone for longer than a month
• the CAS stages document for projects - filled in to at least stage 1 for projects that have not started.  Filled in to end of stage 3 for projects that have already commenced.

Opportunities

Volunteers to join our Knowledge sharing work-group.

Action10 is a nonprofit organisation operating in non-OECD countries. We have programmes in Kenya, Uganda, Togo, Cameroon, Liberia, Nigeria and Colombia. Our vision is a world without extreme poverty.

Organisation: 

Action10