Commitment and Perseverance

Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

Learning outcome 4 is about showing that you can start, continue, and follow through on an experience.  This is often suitable for physical activities, sport, exercise, going to the gym.

You need to have evidence to show that you have been regularly involved and active in the experience that you have chosen for this learning outcome. 

Evidence can be:

• attendance statistics from gyms
• class receipts
• minutes from meetings
• apps that record using GPS
• photos
• logs, etc.  

Anything that shows your regular participation.  If you have chosen this learning outcome, make sure that you keep good records for that experience.

Opportunities - for runners and volunteers

For all you runners out there, now is the time to sign up for the various runs in Stockholm.  This is peak season.  It is a good way to give yourself that extra push with your running and a great way to demonstrate your commitment and perseverance.  Many of the runs are also looking for volunteers to help.  Great way to do some service.

Here are just a few of them - see me if you need help to sign up.  Why not get a group of you together?

Park Run

When: Every Saturday at 9.30am

Where: Haga Park 

Distance: 5 km

You can register  at http://www.parkrun.se/haga/.  You only need to register once - then you can turn up every weekend if you like.

Volunteers needed - if you don't want to run but want to get outside and help you can volunteer by at hagahelpers@parkrun.com 

Danderydsloppet

When: 1st May

Where: Danderyd

Distance: Between 5 and 10 km

You can register on the spot. More Information

Stockholm trail run

When:5th May

Where: Lill-Jansskogen

Distance: between 5 and 10 Km 

Register here

Kungsholmen Runt

When: 5th May

Where: Kungsholmen

Distance 10km and longer

Register here

Tough Viking 

When: 12 May and other dates in different locations later on

Where: Starts at Stadium

Distance: Unclear - but over rough terrain

Register here

Volunteers also required - information in English - you get a free ticket for another race 

Stockholm Marathon

When: 2 June

Where: Round the city

Distance: 42 km

Register here

You probably should have started training for this already - if you haven't you can aim for next year and good way to run off your stress after exams. 

These are just some of the ones coming up.  For a whole calendar of runs in 2018 see löparkalender

For biking events see cykellopp

A new idea for fund raising - sugar free!

I read about a class that decide that selling cookies in lots of packaging was bad for the environment.  Instead they decided to sell climate-compensation.  They asked people to buy trees for an organisation that has a foresting project in Panama.  They sold the 'trees' for 100 kr.  Sixty crowns went to buy the trees and 40kr to their collection.  The also sold solar cells in the same manner.  They managed to raise 8000kr for themselves as well as make a positive difference for the climate.  This shows that you do not need to give people something to make money.  Many people were happy to support the project just knowing that a tree would be planted somewhere. Each person who donated received a certificate.  You can read more about this in Swedish in Svenska Dagbladet

Svensk Afghanistankommittén

They are looking for helpers for their flea markets (loppis) at Hornstull on June 9th and Midsommarkransen on the 3rd June.

Working Together

Demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaboratively

This week the focus is on working together - learning outcome 5.  This is the learning outcome that you should have for your project as it must be a collaborative experience.  You can of course use it for other experiences where you are collaborating with others.  The important point is that you show evidence of working together and that you reflect on the skills required to do this successfully and the the benefits of collaboration.

Evidence can be:

• planning documents with the different roles each person takes
• pictures
• schedules
• recordings

Reflection can include:

• problems you encountered with others
• ways that you learnt from others
• what you learnt from others
• adjustments you made for the group
• comments on group dynamics

It is important that if you have chosen this outcome for an experience that it is clear there are other people involved and the roles everyone takes.  It should not just be about what you as an individual did but how the group worked.

Check your learning outcomes

Remember that you need to meet all the 7 learning outcomes by the end of the the DP.  You can check how many of them you have planned to cover in your CAS worksheet.  You will see a graphic like this: 

The ones with green numbers are the ones that you have already clicked when you have added evidence and reflections.  The ones with yellow are planned but you have not yet added any evidence or reflection that relates to them.  If you do do have a green or yellow number, it means you do not have any experiences that relate to that leaning outcome.  You must have all 7 covered.  You will be asked to show how you reached them towards the end of grade 12 so make sure that you have evidence and reflection that demonstrates each outcome.

