CAS Reflection

CAS OBJECTIVE	NATURE OF EVIDENCE Record what has been done to achieve this objective and where evidence of this achievement can be found	REFLECTION Write a short reflection on what you have learnt about yourself with regard to this CAS Objective
Accepting challenge	ACTIVITY: SWIMMING evidence for this can be found on my blog, dated January 2014	I took on a challenge here as I had not done any extracurricular sport before, and was not a particularly strong swimmer when I started.
Awareness of strengths and areas for growth	ACTIVITY: SKIING evidence for this can be found on my blog, dated February 2014	Whilst skiing I realised that my strength lay mostly in my actual skiing ability but my confidence held me back in terms of the slopes I felt I was able to go on.
Cooperation and collaboration with others	ACTIVITY: NCS SPORTS WEEK evidence for this can be found on my blog, dated November 2013	I really had to cooperate and work as a team in this week, and that was the point of the week: to make us more of a team. Especially in the raft building - we all had to pull together and integrate each other's ideas into the final raft idea
Developed new skills	ACTIVITY: PHOENIX CHORALE evidence for this can be found on my blog, dated October 2013	Phoenix Chorale has really helped me blend my voice into a choral setting and allowed me to build by singing stamina, with 7 hour days of singing in the holidays.
Engaged with issues of global importance	ACTIVITY: BAKING CAKES FOR HOMELESS CHARITY evidence for this can be found on my blog, dated November 2013	Charity starts at home, and here I was engaging with the bigger global issue of poverty and homelessness. Making a small difference at home (in the middle of Cambridge) may not make a global impact as such but it is a start to inspire others to do things.
Considered ethical implications of their own actions	ACTIVITY: MUSIQUE CORDIALE evidence for this can be found on my blog, dated September 2013	Musique Cordiale brings a lot of tourism to the little town of Seillans, but is also a huge, huge pressure on the local residents to make the festival run. From this perspective, I was worried that my presence was a little unfair on the town, especially being unable to drive, adults had to drive us to each concert.
Initiative and planning	ACTIVITY: SET PLANNING AND DESIGN evidence for this can be found on my blog, dated November 2013	I  have always been interested in theatre and set design as well as singing and when I found out that a local production was looking for someone to manage set design I got into contact with them and planned the whole event. There wasn't a lot of time - only a week so I initiated meetings and email correspondence to get the set completed by the deadline.
Perseverance and commitment	ACTIVITY: PHOENIX CHORALE evidence for this can be found on my blog, dated October 2013	Perseverance and commitment is integral in Phoenix Chorale, simply because the days are so long. 7 hours of singing with regular breaks is really tough and I go to every course, without fail.

Favourite CAS Activity?

My favourite CAS activity would have to be Musique Cordiale. I really enjoyed helping the festival run smoothly and experiencing all of that fantastic music of such a high standard. 

Skiing - ACTION - 20 hours

CREATIVITY

Start:   14/02/2014

Finish:    22/02/2014

Hours collected: 20

How did I increase awareness of my strengths and areas for growth?

 Skiing is a sport I had only tried twice and I noticed that an area of growth would be to take more lessons, and gain the confidence to try black runs and slalom, all of which was covered in my  lessons.

How did I undertake new challenges?

 Red slopes, black slopes and slalom courses.

How did I plan and initiate activities?

I initiated my skiing lessons with Giuseppe and practiced my skills on the black slopes in my free time.

How did I work collaboratively with others?

I had to work collaboratively with my teacher in order to build my confidence on the slopes.

How did I show perseverance and commitment on my activity?

I showed perseverance and commitment through increasing the difficulty of the slopes despite my fear of heights, and I skied every day.

How did I engage with issues of global importance?

This activity made me think about climate change and the effect that this would have on the skiing industry, because of the increased CO2 in the environment, and my effect on this problem because of my travelling abroad to ski. 

How did I consider the ethical implications of my actions?

I considered the impact of my travelling abroad to participate in a sporting activity, and the impact this would have on environmental factors. I also thought about the effect that the ski resort had on neighbouring villages and houses, and the disruption it must cause them.

