June 2020 Edition Artwork By: Rosario Pallares - Fundación Colegio Americano Quito
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Artwork By: Rosario Pallares June 2020 Edition
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Contents
+ Academics / Académico 8 How has Online School Changed Class Dynamics
10 Focus and Studying During Quarantine
14 Consejos para ser más organizado/a
2019
16 Aiming for Finland
18 The Fool-Proof System
Entrevista a Lucrecia Maldonado y Juan Francisco Borja:
20
Su experiencia en el Colegio Americano
Summarizing the Personal Project and Interviewing Kara
24
Latourell, the MYP Coordinator
7th Graders Career Interests and how can School Support
28
Them
3
30 Programa de verano
32 What is the Best Electronic Device for Students to Buy?
+ Culture / Cultura 36 Nuestra mascota el Diablito
38 Lo positivo de Carnaval
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
40 Carnaval 2020- Experiencias de este año
42 Entrega de chompas
44 Drama: Un club subestimado
46 Dress Code: Good or Bad?
52 What is it like teaching at Colegio Americano as a Foreigner?
Susan Williams: A Whole Career Dedicated to Colegio
54
Americano
Artwork By: Ignacio Vela
Orchids in Quarantine
Acrylics on wood June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 3
Contents
58 Cartoon Contest
Why You Should Try out These Video Games During Quar-
60
antine
2018
2019
+ Coronavirus 64 El Coronavirus desde una perspectiva profesional
Education in the 21st Century: The Uncertain Future of
66
Students
68 The What?
70 20 Things to do During Quarantine
Salud física y mental de los adolescentes durante la cuar-
+ Health / Salud 72
entena
76 How You Can Stay In Shape During Quaranitne
4 5
El valor emocional de la música para superar los momentos
78
difíciles
How the Power of Gratitude Can Help Us Survive Confine-
80
ment
82 Our Mission
83 Club Members
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
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Artwork By: Cayetana Moncayo
The Serene Studio
Acrylics on cork June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 5
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www.alexkoin.com 2018
June 2020 | School Views
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Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui. 2019
fcaq.k12.ec 7
Academics / Académico Maria Paula Andrade
How has online school
changed the dynamics of
2018
2019
classes?
With a global pandemic going around, the whole world has been forced to
adapt to a new lifestyle where everything happens at home. Students and teachers are Virtual IB Art Gallery
discovering new ways to continue with school, but it’s not that easy for either of them.
We have seen many of our own friends and family on social media comment about the
situation, but how is it affecting teachers and their plans? To answer this, I interviewed How are you dealing with quizzes How can students help make the
and tests? class work better?
Zachary: With quizzes, I have been generating Zachary: Respect, responsibility, and honesty.
What is the aspect of your class that changed What are the differences between the work questions that lead students to reflect on either I am extremely proud of how our students have
the most during online school? your students do before and after online their personal art-making processes or individual been dealing with online school, and a lot of the
school started? research. This has helped me to monitor student credit goes to how well they have internalized the
8 Zachary: The ability to use physical examples Zachary: I have seen many very fine examples of understanding as well as providing source mate- 3 values mentioned before. If students are re- 9
that I have carefully collected has changed my art student work since online school started. On the rial for the students' Process Portfolios. "Tests" spectful, complete all the assignments on time,
class quite a bit, as well as being able to com- whole, for some strange reason, it seems like art- have been projects and also parts of larger IB and honestly try to learn in the process, their suc-
ment directly and spontaneously on student de- works are improving in-depth, it is great! Also, col- assessment projects called the Process Portfolio cess is pretty much assured.
velopment of projects. In the physical classroom, lecting all activities has become less messy, the and Comparative Study, both of which have very
I was able to have many resources on hand and activity is either done and submitted into Class- detailed rubrics.
I could switch between a physical example and a room or it is not (I am using Classroom much
digital example more easily than now. Regarding more). Juan Pablo: Honor system. Like traditional home- Juan Pablo: I think this online circumstance that
commenting and suggesting ideas to students, I work, there is not a lot you can do about students we are part of is allowing us all to have many op-
feel now that students have to rely more on their Juan Pablo: I would say it is very similar. Not a lot helping each other, or asking for external help, so portunities to be introspective. With introspection
own creativity because I cannot always be right of differences. the same rationale works for quizzes and tests comes self-reliance and the ability to find one's
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
there to give my ideas and suggestions or encour- during online school. I trust students to work indi- "own path". I would say that this has already
agements to take an idea to a new level. vidually, and that their work reflects their own un- helped in forcing us to find personal motivations
derstanding of the material. However, in order to to do our best, to carry on, and to make the best
Juan Pablo: Definitely the interaction with stu- create a safe testing environment too, I random- of an awful situation. Make class work better by
dents. There has been a very interesting dynamic ize questions or ask different parallels different being you.