Opportunities

Red Cross Shop

Red Cross is looking for volunteers to work in its shop on Dalagatan (near Odenplan).  If you are interested in this you can ask Sumheda about her experience at Red Cross.  You do not need to speak Swedish.   Ask me if you need help applying.

Help promote a classical music festival

An organisation called O/Modernt is looking for people to help put up posters and give out programmes for a festival to be held in June at Ulriksdal Slott.  

Film Makers

A recycling festival at Hornstull is looking for people to record the event and edit a film to be used on social media.  The festival is on the 27th May.

Demonstrating Engagement with Issues of Global Significance

This is the second of my posts about the learning outcomes.  This week it is about learning outcome 6.

Engaging with issues of global significance

In order to meet learning outcome 6 - you need to:
be able to identify and demonstrate your understanding of global issues, make responsible decisions and take appropriate action in response to an issue locally, nationally or internationally.

Global issues can involve people, animals or the environment.  It is not hard to find something that involves a global issue.  The important aspect of this is to recognise the issue and show how you have engaged.  For example: if you have played football with refugees - you have engaged with the issue of migration and displacement as well as health and well being.  You need to explain how this activity helped the people involved.  Explain how you worked with people who have been forced to leave their homes because of the living situation in their country and the struggles that they face in a new country.  If you don't know - it is important to find out.  You cannot engage with an issue if you know nothing about it.

Ways to engage with some issues

Go for a walk with a pensioner
An elderly care facility in Sabbatsberg (near Vasa Park, Odenplan) is looking for people who can go for a walk with some of the people who live there.  Information is in Swedish so if you need help with the language find a Swedish speaker or see me.  Read about it here.

Help record linguistic diversity

Lingscape is a citizen science project about language.  It is asking people worldwide to collect photos of signs - monolingual and multilingual.

Lingscape is an app for researching such linguistic landscapes all over the world. Therefore we collect photos of signs and lettering on an interactive map.

You just download an app and head of to take photos of signs.  The idea is to map linguistic diversity!

Easy to do and a great way to get involved in a project that involves people from all over the world as well as contribute to knowledge about language and its uses.

Help record noise levels
Noise pollution is a problem for many people.  If you are interested in a global project mapping and comparing noise levels around the world.  You use an app and upload the recordings.  Click here for more details and interesting reading about noise and stress.

Stockholm Film Festival Junior
It starts next week but they seem to still be looking for volunteers. More information

Help needed at the Red Cross shop on Kungsholmen
Information in Swedish but you do not need to speak Swedish - we have had other students help out in Red Cross shops without speaking Swedish.  More information

Doctors without borders (you need to speak Swedish)
Administrative help required during the summer but you need to speak Swedish - information here


Just now there are a lot of opportunities on volontärbyran.  If you are looking for something and need help come and see me.

Considering ethics of choices and actions

Over the next few weeks I am going to write about the 7 learning outcomes.  It is important that you show how you have reached each of the learning outcomes - you must have evidence and reflection to demonstrate that if you wish to 'complete' CAS and be eligible for the IB Diploma.  Some outcomes are easier than others to demonstrate. This week I am looking at 'ethics.'  Parts of this post are republished from posts I did for my last IB group.

CAS and Ethics

Considering ethics of choices and actions

This is one of the outcomes that many people find hardest to meet and reflect upon.  Here is an example.

A student in a dance performance had her leg in a cast after she tore a muscle and wouldn't be able to train with the other dancers in the last weeks leading up to the performance. The producers of the show had to make the decision to exclude her as she wouldn't have time to catch up when her cast was removed. Decisions like this that you have to make - accepting or not accepting people as part of a group, or their piece of work etc are important if difficult decisions that involve ethical considerations (Cannings et al.).