How did I develop new skills?

Improved my fitness through skiing and my coordination.

Open Evenings 20 hours - SERVICE

CREATIVITY

Start:   03/06/2013

Finish:    10/06/2013

Hours collected: 20

The above shows evidence from the Head of Parkside Sixth via email correspondence of my participation in the Open Evenings.

During June 2013, I volunteered to help out my college, Parkside Sixth, at open evenings. I attended 5 open evenings and 1 open day, telling prospective students about our facilities and informing them about the IB.

How did I increase awareness of my strengths and areas for growth?

My areas for growth were definitely increasing my confidence and communicational skills with people I didn't know.

How did I undertake new challenges?

I had never really felt confident enough to talk to people I didn't know but I really got into the open evenings and felt like I was helping people to make informed decisions about their futures.

How did I plan and initiate activities?

I volunteered for all of the open evenings that I could, though I did not initiate or plan them.

How did I work collaboratively with others?

I worked collaboratively with other volunteers, such as BTEC Performing Arts and Health and Social Care students, in order to give prospective students a rounded view of Parkside Sixth.

How did I show perseverance and commitment on my activity?

 I committed to every open evening opportunity I could, even when others didn't. I also stayed to clear up on several of the evenings, to help the staff at the various schools.

How did I engage with issues of global importance?

Several international students, unsure about whether they should come to England for their sixth form study came to the open evenings, so in that respect there was an international element to my activity. I also explained to many candidates about the IB's international dimension- in that studying abroad is made much easier if one studies the IB.

How did I consider the ethical implications of my actions?

   I was worried that I could have convinced somebody to do the IB when A levels would have suited them better, however ultimately that is a personal choice and volunteers for Parkside were just offering another possibility for all of the prospective students. 

How did I develop new skills?

   I improved my communicational skills massively.

Swimming 15 hours - ACTION

ACTION

Start: January 2013

Finish: November 2013

Hours Collected: 15

Between the months of January 2013 and November 2013 I took swimming lessons on a Saturday morning with Zoe Entecott, ASA  licensed swimming teacher, for 30 half an hour lessons.

How did I increase awareness of my strengths and areas for growth?

 Swimming highlighted my lack of fitness, but I was quite confident in the water.

How did I undertake new challenges?

   I have not done swimming at school for a good couple of years, and I hated them, so swimming lessons was something to be endured rather than enjoyed. However, Zoe was very patient and I began to enjoy myself.

How did I plan and initiate activities?

   This criteria didn't really come into this activity, although I instigated the lessons with Zoe.

How did I work collaboratively with others?

    Working collaboratively with Zoe, as she was my teacher was integral. She found ways of increasing my stamina that I had to put into practise. 

How did I show perseverance and commitment on my activity?

   I completed 30 Saturday morning lessons, when I would rather have been in bed!

How did I engage with issues of global importance?

   I did not really engage with issues of global importance within this activity.

How did I consider the ethical implications of my actions?

    I went to a public school, and my lessons supported the public swimming pool.

How did I develop new skills?

   My level of fitness was increased by this activity.

Set Design for Cambridge Production 20 hours - CREATIVITY

CREATIVITY

Start:   03/06/2013

Finish:    10/06/2013

Hours collected: 20

 

First Draft of Poster

During June 2013, I volunteered to help with set design for a local musical production. It was in an intense time period - a 6 foot painted poster had to be completed in 7 days. It was great experience and practise for my career ambitions, and all the money from the production went to a cancer care charity.

How did I increase awareness of my strengths and areas for growth?

  I realised I have a talent for painting and set design, but realised I needed more practise at it.

How did I undertake new challenges?

I had never tried to do any set design before, never mind a poster that had to be completed in 7 days! 

How did I plan and initiate activities?

I initiated meetings with the set design manager to discuss the poster, as well as setting up a meeting to discuss what they thought about the activity, and what they wanted. I also met with the cast to see how they wanted to 

How did I work collaboratively with others?

I had to work collaboratively with the set design manager and team to complete the poster in time, to the right dimensions, and colours.

How did I show perseverance and commitment on my activity?

