CAS Project: Promoting IB

Started: 4.12.2014
Ended: 4.12.2014

Supervisor: Jukka Valtanen

Learning outcome: Increased your awareness of your own strengths and areas for growth.
Duration: 2 hours. 

In this task I went to my Junior High School to tell about the IB and see if any junior high school student would be interested. Many student in Finland don't know about the IB and thus we do this so called ''promoting''. I took the task because I like IB very much, but I also wanted to improve my presentation and interaction skills. During the task I was able to interact with the junior high students and with my two other IB friends, who came with me to present IB. 

My goal was to present IB as well as I could and learn to behave more naturally in front of a crowd. I knew from previous experience that I'm usually nervous when I give presentations so I tried to control this aspect during the task. Furthermore I think it's crucial to learn how to behave naturally when giving presentations, because this is a skill that I definitely will need in the future. I tried to achieve these goals by being as relaxed as possible during the presentation and thinking the people in the audience as my friends. 

All in all I think the presentation went quite well and it the people in my group, including me, enjoyed giving the presentation. I think the presentation developed my interaction skills, as I've noticed that I'm now more relaxed and more natural in front of an audience. I've noticed also that being relaxed during the presentation also helps me to get better grades from them, so this task has not helped me just only to improve my presentation skills, but also my school grades. 

CAS Project: Night school

Started 7.2.2014

Supervisor: Juha Vänttinen

Learning outcome: Showing perseverance and commitment
Duration: 12 hours. 

Every year our school divides 2nd graders into small groups, in which they have to organized a given event. I was put in a group for the annual 2nd graders' night school. I like to engage myself in these kind of activities, so I took the lead of the group and handled delegation of tasks and making sure that everything was on schedule. The task demanded good communication skills and ability to make decisions. In addition I had to schedule meetings with other members and pull the group together. Therefore this task developed my perseverance and commitment. Moreover I learned that in order to organize an event, even as small as this one, one needs to contact many authorities and inform many people, such as teachers, parents, students, cleaning staff and IT-staff. This was something new to me, since I have never organized this type of event.

I like organizing events and for this reason the task was quite enjoyable for me. It brought 2nd graders together and the 2nd graders got a chance to get to know each other better. The positive feedback that I got from the students and the teachers after the event has made me happy. All in all I think the event was a success and it made the school atmosphere among 2nd graders better.

CAS Project: IB Cruise 2012

Started 23.9.2012

Supervisor: Steven Hall

Learning outcome: Considered the ethical implications of your actions
Duration: 2 hours. 

After boarding the boat IB students we asked to gather in this one restaurant. In that restaurant we pondered in groups in what ways can we slow down climate change. We discussed about to what extent is it ethical to order people to live their lives according to best interest of Earth. 

I learned that global warming is causing our climate change but it is not known is the climate change due to Earth itself or human change. We discussed that humans have a great impact on Earth, but we should also remember how small and insignificant we are. I realized that answering ethical questions is not that easy, since everyone seem to have slightly different views of ethics.

CAS Project: Art's Diploma

Started 1.10.2012

Will end when the last course (5th course) is finished.

Supervisor: Hanna Lehtilä-Lehto

Learning outcome: Developed new skills
Hours done so far: 120 hours

Arts has been my passion for many years. Still never I have had time to focus on it. However taking this as a CAS project allowed me to find time for it from my schedule. So far it has been great. I never knew I was able to do all the things that I've done during the courses. I've done from normal drawing to taking snowy pictures in my wardrobe. 

What I've learned is that art truly lets you to be free. In arts nothing limits you, and you can let your imagination run wild. It has in a way freed me from all the scientific studies in IB and it offers a great break for heavy theory based lessons. So far everything has been great.

CAS Project: The Old Dances

Started 1.2.2013

Supervisor: Klaus Sellman
Learning outcome: Undertaken new challenges
Duration: 35 hours

This course was fun. I've always wanted to learn how to dance, but haven't had the time to learn it. During this course we learned a lot of different choreographs for different dance styles. We had 2 lessons every week, but during the last week we had practices that lasted for the whole day. At the end of the course we danced at Messukeskus in front of a real audience. It was a real blast!


During this course I've learned that also dancing, as other skills, are mostly hard work. Somehow I've always thought that to be a dancer, you need to have the gift. Now that I have a new skill that I never thought I would have, I'm more encouraged to undertake new challenges. Learning something new is indeed quite exciting! 

CAS Project: Student Council

Started: 10.10.2012

Will end after Christmas Holiday on third year of High School.

Supervisor: Sanna Vierimaa
Learning outcome: Showing perseverance and commitment

Hours done so far: 30 hours

I applied last year for being a member of the Student Council and i was accepted in. I felt this was and it is a great way to affect your community (in this case the school community). We have had many meetings last year, but I will record  CAS hours only during my actual IB years.

This year we have organized so called ''Election panel'' to our school. We have also organized flea market for recycling old school books. During meetings we have talked about what how we should deal with certain school things (soda drink machines, recycling, raising awareness of Student Council and etc.).

So far I have learned how to work in a group and to take responsibility of your actions. Every decision we make in Student Council meetings affect the school community. I have also learned how to organize events and how to inform about them. I think these skills will become extremely useful in future.  

CAS Project: Math tutoring

Started 18.10.2012
Will end when High School ends.

Supervisor: Päivi Karhu and Ollijuhani Kärki
Learning outcome: Planned and initiated activities
Hours done so far: 15 hours

I hadn't originally planned to do this project, but since many of my friends asked maths tutoring from me, I decided to help them.

I have mainly taught students from our school's mathematical studies group. They are doing statistics right now and since my group already had it last spring, I had knowledge to help them.

I have noticed that even though some calculations may seems to so simple, for others, it can be the most complex thing ever and vice versa. This has taught me to be really patience and go slowly step by step. I've also come to understand that now everyone sees the same thing in the same way as you do.

In the spring I took under my wing one eight grader from our school. We had maths lesson once in a week and before these lessons I would discuss with his teacher and plan what kind of topics I need to cover during the tutoring lessons. Now in the autumn I've started tutoring my friend for the Math Studies finals and I've planned these lessons carefully, so we'll have time to go through all the topics that my friend needs help with.

I've learned that being a teacher is not an easy task. It takes a lot of free time to plan all the studies and handouts that you will give. Also planning what topics and how will the topics be covered takes a lot of time. I've come to appreciate my teacher's work so much more.