CAS Claudia
1) The qualities I admire in other people are loyalty, kindness, patience, empathy, thoughtfulness/consideration, respect, and supportiveness. I believe these are the qualities that make someone a good person.
2) Through CAS I hope to develop balance because this is especially important in IB since when there is a lot of work to do it is easy to absorb all your energy into studying, however, having a break and doing things you love is also very important for the mind. I would also like to develop risk-taking as this is what helps you push yourself over your limits in order to constantly improve, and not to remain in your comfort zone. Another important factor I would like to achieve is being a good communicator since I often like working on my own and don't always feel comfortable talking to others. This skill is very important, however, as working in a group can often help you achieve a lot more and learn new things. Furthermore, most jobs will require you to communicate with others so developing this skill earlier will help you out in the future. I think being reflective is helpful as this will help you understand what you did right and how you can improve next time which will expand your skills and knowledge over time. Finally, I would like to become more of an inquirer because asking questions is important for learning new things, yet sometimes these questions may not be asked and thus, left unanswered which is not helpful.
3) I really enjoy dancing, painting/drawing, rock climbing, skiing, hiking/walking, biking, reading, baking, swimming, scrapbooking and learning languages.
4) I always wanted to learn how to cook well, learn how to play volleyball, try jogging, and gain my ability back to do the splits. I also wanted to get into modeling, help out in animal shelters, and learn how to knit or crochet.
5) Some challenges I would set myself as part of CAS would be to engage in more sports during the week, improve my Spanish and Chinese, and learn the skills and qualities mentioned before.
6) I am particularly concerned about the environment because if we destroy it, we will not leave a pleasant home for future human and wildlife generations. Furthermore, I am fully against animal testing and the conditions in which animals in the modern food industry are kept in because all lives matter and no animal should have to sacrifice its life to be tortured for human benefit. I also think it is extremely important to support sick or financially unstable people and children to help them live happy lives. Finally, it is essential to stop people from abandoning their pets and leaving them alone on the streets, often causing them to die of starvation or sickness.
7) Volunteering in animal shelters, children's hospitals, the "Mam Marzenie" organization, "Szlachetna Paczka" and "Nano Łączka" would be some ideas I could consider to help me move closer to achieving my goals.
I appreciate your thoughtful reflection on qualities to develop and issues that you are concerned about. We will talk more about Service in October, and there will be the chance to get into groups with others who are concerned about the same issues and research possible organizations to support. You can get involved in both direct service (eg Szlachetna Paczka, or walking animals in the shelter) or indirect service (raising awareness about animal testing.)
ReplyDeleteThe activities you mentioned would all work well for CAS. Some will need more careful planning (we will talk about this next lesson) but some you can just start now, posting about your goals (if applicable) and photos about your first experiences with a little reflection. Volleyball club would work well, or starting to knit using online tutorials. Modelling could also count for CAS, as it is ok these days to earn money from CAS activities - you just need to reflect on what you are learning from it, and the creative aspect. Look forward to seeing what you do!