CAS newsletter article – Jason

Music
While prior music experience is strongly recommended for those students who opt for Higher Level (HL), it is not mandatory for Standard Level (SL). The course provides an appropriate foundation for further study in music at university level or in other music career pathways. It is designed to offer students the opportunities to build on prior experiences in music while encouraging a broad approach to the subject and developing new skills, techniques and ideas. The course also aims at developing the student’s potential as musicians, either as a soloist or in ensembles, and as composers and creators of music. The programme of study builds on a strong fundamental and theoretical base, but weights the practical performance and developing of performance skills highly. We offer Music HL & SL.

Visual Arts

This course is designed to provide students with an authentic approach to the Visual arts as a discipline with many facets that lead to a very concrete outcome.  The Exhibition is the culminating activity that is realized through many approaches; the exhibition text, curatorial rationale, hanging and placement are just a few that will challenge the student through planning and much discussion.  The Curatorial Rationale component of the programme is expected of both Higher Level ( HL) and Standard ( SL) students.  HL students are required to submit 700 words and the SL students 400 words that help to justify the inclusion of such work in their final exhibition.

The Exhibition requires work that is chosen from a list of possible media to work from.  Basically two dimensional, three dimensional, and digital work are all possibilities for students at the HL and SL to experiment with.  SL students are expected to submit  4-7 resolved pieces while HL students need 8-11 pieces.

The Comparative Study is a component that is required of both the HL and SL student and offers both a challenge and opportunity to prove understanding and creativity with presentation methods.  HL and SL students are required to submit 10-15 digital screens. In addition to the screens, higher level students also need to submit a piece that was influenced by one of the artists chosen for the study along with 3-5 screens that help to show evidence of the process.

The Process Portfolio provides students at the higher as well as standard level the opportunity to share evidence related to a very structured and defined set of criteria that the IB has laid out.  Again the number of screens required, differs according to the level a student has registered for.  13-25  digital screens are required at the higher level and 9-18  digital screens for the standard level.

In addition to the very specific material needed for achievement, the Visual arts students should come prepared to spend class time as well as leisure time exploring ideas and concepts.  This approach will help each student to gain an authentic concept of the visual arts as an area of study and will help to prepare them for what is to come at the university level of education. We offer Visual Arts HL & SL.

Theatre

The IB Diploma Programme theatre course is a multifaceted theatre-making course. It gives students the opportunity to make theatre as creators, designers, directors, and performers. It emphasizes the importance of working both individually and as part of an ensemble. It offers the opportunity to engage actively in the creative process of inquiring, developing, presenting, and evaluating. Students are encouraged to work as inquisitive and imaginative artists, transforming ideas into action and communicating these to an audience.

Theatre students learn to apply research and theory to inform and contextualize their work as they experience the course through practical and physical engagement. They understand that knowledge resides in the body and that research can be conducted physically through both action and practice. In this respect, the theatre course encourages students to appreciate that through the processes of researching, creating, preparing, presenting, and critically reflecting on theatre—as participants and spectators—they gain a richer understanding of themselves, their community, and the world.

Through the study of theatre, students strengthen their awareness of their own personal and cultural perspectives, developing an appreciation of the diversity of theatre practices, their processes, and their modes of presentation. This enables students to discover and engage with different forms of theatre across time, place, and culture and promotes international-mindedness. Participation in the DP theatre course results in the development of both theatre and life skills; the building of confidence, imagination, creativity, and a collaborative mindset. We offer Theatre HL &  SL.

Group 2 consists of modern languages which can be studied at different levels. Many factors determine the group 2 course that a student should take: the student’s best language, the language(s) spoken at home and at school, and any previous knowledge of the language of study.

Language B
Language B, the highest level for students in Group 2, is an additional language-learning course designed for students with some previous learning of that language. The course is designed for genuine second language learners with some previous experience, 4 to 5 years for Higher Level (HL) and 2 to 3 years for Standard Level (SL), of learning the language. As a result, a Language B student should have a good knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, and be fairly fluent in conversation. The main focus of the course is on language acquisition and the development of language skills. These language skills should be developed through the study and use of a range of written and spoken material. Such material will extend from everyday oral exchanges to literary texts and should be related to the culture(s) concerned.

