Cas Objectives:
- Developed new skills- I was able to develop new hockey skills through the term due to the fact that, it was my first time actually playing the sport, while I also improved the skills I had obtained through the lessons, which made me become really good at the sport.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I also was able to work with others in order to learn new skills and tricks for when I am playing hockey, which helped me improve and become a better team player.
- Increase their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth- This activity helped me understand the different areas of Hockey that I need to improve on, and that i am actually good at the sport, although it was my first time playing it.
This was the first activity for thee CAS program this year, and its goal was to complete the action hours as it was a new sport for me, but also completing service hours as I was in charge of helping the coaches and obtained the material needed for the lesson of the day. At CAS Hockey there were activities such as practicing passing skills, shooting skills, how to dribble with the ball, along with others. I am very proud of my achievements in this class because it was my very first time playing the sport, making it a challenge for me, but I improved a lot throughout the term increasing my areas of strength. It helped me a lot because I was able to learn a new sport and become good at it in a very small amount of time, showing that with enough effort you can obtain anything. These objectives were obtained by working towards helping the hockey coach in different lessons, while also learning new skills, and knowing what areas I needed to improve in.
CAS Objectives:
- Considered the ethical implications of their actions- During this activity I was able to understand the ethical implications of my actions, as I understood that the Cazuca kids had different perspectives and point of views in comparison to me.
- Engaged with issues of global importance- I was also able to engage with a global issue, which is poverty, and was able to make them happier and let them have a good time with me.
- Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities- I made sure that kid that I was taking care of was very happy, and went with him to all the activities in the park.
I still remember the look on my kid's face as he ran across multiparque finding new activities to do as time passed. With him, I was able to go on the go karts, the water rides, and other parks which made me really happy because he was happy. After participating in most of the places to go on the park, we went to each lunch with the rest of the group, while he clearly demonstrated the appreciation and happiness towards this event at multiparque. I learned a lot from this Cazuca Fun Day as my kid showed to me how we should appreciate the little things that life offers to us, instead of always asking for more. It was a very interesting experience for me, and I really hope I can repeat it in a near future. The objectives were completed by the perseverance shown during the activity, and how the Cazuca situation at the moment is of global importance, having many ethical implications to my actions during the activity.
CAS Objectives:
- Planned and initiated activities- This objective was completed by the work I was required to do in order to plan and initiate the poster making correctly, which was very interesting and helpful for me.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I was required to work along with my team, in order to obtain this objective and be successful in it. It was a great experience as we worked better when we were united in comparison to when we were working individually.
The completion of the posters happened today, and even though the posters looked very neat, it was still lacking a lot detailed and profound information on the topic demonstrated on the paper. This was the end of the Poster Making activity, and of my CAS for the first year of the ib program, in which I believe that I was able to accomplish all the goals that were set during the year, and am ready to do what is required of me next year to be successful. From this specific activity I learned how to be more organized, and how teamwork and organization are the keys to success! Some mistakes were made throughout the activities, but that were corrected as time passed, which could be considered very effective. I believe that the three main characteristics of the CAS program, which are, action, service, and creativity were met throughout this first year.
CAS Objectives:
- Planned and initiated activities- This was accomplished by planning the different components of the poster that we were making. While also initiating it by looking for places to take pictures of.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I accomplished this by working with the other members of the group in order to be successful in the activity chose for the term.
Due to the fact that I was sick last week I could not attend the CAS activity on tuesday, but when I came back today the two posters were already being prepared, and in the middle of the process, but they still required my help. The posters were really advanced in comparison to when I last saw them, as they had written most of the information down with Sharpies, and had several ideas for a drawing of a building in the middle of the poster.
We were still missing pictures, so I decided to go around the construction obtaining photographs with my cellphone and continuing to obtain facts about it. Unfortunately I already erased all the pictures taken, so I will not be able to show it in this blog post.
