Community Service

Cedar International School secondary students are continuously involved with Community Service. It is a fundamental and essential component of the IB curriculum. Cedar International School has two service programs; one for MYP students in grades 6-10, and another for students in grades 11 and 12.

Service as Action (SA) – MYP Students, grades 6 – 10

In keeping with its goal of educating the whole person and its mission “to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world,” the International Baccalaureate Organization has integrated Service as Action into its international curriculum. Cedar International School requires that IB MYP students in grades 6 to 10 complete a set number of credits over the course of the academic year in the area of service to the community. This important requirement fosters experiential learning beyond the confines of the classroom and encourages students to become involved in school-based extra- curricular activities as well as local, national, and international service projects.
Students are required to obtain credits based on specific activities. The credit value pertaining to these activities is outlined in the SA handbook (download available at the bottom of this page). All service credits for grade 6-9 must be completed by 20th May, 2016. The grade 10 deadline is 1st May, 2016.

• Grade 6 and 7 students are required to obtain 10 credits.
• Grade 8 and 9 students are required to obtain 15 credits.
• Grade 10 students are required to obtain 25 credits.

SA Philosophy and Aims

Service activities should evolve beyond doing for others to engaging with others in a shared commitment towards the common good. Meaningful service requires understanding of an underlying issue such as poverty, literacy or pollution, and authenticating the need for this service. Meaningful service includes interaction, such as building links with individuals or groups in the community. To align with the general principle that the rights, dignity and autonomy of all those involved in service are respected means that identification of needs towards which a service activity will be directed has to involve prior communication and full consultation with the community or individual concerned. This approach, based on a collaborative exchange, maximizes the potential benefits for all the people involved, including learning opportunities for students as they develop and strengthen communication abilities.

(Taken from MYP: Principles into Practice 2015)

At Cedar, students not only gain knowledge and experience from participating in external service projects but are also exposed to the 5 stages of Service Learning within the classroom, the curriculum and the community. These essential and interdependent stages of Investigation, Research, Action, Reflection and Demonstration are supported and implemented by teachers in the classroom in all subject groups on a variety of pertinent service topics, explicitly connected to the Global Contexts of Identities and Relationships, Orientation in Space and Time, Personal and Cultural expression, Scientific and Technical Innovation, Globalisation and Sustainability and Fairness and Development. While the 5 stages model is heavily supported in MYP by teachers, once students reach Diploma level, they are expected to be able to demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience using the service learning model as part of their CAS programme and portfolio.

Creativity Activity Service (CAS) DP Students, grades 11 – 12

The IBO and Cedar International School require that IB and Cedar Diploma students in grades 11 and 12 complete an 18 month programme in CAS, carrying out activities and experiences relating to Creativity, Activity and Service, ideally once per week. This important part of the DP core fosters experiential learning beyond the confines of the classroom and encourages students to become involved in creative pursuits, physical activities, as well as with local, national, and international service projects.

CAS Philosophy and Aims

CAS enables and inspires each student to develop a spirit of discovery and initiative that has real benefits and consequences. It asks students to challenge themselves, to stretch beyond their personal limits, and to share their talents and energies with others.

CAS encourages students to discover and develop new skills and interests, take risks and develop a sense of responsibility and personal commitment to doing what they can to improve the world around them. It prepares students to participate in, and contribute to, the international community by fostering the development of shared values and attitudes that transcend issues of politics, religion, class, race and gender. In short, CAS is designed to encourage students to be more active and committed citizens, be giving of themselves and to foster a sense of balance in their own lives.