going on. I feel that through online school, certain questions. I also like to ask analytic questions, in
students have been more present and participa- which answers have to be different.
tion has gone up, but for others, the inability to
ask questions in the moment and the teacher It is clear that the impact of online learning varies depending on the class. For Zachary,
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being present there to answer them has been the class was very interactive and it used a lot of different materials that were explored
hurting academic proficiency. In Math, this is par- as a class in school. For Juan Pablo, the class dynamic hasn’t changed as much since the
ticularly crucial because of the different rhythms work depends on each student’s speed and capability. However, it has been a challenge for
students work in, and being in the classroom defi- every teacher to adapt to these new circumstances the current situation has brought and we
nitely helps support all learning styles. should know as students why it’s crucial for us to help make the class environment work.
Simona Larrea Ferro
The Simple Studio
Digital Art (Procreate) June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 9
Academics / Académico Fabiana Urbina
Here are some tips on how to focus and study
during the quarantine.
Focus and Studying
During Quarantine
Plan your study time Review your notes
2018
2019
Although it sounds a little boring, this can be a By reviewing everything you have learned this will
great ally when organizing. Ideally, create a calen- help you understand the way you learn. You can
Due to the Covid-19 crisis, most of the world’s people have been affected by this global problem. dar or write an agenda for your activities daily. It do different activities to see everything learned.
Many people have had to change their habits and most classes have had to take place on online can be the classes you are going to have or sim- This will help you improve at all times.
platforms. Due to this many students have not been able to concentrate at home as they used to do at ply the things you have to do for the day.
school and this has had negative effects on their grades, learning, and future. Thanks to technology,
there are effective methods we can all use to communicate, making the situation less difficult.
Have a suitable place of study
Understand how online platforms work with the
right devices Personally, I think that this tip is one of the most
important because the place where you study can
Virtual classes have many advantages such as affect your concentration. If it is a place where
being able to study in any comfortable place, but you are distracted or you are tempted to do other
10 something you have to take into account is un- activities, you better get out of there. The space 11
derstanding the platform on which you study. If where you work has to be comfortable and quiet,
you are not confident or have many questions, make sure there are no distractions in your device
let people know or seek advice from someone or in your environment.
who can help you. By understanding how virtual
classes run you can feel much more confident in
your classes. Another thing that is very important
when attending classes is having the ideal device. Create quarantine habits
This is essential if you want a good internet con-
nection and achieve progress in your classes. As difficult as it may seem, it benefits us a lot.
Having a habit allows us to organize and be more
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
productive during the day. This is highly recom-
mended for those who have difficulties with the
Set goals for the day current situation. There are many habits where
we can preserve our mental and physical health.
When studying, it is necessary to set your priori- Many of these habits can be exercising, eating
ties and objectives. Make a list of the things you healthy, meditating and even things that have al-
have to do. It can be completing a task or under- ready been mentioned, such as making goals for
standing a topic you have learned. They do not the day.
have to be very complex objectives, they can be
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very basic; This will help you progress without any
problem and improve when studying.
Maria Paula Almeida, The Thoughtful Studio Watercolors and Photography June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 11
Academics / Académico Fabiana Urbina
Do the worst things first Take a time for you
Doing the things we like the least may sound hor- By studying for many hours our concentration
2018
2019
rible, but there are many reasons why this isn't so and attitude will decrease. That's why taking time
bad. When you finish the most difficult part, you for yourself will clear your mind and help you
get more motivation in your next activity that you focus better, get more energy and creativity, so
have to do. Everything else will be much easier don’t forget to take frequent breaks!. A five minute
and you will save time and stress from the last walk outside if you have access will help refresh
favorite activity. your mind.
Don't be afraid to ask Be positive
Ask as many times as you want. If you have Motivation is something that keeps us on our
doubts about the subject, do not hesitate to ask feet. Although there are difficult moments, hav-
your teacher or friends. This allows us not to fall ing a good attitude will help us get through those
12 behind and make progress on the subject with- moments and we will have a good influence in 13
out fear of doubt. Not speaking up when you’re our actions. In this way we will focus better and
stuck or unsure will only make catching up more achieve many things.
difficult!