You can think about ethical decisions you have made in the following contexts: 

• sport
• dealing with other people
• carrying out a service experience
• in terms of academic honesty
• reflection

Think about how often, "we make decisions in CAS relative to the feelings of our peer group."  This is especially so in experiences that involve working in groups.  I have met and spoke with some groups about this.  Who does the work?  Should everyone get equal credit?  These are the kind of questions that enable you to demonstrate that you have: Recognised and considered the ethics of choices and actions. 
Here is an example of what you might write: 

As part of this group......., we/I will have /have had to make decisions about who can be involved and in what capacity. It might mean that not everyone can have a chance to speak/go on a trip/have a leadership role.  I will have to think about my role as a leader or group member and be sensitive to the wishes of others and try not to hurt people's feelings, but also keep what is best for the group as a whole in mind. (Your example should mention specific decisions).

Source: Cannings, John, María Inés Piaggio, Peter Muir, and Tom Brodie. Creativity, Activity, Service CAS for the IB Diploma An Essential Guide for Students. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ Pr, 2015. Print.

      I hope that this helps you to meet this outcome.  

Things to check this week:

      Have you got experiences for all the outcomes?  Have a look at the outcomes list.  

If you have a green mark next to the outcome - it means that you have reflected on it.  If you have a yellow mark it means that you have ticked it for this experience but haven't reflected on it yet.  If there is no mark you have no planned experience to meet that outcome.  You can see that the student above is missing 'Global Engagement.'

Dates

I am getting reviews requests from grade 12s now and I have noticed that many have incorrect dates.  Check the start and finish dates of your experiences.  You MUST always have at least one experience 'ongoing' to qualify for CAS.  You can get an overview by clicking the 'timeline' tab.

According to this student's timeline all the experiences are finished.  I know this is not the case.  You can always change you dates later on if an experience turns out to be shorter or longer than you expected but make sure that you have a no breaks - periods with no on going experiences.

Some great CAS going on around the school

Students are going to perform at a play  in English by refugees this weekend.  

GEA are selling T-shirts to raise money for a refuge for women.

The rhino group is going to sell books to raise money for the protection of rhinos through Acting for Rhinos.

Status Updates and FAQs

This week  I reset all the indicators and went through every single portfolio.  Many of you now have red or not flags often because of inactivity.  You must take the time to document your CAS or you will be at risk of not qualifying for the IB Diploma.  If you have a red flag, you are definitely in that category.

Check your start and finish dates - many of you have experiences the appear to be one day long.

What happens if I leave CAS to the last moment?

You will not meet the requirements for the IB Diploma.  You must show evidence of continuous participation in CAS over a period os 18 months.  Participation means not only doing and activity but also reflecting as part of it.  You cannot do that at the end - you must do it all the way along. The alternative will be to do CAS after you have finished and wait 18 months for a diploma.

What happens if I do not have a collaborative project?

You will not meet the requirements for the IB Diploma.  Everyone is required to have a project. You should have started it by now and finished it by the end of this term.

What if I do not do my project this term?

You will be very stressed next year when you have internal assessments, external assessments, extended essay, TOK essay, and mock and final exams to cope with.  There are some current grade 12s trying to get their projects done now and it is not easy.  Do not find yourself in that situation.

What if I do not get a green tick within 3 months of completing an experience?

Your experience will be deleted.  Some of you are reaching that deadline now.  I will be going through all the folders after the spring break and deleting anything in this category.  Make sure you have the correct dates for your experiences.

What if I cannot show that I have covered the 7 learning outcomes?

You will not meet the requirements for the IB Diploma.  Check that you have experiences for each of the learning outcomes.

What if I keep up-to-date with my reflections, evidence and project as well as meet all the learning outcomes and have a balance of creativity, activity and service?

Got a Green Flag? Great but keep adding to your portfolio.

Most of you have green flags and that is great.  It doesn't mean that you should stop working on your portfolio.  This week there were changes in about half of the portfolios - I get a message when you make a change!  Everyone should try to take at least 10 - 15 minutes each week to check and up-date portfolios.  Things to check are:

• have I added evidence in the last month for long term experiences?
• have I reflected on all my experiences around twice a term?
• have I completed any finished experiences?
• do I have  all the learning outcomes covered?
• have I updated the CAS stages document for my project?
• is my project going to be finished this term?
• do I have a good balance between creativity, activity and service?

Some ideas for Creativity and Service

Essay Competition for Creativity

A great chance to do something creative, develop your essay writing skills and possibly win a prize.

