May 2011 IB Newsletter - East High School

NEW SERIES VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3PAGE 3TAKING CHARGE OF CAS AND THE EEby Steve ShookCreativity, Action & Service (CAS), together with the Extended Essay (EE), need regular, ongoing emphasis fromIB students. It‘s analogous to regular automobile maintenance. A portion of the driving population change theircar‘s oil on a regular schedule; they have an understanding about and value preventive maintenance. There arethose who drive automobiles that rely more on the ―idiot-light‖ notification system. They believe that the illuminatedlight on the dash is the designated reminder, rather than a warning that certain vehicle systems need immediateattention. Then, there are vehicles that have made the maintenance responsibility of automobile ownershipnearly ―idiot-proof‖ with progressive messaging systems, reminding the driver of ―time‖ or ―miles‖ remaining untilneeded servicing. And some people ignore all forms of reminders and eventually allow their vehicles to suffer undueinternal damage.Human nature being what it is, the same attitude and approach described for automobile owners can also be seen inPIB/IB students with respect to CAS and the EE. Without there being a specific class/course (i.e., a progressivemessaging system) associated with these IB requirements, students are left up to their own prioritization of requirementsand deadlines. Consequently, a noticeable number of students rely upon messages and notes posted on classroomdoors, in the hallways, or personally delivered to them with specific prompts about these two important IBrequirements. As the metaphor with car maintenance points out, even the prompting of ―idiot lights‖ (appropriatelyregarded) is sometimes ignored by the individual most likely impacted by the failure of a system. Either of these twoprogram requirements, if left unattended, can negatively affect IB diploma completion.On the one hand, we will continue in our efforts to automate the processes related to CAS and the EE and to makingthe submission of material more streamlined. First and foremost, CAS and EE requirements and due dates areposted on the IB Program Web site and are updated on a regular basis.At the same time, parents and guardians can also help transform these requirements into meaningful, purposefuloccurrences that are gradually infused into the person of each IB student. One thing that families can do to increasethe intrinsic aspect of these two requirements is to find ways to make them a family investment. Consider severalfamily members joining in on CAS activities, whether as equal participants or in supporting roles. Engage in conversationswith your student, ask questions about any number of events or subjects they might be studying and poseinquisitive ―how does that relate to…‖ or ―what would happen if…‖-type reflections for your rising Seniors. Takethe opportunity to engage students in mental badminton while driving around town or traveling together; inparticular, pose questions and prompt clarification on points or ideas involving both CAS and the EE. In the IBOffice, we often do this in hopes of prompting students to refine their thoughts as reflected in their essay. I believeit has a positive impact on our relationships and adds validation to what our students are trying to accomplish. Forcurrent juniors, this is exactly the right time to be doing this; there should be quality attention given to theExtended Essay right now.In the end, if students are left to completing these two requirements in isolation, they will likely remain isolatedrequirements without any life-long meaning. Students will scoff at the reminders, dismiss our warnings, and carrylittle, if any, of the priceless value of CAS and the EE into their college experience.The rationale for due dates is to help students pace their CAS efforts and to enable staff who monitor the submissionsto schedule accordingly. Failure to adhere to the specified dates creates undue stress. Parents — please encourageyour student to help us help them! Please remember that due dates are readily available on the Web site, together withdigital copies of the current CAS submission forms. Ms. White and Ms. Hutton, as well as Mr. Shook, are alwaysavailable to provide direction on and clarification of CAS criteria, as outlined by IB.