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
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Painting credit:
Felipe Ribadeneira
Simba
Oil and Canvas
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 13
Finalmente, tips para que puedas mejorar el trabajo
Academics / Académico Andrey Ortega
Tiempo:
Ten una alarma que te ayude a despertar a una hora adecuada, manejo del tiempo necesario para
Consejos para ser más
alistarse y atender a clases. La hora debe ser personalizada para que se ajuste al horario.
organizado/a Lugar de trabajo:
2018
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Necesitas elegir un lugar cómodo que te permita estudiar con calma. Se sugiere que sea espacioso y
silencioso para que no se escuche el ambiente cerca de ti, en la videollamada. Puede ser un escritorio,
¿No te ha pasado que te olvidaste de un trabajo y lo completas a media noche? ¿O también con lámpara (para la visibilidad), y cerca de un enchufe (para cargadores de dispositivos). Si escoges
que te pasas buscando el cuaderno de la clase de matemáticas por toda la casa porque tu cama, estás equivocado, porque ésta te mantendrá cansado y somnoliento.
necesitas escribir las operaciones del slide que no mandan al classroom? Y la pregunta
sería, ¿acaso hay una manera de cambiar esto? Bueno para estos y otros problemas,
existe una solución eficaz: la organización. Siguiendo un orden es más fácil completar,
recibir, hacer trabajos y cualquier otra cosa. Los Materiales:
Tener todos los materiales cerca para utilizarlos en el momento indicado. Por ejemplo: Poner todos
los materiales en la mochila ó se pueden poner los materiales cerca del escritorio (en los cajones, en
Algunos beneficios de ser una persona cartucheras, organizadores para cuadernos, o a los lados del escritorio para tener espacio a la hora
14 de trabajar en el medio). Y aunque nadie puede ir al salón de clase, es solo para saber dónde está 15
organizada: ubicado todo.
Saber dónde están los objetos que se necesita como cuadernos, hojas, carpetas,
+ calculadora, libros, esferos o lápices, etc.
Anotaciones:
+ Ser consciente de todos los trabajos o proyectos que se deben hacer.
Apuntar cualquier trabajo que envíen para no olvidarlo. Se recomienda poner algunas especificaciones,
Organizar el tiempo para completar la tarea (tener un horario específico para acabarlo
+ por ejemplo).
como la fecha de entrega, en qué consiste la tarea, o el nivel de importancia/dificultad/prioridad. Una
vez acabes el trabajo, puedes subrayar o poner una señal de que está finalizado.
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
+ Saber priorizar los trabajos. ¿Cuál es el más urgente?
Lugar para Anotar:
Elige el formato que más te parezca cómodo y fácil. Algunas opciones serían: En una libreta u hojas,
en el teléfono, en la computadora o en Post Its. Algunas aplicaciones que se pueden usar (si decide
anotarlo en algún dispositivo electrónico) podrían ser Google Calendar, S Planner (Samsung), Recor-
Isabella Bravo datorios (Iphone)..
With Open Eyes
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Collage En conclusión, ser organizado te ayudará a mejorar no solo tu manera de completar trabajos, sino
también a mejorar tu estilo de vida en algo menos complejo y más fácil para aprovechar tu tiempo.
Probablemente esto te ayudará a que formes hábitos más positivos que ayuden en vida. Ahora la
verdadera pregunta sería ¿Realmente serás más organizado/a para tener una vida más simplifica-
da?
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 15
Academics / Académico Andrea Tamara Aliyev
Aiming for Finland
2018
2019
I HATE homework!!! It is an absurd and unnecessary task. Children work very hard at school
for more than eight hours, five days a week, ten months each year, where quizzes, lessons, essays,
research, etc., are constant; it can be an overwhelming experience. Work should be done at school,
not at home. It is there where we go to learn and obtain our formal knowledge. Furthermore, home
is where we obtain a different type of knowledge: values, moral and human interaction away
from school. Additionally, this is the time to relax and do other activities that not only entertain
us but promote other skills. I understand that our priority as kindergarteners, kids, and teenagers
is to study; although, human growth extends far beyond school. Teachers tend to send heavy Macarena Arias
loads of homework without considering how late we arrive home, especially on weekends and Transitions
holidays. Well, I know I could be biased towards this topic; however, I know for a fact that many Mixed Media
types of research not only align with my opinion but prove the negative impact of homework. According to the graf, Finland ranks Homework has been an issue that stu-
number one. After reviewing various studies and dents constantly protest. As scientific research
strong evidence, it is safe to say that homework develops and outstanding, palpable results are
can stress children and have a negative impact. evident, we should start viewing homework from
16 In a study conducted by Stanford Professor Denise Pope, where 4,317 students Although, I am not only basing my argument on a different perspective and question the result we 17
participated from top-ten-performing high schools in California. Pope examined how the research, but also from personal experience. Af- want to achieve. Is life all about science and aca-
amount of homework affects student well-being and stress. “Out of those 4,317 students, she ter spending hours at school behind a desk solv- demics, or are we forgetting to put some soul and
discovered that 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress. ing problems, reading books, writing essays, one common sense into our future? Is it normal and
Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to just wants to go home and rest. Bombarding stu- healthy to fall asleep very late and wake up very
get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not dents with homework only exhausts the child, ne- early without being able to do any other activity
a stressor.” While, professor Cathy Vatterott, from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, claims glecting their necessity to rest and take a mental but homework? Were teachers not students also?
that the "10-minute rule" should be the maximum amount of homework sent to all students. break from school work. Unfortunately, the older If you can relate to this feeling and understand
you get, the more homework you receive. the science behind what I am saying, I hope you
join me in this effort for a positive change: NO
Secondly, abundant homework can alter MORE HOMEWORK!
