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REFLECTION

Looking back at my CAS, I realize how much I’ve grown not only as a student but also as a person. Through all the activities I’ve done — drawing, painting, tutoring, playing badminton, skiing, dancing, volunteering — I’ve developed new skills, stepped out of my comfort zone, and learned more about myself and how I engage with others.

One of the most meaningful experiences was tutoring. At first, I thought it would be easy since I’m confident in math myself, but I quickly realized that teaching is very different from just knowing the material. I had to figure out how to explain concepts clearly and find different ways to approach problems when my first explanation didn’t make sense to them. Tutoring has taught me a lot about patience, communication, and understanding that everyone learns differently. It also gave me a sense of responsibility, knowing that I was helping someone improve in a subject they found challenging.

Another important part of CAS for me was creativity, which I explored through visual arts. Creating a mural for my CAS project was an especially valuable experience because it combined creative expression with collaboration. We had to plan, design, and execute the project together, making decisions as a team and learning to compromise. I also learned practical skills like preparing surfaces and working with materials like acrylics and varnish, but most importantly, I saw how art can make a real impact in public spaces. However, drawing and painting were also extremely important for my self growth. Art being one o& my hobbies but also one of my future career choices, plays a crucial role in my life, hence it is importantly to work on it as much as possible.

On the activity side, skiing has always been a part of my life, but reflecting on it through CAS made me see it differently. I realized how much it teaches me about perseverance, focus, and resilience. Every time I challenge myself with a harder slope, I’m reminded of the importance of pushing limits but also respecting them. Dancing has been a fun way to combine creativity and activity. Since I have a background in ballet, the movements came naturally, but working on group choreographies pushed me to pay more attention to synchronization and teamwork. Moreover, trying new dance types, such as folk dancing, made me step out of my comfort zone and expand both m6 skills and knowledge.

Overall, CAS has helped me grow in many ways. It encouraged me to balance creativity, activity, and service, and gave me experiences that I know will stay with me beyond school.

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Evidence of reflection on significant CAS experiences

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Evidence of recognizing and considering the ethics of choices and actions (LO7)

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Evidence of engagement with issues of global significance (LO6)

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Evidence of demonstrating the skills and recognizing the benefits of working collaboratively (LO5)

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Evidence of commitment and perseverance in CAS experiences (LO4)

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Evidence of initiating and planning a CAS experience (LO3)

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Evidence of undertaking new challenges and developing new skills in the process (LO2)

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Evidence of identification of strengths and areas for personal growth (LO1)

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EVIDENCE FOR COMPLETING CAS PROJECT

Title: Environmental Awareness Mural

Project Planning: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MhMbQWanTO8JokZD4A0x6Fnrgd3HIQldtfHs-QDbp_E/edit

Action: https://www.tumblr.com/zulaswiderska/777492545697710080/cas-project-action

Reflection: https://www.tumblr.com/zulaswiderska/777493121683554304/cas-project-reflection

Demonstration: https://www.tumblr.com/lucja-olszanska/776634518637592576/cas-project-demostration

Investigation: https://www.tumblr.com/lucja-olszanska/776634285165838336/cas-project-investigation

Preparation: https://www.tumblr.com/lucja-olszanska/776634351674966016/cas-project-preparation

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CREATIVITY (FEBRUARY)

As I have recently started drawing with coloured pencils I decided to slightly step out of my comfort zone and complete a portrait sketch using a tether unusual combination of colours. I used mostly yellow and blue, but also some purple, which acted as a link between those two. I wanted to focus more on expression rather than detail, while still capturing the facial features of a person accurately. I decided to work with a portrait - as I am rather good at those, to kind of build the use of new forms of expression around something familiar, for more comfort and ease in creating the sketch.

One of the most interesting parts of this process was figuring out how different colors interact. I used mostly blue and yellow, which are highly contrasting colours, to build the expressive relationship between highlights and shadows.

I am very happy with the outcome, as I think I did a great job picking out the colours and blending them together in order to create an illusion of depth.

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SERVICE (FEBRUARY)

As I continue tutoring a high school student in math, I’m starting to understand more about the challenges of teaching. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that just knowing the material myself isn’t enough—I have to figure out the best way to explain it in a way that makes sense to someone else. Sometimes, what seems obvious to me isn’t clear to them, so I’ve had to be more patient and creative in how I break things down.

Recently we’ve been working on dividing quadratic equations. It is a rather simple concept, however, tricky in terms of all the smaller calculations. It is easy to make small or stupid mistakes, hence it is important to learn how to avoid them. I tried to guide my student through the process of solving those problems and ask him leading questions, instead of giving him answers.

This experience has also made me more aware of my own learning habits. Explaining concepts forces me to think more deeply about them, and in some cases, I’ve even found new ways to approach problems myself.

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ACTIVITY (FEBRUARY)

This time, I also focused on skiing in different conditions. Some days, the snow was perfect—soft and powdery—making it easier to carve and build up speed. But on icier runs, I had to be much more mindful of my edges and adjust my stance to avoid slipping. I also realized how exhausting skiing can be when you’re on the slopes all day, so endurance and pacing are just as important as technique.

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ACTIVITY (FEBRUARY)

Skiing has been a big part of my life, and going on ski trips every year has helped me develop both skill and confidence on the slopes. Recently, I’ve been pushing myself to take on more challenging slopes and work on perfecting my turns, especially on icy or steeper sections. Beyond the physical aspect, skiing has also taught me patience and perseverance. There are days when conditions aren’t ideal, however I manage to get past that.

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SERVICE (FEBRUARY)

This time we continued our revision. One of the biggest challenges for me was recognizing when they don’t understand something, especially when they hesitate to admit it. I’ve learned to ask guiding questions rather than just giving answers, which encourages them to think critically. My student has definitely progressed, although there’s still some room for improvement from both sides.

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CREATIVITY (FEBRUARY)

Recently I finalised one of my live model drawings. It took me two drawing classes and some extra work at home. This is my first fully finished live model drawing. The biggest challenge for me was to commit to a task and actually finish the artwork. I can see my skills improving, as I am able to work faster than I used to, while keeping the same good quality of a drawing. I am satisfied with the outcome and all in all I think I did a good job.

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ACTIVITY (JANUARY)

In my folk dancing classes we’ve recently been focusing on group choreographies. The physical aspect of the dances hasn’t been too difficult for me, but adjusting to the different style and energy has been interesting. Working on group choreographies has been particularly fun because it requires coordination and synchronization with others. It’s not just about individual technique but also about cooperation and making it work as a group.