  It took me about 8 hours to get a first draft right, and then another 12 hours to paint up the full 6 foot poster and deliver it to the theatre.

How did I engage with issues of global importance?

No issues of global importance were engaged with in this activity on a personal level, however all the money that was raised by the production in the end was donated to a cancer charity, helping to improve cancer care world wide. 

How did I consider the ethical implications of my actions?

   No ethical issues or implications were apparent.

How did I develop new skills?

   I improved my painting skills and communicational skills. I want to go into opera, and possibly set design of opera, so this really gave me some great experience. 

Sports Week 20 hours - ACTION

SERVICE

Started: 06/08/12

Finished: 10/08/12

Hours Collected: 20

During the summer of 2012, I took part in the National Citizen Service, a government project designed to encourage young people to become more of a part of their community.

 

This CAS Entry refers to Week 1 in the correspondence email between me and the youth worker that ran the project. I participated in a 5 day residential sports week at Grafham Water (as can be seen above).

How did I increase awareness of my strengths and areas for growth?

   This week really made me realise that sport could be a team building activity, as well as a social exercise. It made me aware of the fact that I need to do more exercise, but could involve friends in the process as well.

How did I undertake new challenges?

  I had never done much sport at all, never mind a whole week of it! I also had trouble with the high ropes as I am terrified of heights.

How did I plan and initiate activities?

   We took part in team building activities, and I was leader of raft builder, where I had to organise my peers into set jobs. I also initiated the movement of materials and equipment for the activities.

How did I work collaboratively with others?

   The whole week was coordinated around working with others, so that we could engage fully with our team in the weeks to come. We really had to trust each other, in cases such as rock climbing, where we had to trust someone completely to beeline for us. 

How did I show perseverance and commitment on my activity?

   The week did not change my opinion of sport, I am still not its biggest fan, but I had to complete the week, and I wanted to get to know the people I was with so I tried to complete each task with the utmost perseverance.

How did I engage with issues of global importance?

  The project was aimed at getting young people more involved in their communities. This is an issue that affects the globe and conquering this starts at home. Possibly more of a national problem, than global.

How did I consider the ethical implications of my actions?

  I considered the activity and came to the conclusion that there were no ethical dilemmas with doing the sports week.

How did I develop new skills?

  I really improved my fitness, and got my fear of heights (and sports!) a bit better.

 

 

 

 

Baking Cakes for Homeless Charity 20 hours - SERVICE

SERVICE

Started: 25/08/12

Finished: 31/08/12

Hours Collected: 20

During the summer of 2012, I took part in the National Citizen Service, a government project designed to encourage young people to become more of a part of their community.

This CAS Entry refers to Week 4 in the correspondence email between me and the youth worker that ran the project. I baked and decorated 148 cakes for the homeless charity, Emmaus.

How did I increase awareness of my strengths and areas for growth?

   I was made aware of my new found skill for baking! It did however make me aware of how little I do for the community on an every day basis.

How did I undertake new challenges?

  I had never really baked before, certainly not on this big a scale, and so 3 days of continuous baking (with a terrible oven) was quite challenging.

How did I plan and initiate activities?

   We had to complete a community based project to complete our NCS Qualification. The topic and execution was completely up to us, and organised to bake 148 cakes. 

How did I work collaboratively with others?

   I worked collaboratively with the Youth Coordinators to obtain ingredients, and to organise where and when the cakes would go.

How did I show perseverance and commitment on my activity?

   It took me 3 days to bake all the cakes, and another day to decorate them.

How did I engage with issues of global importance?

  Homelessness and hunger is a global issue. Tackling such global issues can be difficult, but starting at home is one of the most effective ways to bring about change. 

How did I consider the ethical implications of my actions?

   The cakes were supplied to numerous homeless shelters all over Cambridge as a result of my actions, which helped to cheer some people's lives up.
I also used free range eggs, and fair-trade ingredients, so as to ethically considerate to the food supplier.

How did I develop new skills?

   I improved my baking skills, and organisational skills, in that I organised with the Youth Coordinator when and where to take the cakes.