Please respond to the TOK issue raised in David's presentation on Thursday."On the justifiability and effects of imposition, and the obligation to do CAS."
Knowledge Issues:
1 How can we justify or discredit the imposition of programmes that aim to change the ways of living of people?
2 Can the pursuit of altruism as an ultimate goal justify measures used to reach it?
Here are his discussion questions...
Do you feel you honestly get something out of CAS?
Would you accredit any change in your lifestyle to CAS?
What do you think is/should be the role of CAS?
What role do you think school should play in our lives?
Do you believe the fact that we “chose” IB justifies that they force flawed things on us without our protest?
In your opinion, should service be a requirement, not only in IB, but in college or just as citizens of our countries, or does this take away from the value of the service?
Are you honest in all of your CAS reflections, or do you write what “they want to hear”?
Do you think your answer to the previous question says something about the worth of CAS?
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ReplyDeleteIB students are generally stressed with the workload that piles up, hence CAS is definitely not our number one priority. Thus, I truly believe that we just want to get it over with. Some people lie about it in their logs and their reflections just to get their hours done. It is time consuming and some do it with reluctance, perhaps because it is something that is required. The question that is posed is if CAS were not a part of the IB diploma would the students still initiate the activities they currently do? I personally do not think so. I am very grateful to have entered the IB diploma program, partially because of CAS. I helped raise money for a school in need, helped the Dar Taliba girls, helped plan the MAMUN conference and so forth. This is something I am very proud of and something that benefited the greater good. Without the CAS program I highly doubt that I would have participated in all of the activities that I have over the past two years. In terms of honestly, as I stated earlier, I truly believe that many people exaggerate in their hours, or in their reflection to get their hours over with. But that is just another step of getting through the IB. Thus Creativity, Service, and Action should be a requirement because it teaches us how to manage our time, how to help others, and how to develop new skills and hobbies. It is not only centered on academics but touches upon different elements in a students daily life like sports, and arts.
ReplyDeleteTwo very good points here... And although it is probably better to be sincere in writing up reflections, perhaps the 'sin of lying' a little is more than compensated for by what is gained - an opportunity to help out and to learn how to organize yourself better. A case of the greater good???
DeleteHonestly, I'm in a weird position. I know that I would have still participated in most of the activities I do for CAS even if it weren't for CAS, however, I also know that If I'd been forced to do something for CAS then I really wouldn't greatly benefit from it. Therefore, I agree with David in the sense that doing service for CAS is essentially counter productive as it makes the students actually hate what their doing as opposed to being inspired. Thus, I think that service should never be a requirement for any educational institution as it actually makes students hate CAS as opposed to being inspired by it and enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI see why you would think that service should never be a requirement for any educational institution as service should come from the heart and not be an obligation, yet lets not romanticize society, most kids have better things to do than spend an hour for hospital visits every other day. I'm sure that many kids think about helping everyday yet they never actually do it because their lacking an external push, and by having it as a requirement it forcefully encourages those kids to do so. Furthermore if you never get a chance to be in a position to see the harsh realities the world around you is facing, you will never try to help, yet when education forces the reality upon you, it can perhaps lead you to continuing service out of you own will. Besides when thinking about it from another way , the service is still being done whether you like it or not; supposing that none of the kids at all get to like what they are doing, you still have 10 more patients with a smile on their face, a dozen more girls that become literate, or even a cleaner beach to wake up to in the morning.
DeleteExactly, I think the IB should not force CAS, but show the problem to inspire people.
DeleteI agree with David that creating awareness of the problem is the most important - people are a lot more sympathetic when they understand the issues at hand and can personally relate to it more, which will in turn inspire them to take action. Forced service can't really be considered real service. However, I also agree with Saad, that some people are not as active as others, and need to be pushed to realize something.
DeleteI think the main reason why people are criticizing CAS so much is because it interferes with our academic demands and workload that IB is already overloading us with. IB seems to be asking us for too much. CAS simply aggravates the pressure put on us, which is why we turn against it rather than embrace it and be inspired by it. I am pretty sure that most of us would have nothing against taking part in service programs if we were given an allotted time for it during school so that it would not afflict our schoolwork as much. Another problem is that we count our CAS by the number of hours spent on it. Perhaps if they only required us to carry out one service project, we may have more incentive to do a better job on it rather than simply count the hours off. This single experience could then inspire us to act again in the future (or not). Of course I can only speak for myself as not everyone is inclined to service as others.
I really like this idea... There is something insidious about counting hours - quantifying acts of kindness - and we have evidence that this definitely turns people off (David, Ghali). Other people see beyond the bureaucratic annoyances - or are less bothered by them. However, I do agree that it might be better to have everyone be involved in some project with a concrete outcome - where time were not the issue. Then some qualitative appraisal of service (not quantitative)...
DeleteDo you feel you honestly get something out of CAS?
