Reflection Templates (DP IB Creativity, Activity, Service): Revision Note

How can students structure their CAS reflections?

The five-step reflection template

There is no single required format—choose a structure you can use consistently

• A useful structure some students use is

  • Describe → Reflect → Analyse → Connect to outcomes → Next steps

1. Describe—retell the memorable moments of the particular CAS experience you are reflecting on

   • Identify what was important, influential, or difficult during the activity

2. Reflect—articulate your responses

   • Link to moods, feelings, and emotional responses

   • Express how you felt during the experience, such as being excited, sad, or frustrated

3. Analyse—re-examine your choices and actions to gain deeper insight

   • Use TOK questions to move beyond simple description

   • Explore why the experience mattered and what it revealed about you or the world

4. Connect to outcomes—link the experience to one or more of the seven learning outcomes

   • Provide evidence that you have met a specific goal, such as showing perseverance or working collaboratively

5. Next steps—consider how this experience will influence your future actions

   • Identify how you might use prior learning in new and different contexts

Comparison of reflection quality

• Strong reflections are:

  • Honest and personal—sharing real thoughts rather than what you think a teacher wants to hear

  • Surprising—Shows a clear shift in thinking, a specific learning point, or a meaningful insight

  • Evaluative—considering the impact of the experience on you as a learner

  • Insightful—explaining the "why" behind your choices and their consequences

• Weak reflections are:

  • Descriptive only—providing a simple summary of what happened without any analysis

  • Forced—written only to please someone else or to "tick a box"

  • Predictable—following a formula without showing any genuine growth or change in perspective

  • Vague—failing to link clearly to the learning outcomes or the IB learner profile

Examples of depth and quality

• A weak example—"I went to the library to help a younger student with their French homework. We practiced verbs for an hour. I felt happy that I could help them get their work done"

  • This reflection is a basic summary that lacks evidence of personal growth or overcoming a challenge

  • It is mainly descriptive and lacks emotional or analytical depth

• A strong example—"While tutoring a younger student in French, I noticed they were becoming frustrated with grammar rules. I had to practice perseverance (LO4) to remain patient and creative to design a game that made the rules more engaging. This experience made me reflect on my own learning style; I realised that I often avoid difficulties rather than finding alternative strategies, which is an area for growth I need to address (LO1)"

  • This reflection shows growth—the development of new skills or a change in perspective during a task

  • It is insightful because it identifies a specific challenge, a reasoned action, and an emotional response (a discovery about the student's own character)

• A deep insight example—A student visiting a lonely elderly lady reflects: "At first I found it difficult to make her smile... I noticed a change in her during our interaction... I realised how loneliness affects the human psyche"

  • This reflection adds perspective and connects a local experience to a larger social issue