CAS question

[Amber]

So i am starting IB in a few months question:

Creative - what sorts of things can you do?

Action - is this like sports?

Service - volunteering?

thanks

[sweetnsimple786]

Creative - what sorts of things can you do?

Action - is this like sports?

Service - volunteering?

Basically for creativity, if you're somehow using your brain and applying effort into doing something to benefit others, it can count. Action, yes sports, but it can also be less traditional, less organized. I've counted camp counselor things as action. Service, yeah.

Different CAS coordinators allow different things. You want to get an approval from your CAS coordinator if you're not sure. =)

As for what exactly you can do..

I know you've seen the "What are your CAS Activities" thread because you posted in it. If you've looked through it, you've seen lots of great ideas. I'll link you to some threads because the question has been asked a lot, and it seems like the more times people ask it, the more new answers we get. =)

http://www.ibsurvival.com/topic/523-what-are-your-cas-activities/

http://www.ibsurvival.com/topic/7458-cas-ideas/

http://www.ibsurvival.com/topic/7147-need-help-figuring-out-what-to-do-for-cas/page__view__findpost__p__55464

[Amber]

Do you need like 50 C hours 50 A hours and 50 S hours, or can you have like 150 S hours?

[sweetnsimple786]

Hmm I believe there are extra requirements for your year. You have to have 50 hours in each category [but you can have like 48 in one and 52 in the other, if your CAS coordinator will allow that]. From your year onwards, I think your activities are comprised of both long term activities and short term ones where you have to show that you're continuing to do some activities. Don't worry about it now since you can't count CAS until the summer before your first year [or that's what my CAS coordinator allows, anyways]. I think this post explains it better: http://www.ibsurvival.com/topic/7687-how-do-you-know-you-have-done-enough-cas-now-there-is-no-hours/page__view__findpost__p__59218

Either way no worries yet =)

[Charizard]

Definitely check with your future CAS coordinator, because lots of schools have separate in-school systems/rules to ensure that the CAS program is done properly.

But yeah. I'm a May 2011 candidate and (though I keep repeating this ) the program has supposedly shifted its focus from hour-counting to personal development. The hours are definitely still in place though and the supervisors try not to talk about it (since IBO repeatedly states that hour-counting = bad) but it's written that you need to have at least 50 hours in each since the program (and, to some extent, the IB) is supposed to be about having a balanced life and being a rounded person (and thus the requirement that we take one subject from each Area of Knowledge).

But honestly don't worry about getting enough hours because as long as you sign up for some extracurricular activities and have a few hours of Creativity, Action and Service a week you'll definitely do fine. And if at the end of the first school year you find that you're lagging behind in hours, you can even spend some of your holiday doing projects.

Most of the work involved with CAS is logging evidence of achieving learning outcomes. When you start an activity you're supposed to target one or more learning outcomes and as you progress you need to provide evidence of reaching those outcomes. The learning outcomes are: Increased awareness of your strengths and areas for growth, Undertaking new challenges, Planned and initiated activities, Working collaboratively with others, Show perseverance and commitment, Engaged with issues of global importance, Consider ethical implications, Develop new skills. Apparently some schools have supervisors requiring that all your activities benefit the society in some way, but really only Service activities need to do this, and anyway you can usually twist your description of the activity to somehow focus on society.

There'll also be something called your CAS project but even as I do mine now the details about the project itself are a bit hazy and it really feels like just another activity.

Oh yeah, and as for

So i am starting IB in a few months question:

Creative - what sorts of things can you do?

Action - is this like sports?

Service - volunteering?

thanks

Some examples of Creativity include participation in a choir/orchestra/band, whether or not for school or personally set up, learning to play the piano, doing a film project etc. Action activities are like sports, but basically whatever gets you moving. I have a hiking club under 'Action'. And yes, Service is like volunteering, helping the community, etc.

Remember that you don't have to join existing clubs - you're generally encouraged to start your own projects because you would develop in several of the learning outcome areas, including but definitely not limited to Increased awareness of your strengths and areas for growth, Undertaking new challenges, Planned and initiated activities, Working collaboratively with others, Show perseverance and commitment, Develop new skills, etc.