ReplyDelete--> Not as much as I would want to, due to the limited amount of activities available to students.
Would you accredit any change in your lifestyle to CAS?
--> Yes, I definitely care more for others since I started my CAS program. (might also be due to the fact that I'm getting older, but whatever).
What do you think is/should be the role of CAS?
--> CAS is meant to keep IB students sane I think, to keep them away from their textbooks and endless assignments for at least a little bit of time.
What role do you think school should play in our lives?
--> A stepping stone to college and to real life.
In your opinion, should service be a requirement, not only in IB, but in college or just as citizens of our countries, or does this take away from the value of the service?
--> Making it a requirement definitely takes a LOT away from the value of volunteering. When you make service mandatory, instead of having a smaller group of truly committed individuals, you end up with a large group of people that are volunteering only to meet their requirement.
Are you honest in all of your CAS reflections, or do you write what “they want to hear”?
--> I think I'm mostly honest in my CAS reflections, but sometimes I find myself writing quite lyrically in order to please my audience and give them what they want.
Do you think your answer to the previous question says something about the worth of CAS?
--> It says that CAS is not, as IB would want it to be, something that students do from their own initiative or that it is something students enjoy. In my opinion, CAS' purpose and implementation definitely need to be reevaluated
I agree with this last recommendation...
DeleteDo you feel you honestly get something out of CAS?
ReplyDeleteNo. Not even learning the learning outcomes fairly portray what I get or learn from CAS.
Would you accredit any change in your lifestyle to CAS?
No.
What do you think is/should be the role of CAS?
The role of the CAS program SHOULD be to inspire IB students to be creative, serve their community and have a healthy lifestyle all the while maintaining balance. The current CAS program in place turns what should be fun and helpful into a chore that must be done to complete the IB Diploma.
What role do you think school should play in our lives?
They should play a purely academic role, educating its students and expanding their intellectual horizons.
Do you believe the fact that we “chose” IB justifies that they force flawed things on us without our protest?
Absolutely not. It isn't justified that students should be forced to participate in a flawed program such as CAS just for the sake of the whole IB program.
In your opinion, should service be a requirement, not only in IB, but in college or just as citizens of our countries, or does this take away from the value of the service?
I believe that service should be a personal requirement to culture a sense of community, altruism and understanding the value of empathy. However it should not be an enforced requirement because it diminishes the value of giving unto others and turns it into a chore.
Are you honest in all of your CAS reflections, or do you write what “they want to hear”?
To be honest, I always write what the IB "would want to hear". It's as if I need to appease them or else I'll be marked as a 'bad IB student' that shows no progress or promise.
Do you think your answer to the previous question says something about the worth of CAS?
Yes. As of the moment, CAS is only making me gain more stress and trouble than it's worth. If it's to convince me to do extra-curricular activities, I know I would have participated in clubs such as amnesty international even without the CAS program. However, I will credit it for influencing me to join the Children's hospital visits, which made me more aware of how to serve the community locally.
I think everyone so far seems to think the same way as David, that although the IB has noble goals for CAS, it is basically not going about attain those goals the right way and the most students do not end up doing the service part program out of inspiration. I am not saying, however, that we do not gain anything by being forced to do service. We often get to see the harsh realities of life that will actually make us want to do service out of choice, and this might not happen if we are not pushed. The community also gets some help, which is also a plus. Imposing service upon students is definitely not ideal, but it would be better than no service at all and know plenty of students who would only do it if it were imposed. I believe that the IB is trying to get us to see the importance of serving the community and unfortunately the one of the only ways to do this is to make it a requirement. If they truly want us to put our hearts into it, so that we continue service throughout college and the rest of our lives, then like Salim said, thir implementation of it needs to be reconsidered.
ReplyDeleteVery articulate, Yassine! You express yourself so well (I hope that does not sound patronizing...)
DeleteTo dispute that everyone who does CAS is only doing it because it is a requirement of the IB program, is one argument. To dispute that everyone who does CAS is doing it out of convection is another. Both of which are two extreme views, that force us to question CAS and everything it claims to stand for as opposed to everything it actually stands for. The way I look at it, CAS impels a person to be the person he or she thinks she can be. We all want to make our mark in the world by being caring, by sharing our creativity and imagination and pushing our minds and bodies beyond limits. CAS gives us that opportunity, to prove that we can be better people; that we have the chance to make the world a better place. One would claim that it is hypocritical to do CAS if is only to get hours. I would argue that in the couple hours we dedicate to CAS, each and every student is given the opportunity to learn something new about him/herself, about his/her community; the opportunity to do good, to have an impact on someone and to be remembered for something. I remember having a conversation with one of the Dar Talliba girls that brought meaning to the two hours I was dedicating every Friday. The young girl was telling me about her life, how hopeless her future seemed, and her desire for an escape from her reality. She told me that the games we played and the language courses we give them might not seem like a lot, but it gives her an opportunity to escape her reality. I was touched by her vulnerability and lack of faith. Every little problem in my life seemed meaningless after listening to hers. It is moments like these, that CAS has meaning. I might have never joined Dar Talliba if it weren’t for CAS, and I might never have met this girl. CAS is not about the hours or the reflections, if anything, that is just a formality. CAS is a reminder that we can change the world if we believe in our thoughts and dedicate the time to them.