CAS Objectives:
- Planned and initiated activities- This objective was completed by the work I was required to do in order to plan and initiate the poster making correctly, which was very interesting and helpful for me.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I was required to work along with my team, in order to obtain this objective and be successful in it. It was a great experience as we worked better when we were united in comparison to when we were working individually.
Today was our second day of CAS Poster Making in which I was able to realize that a lot of work had to be done in a small amount of time as the end of the year was getting closer, along with the deadline for the delivery of the posters. Therefore I went to gather the needed material in order to begin to prepare the posters in order to show the school the development of the new building. It was very good for me, as I was able to improve my organizations skills, and collaborate with the other two members of the group in order to begin the process of creating the posters. There is still a lot to be completed, but I believe that we will be able to finish the posters before the deadline given by the coordinator, which would be extraordinary.
CAS Objectives:
- Planned and initiated activities- This objective was completed by the work I was required to do in order to plan and initiate the poster making correctly, which was very interesting and helpful for me.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I was required to work along with my team, in order to obtain this objective and be successful in it. It was a great experience as we worked better when we were united in comparison to when we were working individually.
After the Easter Break Damon and I could not teach English anymore because the bus drivers stopped coming, and before the break we only had 1 student. Therefore our new activity was poster making, to show to the school how the new building would look like and when it would be built. Today we had a very productive day in which I went to ask the engineer and organizer of the building about the details of the new building, such as how many floors and rooms there are, and the different people in charge of organizing. It was interesting to be part of this activity as we had to interview several people in order to obtain the information, but I know that I will have to work harder in order to make this work, and for other people to enjoy it.
CAS Objective:
- Planned and initiated activities- For english I was required to plan different activities to teach the drivers in different areas such as animals, sports,along with others, that needed to be initiated in order to have a successful lesson with the class of drivers.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I worked with my partner, Damon, in order to be victorious in obtaining great results when trying to teach basic english to the bus drivers, who were very motivated during our lessons, which was very good for us.
The topic of the day was the Animal Kingdom, in which the bus drivers had to learn the name of the different animals. This was very helpful for them as it is something really basic and easy to learn, which did not take them a long time to understand it. I am very proud of being able to help them with that activity, in wich I helped the other volunteer, Damon Faber, with his spanish as he did not know some spanish words that the drivers would say during the lesson. I also listened to some of their stories as they were very interactive during the activity.
CAS Objectives:
- Planned and initiated activities- For english I was required to plan different activities to teach the drivers in different areas such as animals, sports,along with others, that needed to be initiated in order to have a successful lesson with the class of drivers.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I worked with my partner, Damon, in order to be victorious in obtaining great results when trying to teach basic english to the bus drivers, who were very motivated during our lessons, which was very good for us.
During the fourth day of English lessons we decided to continue last week's topic which was Verbs, as I was able to notice that the bus drivers did not completely understand how to pronounce the different verbs, while they did understand the translation to spanish. What I decided to do was write the exact pronunciation of the word, while writing the grammatically correct version of the word for them to understand it, and be able to pronounce it. This was very effective as they demonstrated that their spoken english was improving as I taught them how to pronounce the words. It was a pleasing experience to observe how the students improved along with the method I implemented to help them learn. After this we decided to implement the verbs into a conversation in which the topic was traffic jam, they were very knowledgeable on the topic due to the fact that they are bus drivers.
CAS Objectives:
- Planned and initiated activities- For english I was required to plan different activities to teach the drivers in different areas such as animals, sports,along with others, that needed to be initiated in order to have a successful lesson with the class of drivers.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I worked with my partner, Damon, in order to be victorious in obtaining great results when trying to teach basic english to the bus drivers, who were very motivated during our lessons, which was very good for us.
Today's class we taught the students about verbs and when to apply them. It was a very productive class because the small number of students were working very hard, with the commitment and attitude necessary for the activity. After teaching them this new topic we had a conversation implementing the verbs into the talk, while letting them converse between themselves while we would help them with the words that they did not know, some big improvements were shown since the first english lesson, and I am very proud of it.
