Action: Eye Run 'coz I Care!

Are you not really into team sports but looking for a fun action activity that will challenge you and make you stronger while benefiting a good cause??  Look no further! Here in Baguio the Lions Club is sponsoring a running event to help blind children in Northern Luzon. There are three different levels: 3k, 5k, 16k. Just think about it: 3k is shorter than you have to run for cross-country and I'm sure somebody would be up for the marathon challenge of 16 kilometers.  There is even a FREE running clinic (where they teach you techniques for long-distance running I imagine?) with a famous Filipina runner so you will likely learn some new skills.

Remember, you need to have a variety of CAS activities in all three areas: Creativity / Action / Service. This is a great opportunity to do a short-term ACTION activity.

If this sounds like it is too hard for you, then it is a good idea for CAS. 

If this sounds like it will put you in an unfamiliar environment, then this is a good idea for CAS. 

If you've never run in a community race before, then this is a good CAS activity.

Alright, alright, I convinced myself.  I'm doing it. Who's joining??

Click here for more info.

Understanding Learning Outcomes

Some of the CAS Learning Outcomes need to be dissected a bit to understand how they apply to your CAS activities. I thought I'd start with one of the more difficult ones.

• considered the ethical implications of their actions

What does that mean? And how do you show proof of it in your reflections? 

Considered means that you thought about something critically. You may have questioned yourself and your actions.
Ethical implications means the expression of or meaning behind an ethical decision.
Ethical decisions involve determining right from wrong. They may involve issues of honesty, justice, compassion, integrity, and fairness.

The IB CAS guide states: 

Ethical decisions arise in almost any CAS activity (for example, on the sports field, in musical composition, in relationships with others involved in service activities). Evidence of thinking about ethical issues can be shown in various ways, including journal entries and conversations with CAS advisers.

So as far as how you can show evidence of growth in this area, WRITE about it or TALK to me about the moments in your CAS activities when you are faced with ethical decisions, when you have to judge between right and wrong.
 
Here are some quotes that may help you in your understanding.

• An ethical person ought to do more than he's required to do and less than he's allowed to do.
• Winning is nice if you don't lose your integrity.

Have an impact on Millennium Development Goal #2 in our own backyard!

"Only the truly motivated students get a quality education...individual attention is almost impossible." 

This quote is from a teacher in an overcrowded public school in the Philippines. As students yourselves, you should understand that individual attention to your learning is essential for learning. With very small class sizes at Brent, it's easy to take individual attention from your teachers for granted.


MDG #2 is universal primary education by 2015. According to this blog post that explains the Philippines' progress in each of the different MDG's, the country is NOT on track to meet the second goal. Presently only 73% of Filipinos complete the sixth grade. This article details some of the obstacles to providing a quality education to all Filipino children - overcrowded classrooms being one of the most significant. 

Fortunately, you have the opportunity to give some individual attention to some students who are not so privileged to be able to attend a private school like Brent with small class sizes.

Mabini Elementary School and Rizal Elementary School both are in need of a few students who will commit to working with some of the struggling students at these schools one day per week after school. There will be an adult teacher supervisor but the work of tutoring and encouraging these students will be your responsibility.

This type of CAS activity may provide you the opportunity to work on the following learning outcomes:

1. Undertaken new challenges.
2. Planned and initiated activities.
5. Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities.
6. Engaged with issues of global importance.


Sources:
Mydans, Seth "The Philippines Face Classroom Shortages" The New York Times August 24, 2009.

Gonzales, Iris Cecilia "The Philippines on MDGs: Goals 1 and 2 Likely To Be Missed" Think About It: European Blogging Championship May 24, 2010.

Images from New York Times