We offer:

• English B HL
• German B HL & SL
• French B HL & SL
• Hindi B HL & SL

Language Ab initio
The other option in Group 2 is Language Ab initio. This is an option for beginners (that is, students who have no previous experience of learning the language they have chosen) and is only offered at Standard Level (SL) through Pamoja(https://pamojaeducation.com/ib-diploma) with special approval and extra fees for this special option.

MIS provides a balanced PE programme in line with the PYP. This is part of the Personal, Social and Physical Education (PSPE) curriculum, the second component being the social emotional curriculum led by our Counselor. PE is seen as essential in developing balanced and active learners. PE is taught through units of inquiry and regularly integrated through homeroom units.

The PE curriculum includes the following strands that provides a range of experiences:

• Individual pursuits
• Movement composition
• Games
• Adventure challenge
• Health-related fitness

Language is fundamental to learning and permeates the entire PYP curriculum. By learning about language and learning through language, we develop an appreciation of the richness of language and a love of literature. Language is also a key factor in the development of international understanding and, as such, has a major role in a PYP classroom. The PYP classroom values and supports the home language and the language of instruction and provides access to other languages. Language is the major connecting element across the curriculum. All teachers are teachers of Language in the PYP.

The PYP learning extends beyond the classroom walls to all learning experiences. The teacher plans, in collaboration with other homeroom teachers, teaching assistants and specialists. English Language Acquisition (ELA) and additional language teachers play an important role in reinforcing, supporting and extending the classroom work. Language is also a major connection between home and school. In the PYP classroom, cooperative activities optimize the development of language. The host country’s language and literature are addressed, helping everyone to appreciate the culture of the host country.

Acknowledging that learning language is a developmental process, the Language Scope and Sequence is a developmental continuum to assist teachers in planning language learning experiences for students, and in monitoring learners’ development throughout the primary years.

Language consists of four strands:

• Oral Language – Listening and Speaking
• Visual Language – Viewing and Presenting
• Written Language – Reading
• Written Language – Writing
  

English Language Acquisition (ELA)

As the language of instruction at MIS is English, learners from P1 who do not speak English or who are not proficient in English attend ELA classes and are also supported in the homeroom. Learners develop skills in formal and informal communication and the ability to use English in real-life situations. This approach provides reinforcement for all aspects of language learning.

All ELA teachers work by ‘scaffolding’ language development or providing the support a student needs as they progress. English Language Learners are also encouraged to write in their home language(s) and appropriately use devices to research in their home language(s). In the ELA and homeroom classes, the ELA teachers offer task specific language support.

Language Acquisition (French/Hindi/Marathi)

Learners in P1 or P2, who are not in ELA, will have Hindi sessions each week. From P3, a student who is not in ELA, will select to study either Hindi or French as an additional language. From 2020-2021, the P1 learners will have a Marathi lesson each week.

The Language Acquisition Curriculum:

• Supports learners in understanding that languages are communication tools and we use them as a part of our overall learning experience.
• Values translanguaging
• Relates to student’s day to day lives and are relevant to their ages and interests.

There will be different ability levels in the same class. The activities, teaching techniques and tasks are differentiated according to the ability of the learners.

Mathematics in the PYP is covered in 5 strands:

• Number
• Pattern and Function
• Data Handling
• Measurement
• Shape and Space

In number, learners inquire into number systems, their operations, patterns and functions. This is where learners become fluent in the language of arithmetic, as they learn to encode and decode its meaning, symbols and conventions. In data handling, measurement and shape and space, learners explore how to research, describe, represent and understand the world around them.

Through Mathematics learning engagements, learners explore problem solving, the language of mathematics and applying mathematical concepts to real-life situations. Whenever possible, Mathematics is taught through the relevant, realistic contexts in the units of inquiry.

In the PYP, Mathematics is viewed primarily as a vehicle to support inquiry, providing a global language through which we make sense of the world around us. It is intended that learners become competent users of the language of Mathematics and can begin to use it as a way of thinking, as opposed to seeing it as a series of facts and equations to be memorized. The power of Mathematics for describing and analysing the world around us can become a highly effective tool for solving problems.

Mathematics in the PYP has three key components:

• Constructing meaning about mathematics
• Transferring meaning into symbols
• Applying with understanding

Play and exploration have a vital role in the learning and application of mathematical knowledge, particularly for younger learners. Learners will be actively involved in a range of activities that can be free or directed. In planning the learning environment and experiences, teachers consider that young learners may need to revisit areas and skills many times before understanding can be reached.