NCH Essay Competition 2018

Register now to enter the NCH London Essay Competition. NCH is inviting competition essay entries from students in their penultimate year of secondary education.  Our selection of essay titles engages across a broad range of humanities and social sciences topics and we look forward to receiving entries from talented and intellectually curious students who show passion and academic potential in the humanities and social sciences.

Choose your essay title

• Art History ‘Does contemporary art have social value?’
• Economics ‘Can rich countries meaningfully help developing countries improve their standards of living?’
• English ‘Does literature change anything?’
• History ‘Is history dangerous?’
• Law ‘Human Rights: Universal or a Western Construct?’
• Philosophy ‘What is utilitarianism? Can it be defended?’
• Politics & International Relations ‘Is war a pre-requisite for peace?

First place £2,000 cash prize, plus £1,000 for your school or college. Second place £1,000 cash prize. Third place £500 cash prize. Fourth-Tenth prizes £40

Giving out food to the homeless

I know quite a few of you have been helping out in the mornings with giving out food for homeless people.  There is a another group that does it on the weekend.  You can find the dates and times at https://www.meetup.com/Stockholmers-street-angels/

Swedish speaking summer volunteers for Läkare utan Gränser

Serve Easter Lunch to elderly and others with limited resources (Information in Swedish - see me if you need help to apply).

Do  you know GoogleAdWords?

Our logo represents a person who is bearing fruit in the world and is the symbol of who we are - Global Pedagogues - solution-focused individuals who see the world as it is, imagines how it can be and through optimism and joy, we engage in creating the conditions needed for more positive changes. Join Us - Welcome to be part of our work in Sweden and abroad, where we work together for all children's self-evident rights to good growing conditions and a safe future

Do you have Google AdWords skills? Come and be a Google AdWords expert at Global Pedagogues! The mission as "Google AdWords expert" gives you the opportunity to do what brings you joy while helping to make a difference. Or learn new skills at the same time as you help make the world a better place. https://www.volontarbyran.org/en/globala-pedagoger/google-adwords-one-your-skills-come-and-change-world-us

There are always lots of other opportunities at : https://www.volontarbyran.org

I have completed an experience - what should I do?

Quite a few of you have completed experiences.  Once that is done it is imperative that you follow the following procedure:

• Make sure you have evidence of participation
• Make sure you have evidence of or reflection about meeting each of the learning outcomes you have chosen
• Make sure you have some reflection
• Check you have the correct start and finish dates
• Fill in the CAS questions showing how you have met EACH learning outcome
• Check you have the right supervisor email
• Request a supervisor review - if the supervisor doesn't fill it in speak to them and explain what you need.

After you get the review you will then have a green tick next to the experience and it will lock.  That means that you will not be able to alter it any more.  That is why it is important to do it in the correct order!

Some of you finished experiences in December and still have not completed the process.  If you wait too long, you might find that your supervisor is not able to remember you!  You might find it hard to gather evidence afterwards.  

If you do not get a green tick within 3 months of completion - I am going to start deleting them!!!!!!!!!!!

Fund raising activities

If you are raising money - not matter what it is for - you must make sure that it is clear on posters, information and when you are selling goods where the money will go.  All fund raising should be approved by me first.  Any money collected must be accounted for and there must be evidence of what happens to the money.   We have facilities to keep money here in the school.  You must keep accurate records of all money collected and where it is.

Opportunities

Translator

An organisation that works with Ghana is looking for someone (or several people) to help translate their web page from Swedish to English.  You can see their web page here.  If you are interested, let me know and I will pass on your details.

Dutch Speaking Students

Are you interested in helping out at the Dutch Easter Celebrations?  Click here for all the details in Dutch about who to contact etc.

Plan InternationalSweden

A great opportunity for someone who would like to apply for the chance to be on the youth board of PLAN Sweden.  PLAN is an international organisation and this would be a fantastic chance to get some international experience at a high level. Details are on the pink notice board - in English and Swedish.  I have spoken to the contact person and he said that you do not need to speak Swedish to apply - and that speaking English is an advantage.  You are supposed to be aged between 13 and 16 but if you are 17, and are very interested it is OK to apply.  Details are on the website: PLAN International Sweden (in Swedish).  I have translated the information here.