CAS Objective:
- Planned and initiated activities- For english I was required to plan different activities to teach the drivers in different areas such as animals, sports,along with others, that needed to be initiated in order to have a successful lesson with the class of drivers.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I worked with my partner, Damon, in order to be victorious in obtaining great results when trying to teach basic english to the bus drivers, who were very motivated during our lessons, which was very good for us.
Today the same students came to the lesson that was centered on a new topic, commonly known sports. The sport that we talked the most about was Football, due to the fact that it was the sport of preference by the bus drivers. We also introduced other sports to the conversation such as volleyball, basketball, and swimming. This was very helpful to them as they were learning new interesting topics, while I felt the fulfillment of being able to help someone else in areas they need improvement.
CAS Objectives:
- Planned and initiated activities- For english I was required to plan different activities to teach the drivers in different areas such as animals, sports,along with others, that needed to be initiated in order to have a successful lesson with the class of drivers.
- Worked collaboratively with others- I worked with my partner, Damon, in order to be victorious in obtaining great results when trying to teach basic english to the bus drivers, who were very motivated during our lessons, which was very good for us.
Today was my first lesson as an english teacher for the bus drivers of the school, unfortunately only three bus drivers and assistants showed up, when we were expecting a greater number of students. The topic of the day was greetings, as we taught them different ways to say hello and goodbye. After teaching them that, we decided to do a short activity in which the drivers had to have a small conversation using the words they learnt and the ones they already knew. I am glad that I was able to help them learn new words, and it was a very interesting experience for me.
CAS Objectives:
- Considered
the ethical implications of their actions
- Engaged
with issues of global importance
- Shown
perseverance and commitment in their activities
First of all think of the most fulfilling and wonderful feeling ever, now multiply it by a thousand, thats how I felt about my experience at the health brigade. My role as a group leader of 7-9 year old kids was to take them around the different stations for them to get checked up by the doctors without any problems or inconveniences. I believed my role was played very well, and was able to help every single one of the kids with at the different stations that they were required to pass, such as, hearing, sight, dental care, drawings, sports along with other activities. After passing through all the stations the kids had time to eat pizza and play for a while before going back to Cazuca or to their houses.
This was a one of the greatest experiences of my CAS program so far I was able to help the kids in areas that they lack of, while it also made me realize how much support they needed from me, which since that day I have been willing to give. This motivated me into donating most of my childhood toys and clothes with my family every month until today, so I believe it had a great impact of my life, which the kids were the ones who helped me realize this.
CAS Objectives:
Planned and initiated activities- In order to complete this objective for CAS La Manuelita, I had to create new activities, by planning them with the group in the end of each day, while also initiating them during our time there.
Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities- I really enjoyed being at La Manuelita, which meant that I was very committed to the activity, and my perseverance level was very high. This was very good in order to achieve the objective.
Engaged with issues of global importance- During La Manuelita I was able to engage in global issues, as I was helping the elders with everything they needed, and giving them support for the time I was engaged at the activity.
The main focus of today's visit was to cut the hair of the elders while also having photography sessions as Martha was in charge of cutting the hair while my Mom, Andrea, and I were in charge of the pictures. We brought different costumes and wigs for them to put on for the picture, which made the environment very funny and content. While the ones that were not taking the picture were playing Bingo on the other side of the room with other volunteers. It was a great experience that I wish to repeat someday, as I admired how happy they get with the attention we give them.
CAS Objectives:
Planned and initiated activities- In order to complete this objective for CAS La Manuelita, I had to create new activities, by planning them with the group in the end of each day, while also initiating them during our time there.- Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities- I really enjoyed being at La Manuelita, which meant that I was very committed to the activity, and my perseverance level was very high. This was very good in order to achieve the objective.
- Engaged with issues of global importance- During La Manuelita I was able to engage in global issues, as I was helping the elders with everything they needed, and giving them support for the time I was engaged at the activity.