Acknowledging that learning Mathematics is a developmental process, the Mathematics Scope and Sequence is a developmental continuum to assist teachers in planning Mathematics learning experiences for learners, and in monitoring learners’ development throughout the primary years.

Science provides opportunities for learners to engage in scientific investigations by making accurate observations, handling tools, recording and comparing data, and formulating explanations using their own scientific experiences and those of others. Learners will gain experience in testing their own assumptions and thinking critically about the perspectives of others in order to further develop their own ideas.

Science is integrated and taught through Units of Inquiry. The knowledge component of science is arranged into four strands:

Social studies allow learners to explore intercultural understanding and respect for individuals and their values and traditions. In social studies, learners explore how people: think, feel and act; how they interact with others; their beliefs and aspirations; the problems they have to face; how and where they live (or lived); how they interact with their environment; the work they do; and how they organize themselves.

Social studies is integrated and taught through Units of Inquiry. The knowledge component of social studies is arranged into five strands:

The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course, a flagship element in the Diploma Programme (DP), encourages critical thinking about knowledge itself, to try to help young people make sense of what they encounter. Its core content is questions like these: What counts as knowledge? How does it grow? What are its limits? Who owns knowledge? What is the value of knowledge? What are the implications of having, or not having, knowledge?

What makes TOK unique, and distinctively different from standard academic disciplines, is its process. At the centre of the course is the student as the knower. Students entering the DP typically have 16 years of life experience and more than 10 years of formal education behind them. They have accumulated a vast amount of knowledge, beliefs and opinions from academic disciplines and their lives outside the classroom. In TOK students have the opportunity to step back from this relentless acquisition of new knowledge, in order to consider knowledge issues. These include the questions already mentioned, viewed from the perspective of the student, but often begin from more basic ones, like: What do I claim to know [about X]? Am I justified in doing so [how?]? Such questions may initially seem abstract or theoretical, but TOK teachers bring them into closer focus by taking into account students’ interests, circumstances and outlooks in planning the course.

TOK activities and discussions aim to help students discover and express their views on knowledge issues. The course encourages students to share ideas with others and to listen to and learn from what others think. In this process students’ thinking and their understanding of knowledge as a human construction are shaped, enriched and deepened. Connections may be made between knowledge encountered in different DP subjects, in Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) experience or in Extended Essay (EE) research; distinctions between different kinds of knowledge may be clarified.

Because the subject matter of the course is defined in terms of knowledge issues, there is no end to the valid questions that may arise in a TOK course.

The Extended Essay (EE) is a compulsory, core component of the Diploma Programme (DP), consisting of a 4000 word, independent research project. The EE needs to be done in a very structured way, similar to the sort of work one would do for a thesis at university. It should be based on one of the DP subjects the student is studying which extends the scope of their studies by either going into more depth on a topic or researching a topic that is not covered in the syllabus. Students are introduced to the EE late in their DP1 year and are assigned a supervisor to assist them.

For:

• Group 1, the essay will be literature based and similar to their normal assignments.
• Group 2, their essay can be either language-based or culturally-based and has to be written in that language.
• Group 3, their essay needs to have a theme based in that subject.
• Group 4, their essay should be an experimental investigation.
• Group 5, they must be able to do the mathematics that they are writing about.
• Group 6, their essay needs to have a theme based in that subject.

For the EE there are criteria to be followed to do with the research methods and presentation. The subject students choose will determine how these criteria are applied to their essay. EE supervisors will give details of how these criteria are applied.

The Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) component of the International Baccalaureate (IB) is an integral part of the Diploma Programme (DP). Participation in CAS encourages students to be involved in creative pursuits, physical activities and service projects in the local, national and international context.

It takes seriously the importance of life outside the world of scholarship, requiring students to share their energies and special talents while developing awareness, concern and the ability to work cooperatively with others. CAS extends students. It develops a spirit of open-mindedness, lifelong learning, discovery and self-reliance. It inspires a sense of responsibility towards all members of the community. It encourages the development of attitudes and traits that will be respected by others, such as determination and commitment, initiative and empathy. The stress of the CAS programme is to create an atmosphere conducive to the development of the “informed heart” within each student. It is integral to the international education that the school offers and leads naturally from the Community and Service programme followed in the Middle Years Programme (MYP).

What is CAS?

CAS is a framework for experiential learning, designed to involve students in new roles. The emphasis is on learning by doing real tasks that have real consequences and then reflecting on these experiences over time. This process of doing and reflecting on the doing provides an excellent opportunity to extend what is learned in the classroom to a form of service. The most meaningful CAS experience comes from spending time with others to build relationships and develop the self-worth of both server and served. CAS should build self-esteem, self-confidence, autonomy and self-reliance.

