We are honored to host service campaigns created by IB students all over the world, and we believe the longstanding commitment to service within the IB continuum is something to celebrate!

That’s why we created the The IB Impact Challenge – a challenge geared exclusively towards IB schools in an effort to showcase the incredible impact IB students can make through their PYP Action Projects, MYP Community Projects and DP CAS Projects!

Participating is simple: students rally their IB classmates to create service campaigns for causes they care about on The Philanthropy Project platform and challenge other IB schools across the globe to join them in making an impact.

The 5 schools making the most impact by June 1, 2016 will win awesome prizes and become heralded as rock stars in the IB community!

CLICK HERE to learn more.

OMG! I’m not sure I can do this CAS Handbook justice by writing a review of it, but I shall try.

It. Is. AWESOME!

It’s authored by John Cannings, María Inés Piaggio, Peter Muir, and Tom Brodie, all experienced CAS Coordinators. A special shoutout goes to Tom Brodie for hooking me up with a copy to review. Thank you!

This 246 page handbook contains a WEALTH of information, some of which includes:

• An in-depth explanation of CAS, it’s purpose, and it’s meaning to the IB program
• CAS Snapshots that will give you great ideas for CAS experiences
• Color photos that are engaging
• Sample CAS proposals
• A Review and Summary of each chapter
• An explanation of the CAS Stages with Case Studies
• An in-depth chapter on Reflection
• Service-Learning with Case Studies
• TOK and the Extended Essay and how it’s all wrapped up in CAS
• CAS Projects
• Student Responsibilities
• Charts and diagrams
• Interviews
• Celebration ideas
• And more!

I can’t imagine the number of hours it took to write and assemble this book, but it is a gift to IB students and CAS Coordinators around the globe!

This CAS handbook can be purchased through Cambridge University Press (CLICK HERE), OR through Amazon.com (CLICK HERE) for $28.

If you’re a CAS Coordinator or IB student, this could very well be the best $28 you ever spend.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough! Bravo!

Anyhoo, I came home from Denver with about 217 resources including slideshows, documents, and ideas. Really good stuff. I wanted to contribute too, so I whittled the CAS Handbook down into two little documents (the CAS Handbook is 54 pages long… who wants to read THAT!?).

The first document is called CAStartup (see what I did there?) and it contains all the essential elements of the 54-page CAS Handbook in just two pages.

But wait, there’s more!

The second documents is called CASimplified (see what I did there again?) and it contains all the essential elements of the Handbook but in only just one page. I know, right? It’s a miracle!

You can grab a copy of both on the Documents (<<< Click Here) page. They are Word docs, but I can send you copies in Pages if prefer; just leave me a comment and I can email it to you.

If you use one or both of these documents, maybe you could give me a shoutout when you do, or a shoutout to John A. Rowland High School. Thanx.

Have a great CAS year

My new BFFs

Our Amazing Leader: The Most Interesting Wolf Blitzer in the World!

Soon I shall be taking ALLLLLL that I learned about the new CAS curriculum for the class of 2017 and beyond and summarizing it here on CASCorner in a new post or nine. I’m also going to create a Quick Start Guide for the new curriculum that you’ll be able to download. If you want.

So I’ll be back soon with some highlights. Stay tuned

There are 7 Learning Outcomes, not 8?

Strands?

Stages?

What the heck is going on with the new CAS requirements for the class of 2017 and beyond?

I have no idea, but I’m gonna find out on September 25th at the IB Conference in Denver, Colorado.

Anyone else coming with me?

I have so much to learn!

To clarify things as much as possible for my students, I’ve started telling them they need to provide “Reflective Evidence” for each activity they do. This seems to sit well with their brains, as it does with mine.

If your students ever ask you the difference between Reflection and Evidence for their CAS activities, confidently tell them there is no difference. None. Zero. #reflectiveevidence

Have a great year errrrybody!