Today we spent most of the time planning a new project for the foundation of La Manuelita, as most of the elders expressed a need for a plantation site. We discussed the place where it could be made, how it would be formed, when, and what measures should be taken in order to obtain the resources and money for the plantation. The other time was spent on talking with the elders, in which they talked about their lives and families, along with other topics such as love, and traveling. In my opinion I was able to learn a lot just by listening to them, as most of the information gained were beneficial or will be in a future occasion.
CAS Objectives:
- Planned and initiated activities
- Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
- Engaged with issues of global importance
The fact that it was Valentines's day made it very easy for us to plan a great activity for the elders at La Manuelita. The day was mostly composed by dancing and playing Bingo, which they absolutely loved to do, while we also talked about their experiences, and continued to watch the movie, while they ate the cupcakes made my mom, and juice brought by us. I learned that I could be really good at fixing things, as I was able to help the people at La Manuelita to fix the tv that had a broken cable and could not play the movie. It was a really good day and it makes me happy that I was able to show to the elders that they do have someone who is willing to love them, and give them the support they need.
CAS Objectives:
Planned and initiated activities- In order to complete this objective for CAS La Manuelita, I had to create new activities, by planning them with the group in the end of each day, while also initiating them during our time there.- Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities- I really enjoyed being at La Manuelita, which meant that I was very committed to the activity, and my perseverance level was very high. This was very good in order to achieve the objective.
- Engaged with issues of global importance- During La Manuelita I was able to engage in global issues, as I was helping the elders with everything they needed, and giving them support for the time I was engaged at the activity.
Today we had the presence of a new member of the Manuelita volunteering group, Jorge Anaya, therefore we had to introduce him to the elders at the place and instruct him what we do at the foundation. The other activity after introducing Jorge was the movie watching of black and white spanish movie that one of the volunteers brought for them to watch while eating popcorn and drinking coca cola. I was in charge of bringing the cookies for after the popcorn, therefore I had to make sure I bought normal and cookies without sugar, for those who had diabetes or could not eat sugar. It was very fun to watch a movie in black and white with them as it is very unusual for me to do that.
CAS Objectives:
Planned and initiated activities- In order to complete this objective for CAS La Manuelita, I had to create new activities, by planning them with the group in the end of each day, while also initiating them during our time there.- Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities- I really enjoyed being at La Manuelita, which meant that I was very committed to the activity, and my perseverance level was very high. This was very good in order to achieve the objective.
- Engaged with issues of global importance- During La Manuelita I was able to engage in global issues, as I was helping the elders with everything they needed, and giving them support for the time I was engaged at the activity.
Today the activity that was planned for La Manuelita was Bingo and Table Games, which the elders enjoyed very much, while they would also share their experience with us. The connection formed between the elders and I was very big, as they would remember my name and talk to me as if I was part of their families, while I would treat them as if they were my own grandparents. The activities were a success as they would play if it for the two whole hours, while I brought cupcakes, prepared by my mom and I, for them to eat during their snack time. This was very helpful for me as it make me very happy that they recognized me every time, and that they were so happy about us being there.
CAS Objectives:
Planned and initiated activities- In order to complete this objective for CAS La Manuelita, I had to create new activities, by planning them with the group in the end of each day, while also initiating them during our time there.- Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities- I really enjoyed being at La Manuelita, which meant that I was very committed to the activity, and my perseverance level was very high. This was very good in order to achieve the objective.
- Engaged with issues of global importance- During La Manuelita I was able to engage in global issues, as I was helping the elders with everything they needed, and giving them support for the time I was engaged at the activity.
Today I was the person in charge of choosing and planning the activity, therefore I decided to think of something that would make them exercise but also have a good time while doing it. The activity that I chose for the day was Dancing, as they would be improving their mobility and exercising conditions. What I did was, make most of them stand us, then I put a playlist of musics that were from their time, and went one by one dancing with them. They really enjoyed it as they were not used to exercising that much, while I enjoyed seeing them happy with the activity I planned and initiated.