Creativity
This aspect of CAS is interpreted as imaginatively as possible to cover a wide range of arts and other activities outside the normal curriculum which include creative thinking in the design and carrying out of service projects. Students will be engaged in group activities, and especially in new roles, wherever possible. Nevertheless, individual commitment to learning an art form is allowed, where it respects the requirements for all CAS activities: that goals are set and the student reflects on progress.

Activity
This aspect of CAS can include participation in expeditions, individual and team sports, and physical activities outside the normal curriculum; it also includes physical activity involved in carrying out creative and service projects. Activities may involve participation in sport or other activities requiring physical exertion—such as expeditions and camping trips, or developmental and environmental drives. Students should be encouraged towards group and team activities, and undertaking new roles, but an individual commitment is acceptable where the general requirements of CAS are met: goals are set and the student reflects on progress. Both creativity and activity can be enhanced by incorporating the service element.

Service
Service projects and activities are often the most transforming element of the Diploma Programme for the individual student; they have the potential to nurture and mould the global citizen. Service involves interaction, such as the building of links with individuals or groups in the community. The community may be the school, the local district, or it may exist on national and international levels (such as undertaking projects of assistance in a developing country). Service activities should not only involve doing things for others but also doing things with others and developing a real commitment with them. The relationship should therefore show respect for the dignity and self-respect of others. The three elements (Creativity, Action, and Service) of CAS are interwoven. The service element is the most significant, but the other two are very important as they provide access, balance, and flexibility to meet individual students’ interests and preferences. It is the interaction of them all that creates the richness of CAS. The whole of CAS is greater than the sum of its parts.

What is not CAS?

The spirit of CAS needs to be considered at all times. CAS should consist of an interesting variety of activities the student finds intrinsically worthwhile and rewarding, and which is mutually beneficial to the student and his or her community. Generally, CAS is not taking place when the student is in a passive rather than active role. There should be interaction. If the student is passive, nothing of real value, either for the student or for other people, results from what the student is doing; no real reflection is possible. In such circumstances the student will be able to meet the programme objectives only to a very limited extent.

Examples of activities which, at first sight, would appear to be inappropriate:

• Any class or activity or project which is already a part of the student’s Diploma Programme course.
• An activity for which a student is personally rewarded financially.
• Doing simple tedious and repetitive work, like returning school library books to shelves.
• Babysitting or tutoring.
• Working in an elderly or children’s home when the student has no idea of how the home operates or is just preparing food or has no contact with the elderly or children.
• A passive pursuit such as a visit to a museum, the theatre, art exhibition, concert or sports event, unless it clearly inspires work in a related activity in which a student is already engaged.
• All forms of duty within the family.
• Religious devotion and any activity which can be interpreted as proselytizing.
• Work experience which only benefits the student.
• Fundraising with no clearly defined end in sight.
• An activity where there is no leader or responsible adult on site.
• Activities that cause division among different groups in the community.
• An activity done in consecutive years with no ‘new task/challenge’ involved.

The Nature of science (NOS) is an overarching theme in the biology, chemistry and physics courses. This can be unpacked as:

1. What is science and what is the scientific endeavour?
   2. The understanding of science
   3. The objectivity of science
   4. The human face of science
   5. Scientific literacy and the public understanding of science

For all sciences courses previous knowledge is essential.

The Biology, Chemistry and Physics courses share a common structure. Students at standard level (SL) and higher level (HL) undertake a common core syllabus, a common internal assessment (IA) scheme and have some overlapping elements in the option studied. They are presented with a syllabus that encourages the development of certain skills, attributes and attitudes.

While the skills and activities of group 4 science subjects are common to students at both SL and HL, students at HL are required to study some topics in greater depth, in the additional higher level (AHL) material and in the common options. The distinction between SL and HL is one of breadth and depth.

The assessment pattern is the same for all Group 4 subjects. Written papers at the end of the course contribute 80 % of the final mark. The internal assessment requirements are the same for biology, chemistry and physics. The internal assessment, worth 20% of the final assessment, consists of one scientific investigation. The individual investigation should cover a topic that is commensurate with the level of the course of study.