ReplyDeleteEverything in life can be criticized. We can criticize CAS for being a lie, but if a student thinks about everything they have accomplished because of CAS, they would realize how valuable CAS is. CAS stresses the fact that we are all good people that are capable of doing the impossible but we have to believe that what we do, matters.
Wow! This is very inspiring, Nadia. I can see that you were touched by what the girl said and touching the lives of others is its own reward. I can see that the work you did also helped put your own life in perspective. In effect you are saying that we gain more than just qualifying for the diploma when we help others...
DeleteDo you feel you honestly get something out of CAS?
ReplyDeleteI do believe I get something out of CAS. I’m more open-minded, and I am more involved in the school community.
Would you accredit any change in your lifestyle to CAS?
Yes, I am more involved in the community.
What do you think is/should be the role of CAS?
I believe the role of CAS should be to help students attain a certain balanced lifestyle, and not be too stressed by all the assignments we are given. It should NOT be a cause of continual stress because we haven’t finished our 50 hours!
What role do you think school should play in our lives?
Provide students with strategies to choosing right from wrong and making the right decisions.
In your opinion, should service be a requirement, not only in IB, but in college or just as citizens of our countries, or does this take away from the value of the service?
It does take away from the value of service, but I must argue that it helps me view the world differently. Although I am not such a fan of service, it helps me understand that some people really need us out there. If we are able to help them, then we should. So, YES service should be a requirement also in college.
Are you honest in all of your CAS reflections, or do you write what “they want to hear”?
I have always been honest in my CAS reflections.
Thank you for having the courage to say that you have never lied in your reflections. Sometimes it's hard to be the only one to say something.
Delete- Do you feel you honestly get something out of CAS?
ReplyDelete=> Yes, beside the necessary hours that we get in order to get our diplomas, I think CAS implants in us this sense of responsibility and balance. We do not concentrate only on academic subject but also on sports, community service, creativity …
- Would you accredit any change in your lifestyle to CAS?
=> After doing CAS for 2 years, I realized especially the importance of community service, I already knew that sport and creativity were important, but since it is the first time that I am involved in community service … I realized how important it is, for instance my experience in Dar Taliba showed me that our problems are not that bad after all, comparing to others’. Some of the girls from Dar taliba have really poor situations but still seem to accept it and live with it. What CAS taught is probably the importance of relativizing with others, either better or worst than me, my situation.
- What do you think is/should be the role of CAS?
=> The role of CAS is primordially leaving the sense of balance between studies and extra curriculum activities. Because what matters at the end of high school, is it not grades, but more the knowledge that we will carry with us.
"Because what matters at the end of high school, is not grades, but the knowledge that we will carry with us." Othmane - I think I'm going to write this on my classroom wall...!
ReplyDeleteDo you feel you honestly get something out of CAS?
ReplyDelete• Yes, definitely. CAS is a rubric I use to actually evaluate myself. This might seem odd at first, but when you think about it, CAS is like a mirror that reflects who you REALLY are. Whether you can balance your time, give to other rather than take, being creative and open-minded, CAS evokes all these properties.
Would you accredit any change in your lifestyle to CAS?
• Yes, indeed. I am more involved in the community and that allows me to know more about the community and care for others.
What do you think is/should be the role of CAS?
• I truly believe that the role of CAS is to push students beyond what they think is there limit. This is because once a student is committed to CAS, he/she automatically give their time to other activities they otherwise would not have participated in if they were not IB candidates.
What role do you think school should play in our lives?
• I believe school is a way that shapes our thinking. It teaches us the right from wrong and teaches us how to shape the pathway of our future and try to make the right decisions.
In your opinion, should service be a requirement, not only in IB, but in college or just as citizens of our countries, or does this take away from the value of the service?
• To be honest, I was surprised when I first attended the IB workshop. I learned that when one decides to take IB, one has to complete a certain amount of hours that includes service. To me, that is completely bizarre. This is because I was raised in a community that helps each other. It is part of my morals and it is part of who I am. I live in a fairly poor neighborhood, and in this community, I see people giving and taking. We live as being part of one big family. To have the IB telling me that I am required to complete 50 hours of service was illogical to me. It was as if they were asking me to drink water for three months. Therefore, it would be rather subjective if I answered this question.
Are you honest in all of your CAS reflections, or do you write what “they want to hear”?
• I am always honest in my CAS reflections.