The Biology, Chemistry and Physics courses share a common structure as each one is in 3 parts: a core of material that is studied at both Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL), additional material that is taken at HL only and options, of which two need to be studied at both SL and HL. The assessment pattern is the same for all Group 4 subjects. Written papers at the end of the course contribute 76% of the final mark. The remaining 24% is based on practical work, including fieldwork in some subjects, set and assessed internally by the subject teachers throughout the course, and subsequently moderated externally. As part of this internal assessment, all students studying either one or two group 4 subjects must take part in a cross-disciplinary Group 4 Project.

Biology
In Biology you will study not only the science of living organisms but also develop a broad understanding of the overarching principles of the subject. These principles are found in the four basic concepts that run through the course. The first concept concerns the fact that the structures present in living organisms are intimately integrated to their function. The second is the concept of evolution which is viewed as the major driving force behind organism diversity. The third concept explains that a dynamic equilibrium is essential for the continuity of life at both ends of the Biological scale from the smallest bacterium to the ecosystems in which we live. The last concept focuses on the idea that whilst many molecules, processes and structures are common to many organisms, these organisms are nevertheless of such a mind-blowing diversity as to make their direct comparison almost impossible to begin. We offer Biology HL & SL.

Chemistry
In Chemistry students will, through academic study and investigational skills, study materials, their properties and the conversion of these materials through a variety of reactions. Although Chemistry is a subject worthy of its own study, it is often a prerequisite for a lot of other science courses in higher education: it is essential for those who wish to study Medicine, Pharmacy, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology. We offer Chemistry HL & SL

Physics
Physics is a subject of enormous breadth. In physics students will seek explanations to the universe itself. Physics enables us to alter our surroundings – to build bridges, launch satellites and make delicate instruments for microsurgery. It has given us the internet and advances in sports equipment and medical imaging. It may also provide the answers to the big issues facing the world in the 21st century, such as the shortage of world energy resources and climate change. We offer Physics HL & SL.

Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS)
Students will be able to study this course successfully with no specific previous knowledge of science or geography. ESS is a transdisciplinary course which complies with the requirements of both group 3 and group 4. Thus, it widens a student’s choice of subjects. As it is only offered at Standard Level (SL), it is not a qualification for university entry. Rather, it should be looked on as an asset. The prime intent of this course is to provide students with a coherent perspective of the interrelationships between environmental systems and societies. This will enable them to adopt an informed personal response to the wide range of pressing environmental issues that they will inevitably come to face. The students would be able to analyse their own relationship with their environment and understand the significance of choices and decisions they make in their own lives. This course aims to foster an international perspective and awareness of local and global environmental concerns. Environmental Systems and Societies is a Standard Level course only.

While all of the Individuals and Societies courses may be taken without previous knowledge, previous study will certainly be helpful.

Business Management
The course examines business decision-making processes in marketing, production, human resource management and finance and how these decisions have an impact and are affected by internal and external environments. It studies the way individuals and groups interact in an organisation and how resources are transformed within an international perspective. The aims of this course focus on the development of critical, analytical thinking in the context of a dynamic business environment. Business and Management is case study-centered and based on real business examples. Students who do well are able to put together an argument as to why things happen and justify solutions to business scenarios. We offer Business Management at HL & SL.

History
Who caused World War One? Was Hitler a successful dictator? Why did Mao launch the Cultural Revolution? Did the atom bomb defeat Japan? History at IB level is about questions and argument. Challenge your teachers, attack the theories of other historians and build up knowledge of the dramatic events that radically altered man’s existence during the Twentieth Century. The internally assessed coursework (25%) gives students the opportunity to research a topic of their own choice, to develop personal conclusions and perhaps even to criticise accepted historical ideas. Not only is the subject itself enjoyable but it also allows them to develop skills which are highly sought after by employers. The ability to compile information, work out thorough responses and write convincing argument is paramount to many types of career from business to law or marketing. We offer History at HL & SL.

Economics

The study of economics is essentially about dealing with scarcity, resource allocation and the methods and processes by which choices are made in the satisfaction of human wants. As a social science, economics uses scientific methodologies that use quantitative and qualitative elements.

The IB Diploma Programme economics course emphasizes the economic theories of microeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting individuals, firms and markets, and the economic theories of macroeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting countries, governments and societies.

These economic theories are not to be studied in a vacuum—rather; they are to be applied to real-world issues. Prominent among these issues are fluctuations in economic activity, international trade, economic development and environmental sustainability. We offer Economics at HL & SL.