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
Furthermore, Finland is first place on The Global Education rank which is based on eating schedules and diets, reduce the amount of
student's performance in tests that cover writing, language, reading, math, and surveys that sleep, and neglect exercise. These create both a
evaluate the emotional state of students at school -- their students are the best in the world. negative physical and mental impact. Students
Finnish policy to achieve this position was to allow children to expand their learning away from under constant periods of stress tend to forget to
the classrooms. According to the Krista Kiuru, Minister of Education in Finland, students do not eat well. Also, time constraint reduces the possi-
have homework because “they should have more time to be kids, to be youngsters, to enjoy life”. bilities to exercise, a much needed activity recom-
They understand that if children learn for long periods of time, the brain would stop learning. mended by every physician.
Instead, they focus on the child’s well-being and happiness. In Finland, teachers know that there
is more human growth in socializing, playing with friends, than only homework and school work. Last, but not least, homework should be
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abolished because children need time to explore
other activities, spend time with friends, go on
family trips and participate in extracurricular ac- Heard, Brent. “Lack of Sleep Hurts Student Health.” The Tartan, 18 Nov.
tivities. This allows them to refresh their minds 2013.
and bodies.
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 17
Academics / Académico Victoria Gangotena
Authorities justify exams to target the lazier students, those who get by plagiarizing
and handling other people’s schoolwork as if it were their own. A challenging exam is taking
The Fool-Proof System away their chances of copying on an assignment and finally ensuring it is their own skills put
to the test. If this is the case, the school year itself would be pointless. One exam will never
prove a student’s knowledge, regardless of how lazy or committed school they are. Students
2018
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with high performance also suffer through the consequences of taking exams. I can speak
from my own experience when I say that it is very discouraging to have to constantly repeat
Our educational system works in favor of those who strive for mediocrity. Why are lazy the same subjects when one has already demonstrated mastery over them repeatedly.
students repeatedly given chances to try again, while higher achieving students are expected to This is why I believe exoneration is a policy which will benefit both students and teachers.
get good grades as an obligation? I think it is great that some people have the desire to always Those who have consistently proven understanding of the concepts and skills taught year-
give their best and demonstrate their effort when completing work. Unfortunately, not everyone round will have the opportunity to maintain those high grades. On the other hand, students
has this drive and they need an extra push in order to get going. It doesn't make sense that some who lack the drive to get good grades, will be motivated to reach high-level standards in
students are given several opportunities and still are unmotivated to achieve and improve their work order to absolve themselves from exams as well. This way, those who got around cheating
will no longer get the chance to do so in the exams or throughout the whole school year.
Exoneration is a concept that the school worked with for a long time, yet had to be
removed after the Ministry of Education prohibited it a few years ago. This policy allowed
for students with an average of 9.5 or higher to decide whether they would like to take the
final exam for said class or skip it. Regardless, the Ministry decided to take this opportunity
away and require all students to take final exams without exception. I can’t really explain the
18 reasons behind this decision, however, I can express my dislike towards the final outcome. 19
The way I see it, exoneration is a policy which brings out the best in people, with little
to no negative repercussions. To start, as a student who has always put her best into all of
her work, and having a GPA consistently higher than 9.5, I can testify the final exams are the
part I dislike the most about schoolwork. This dislike does not come based on the simple
fact one has to spend several hours studying for the final exams. Rather, it comes from the
accumulated effort one puts forth year-round, the endless nights working on math homework
or researching for a humanities paper. I feel like every single effort I put into all of that work
is being mocked once I step into a class to take an exam with so much “grade value” yet little
true worth when comparing it to the learning process. These exams place unimaginable
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
stress on each one of the students, regardless of their general performance throughout the
school year. Most of the time, these exams will not demonstrate if one truly knows the subject
one is taking; but rather test the memorization skills of the student. Even though reinforcing
memory is a worthwhile skill, it does not emphasize the true meaning of learning. A student
should usually demonstrate their knowledge through several activities which will exercise a
variety of applicable skills. These activities take place throughout the course of the school
year. Yet, the educational system we work under, places a significant value on a test taken
over the course of two hours, disregarding the past 10 months one has spent working. If the
subject is not learned properly throughout the year meaning a student fails to show their
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knowledge in several circumstances, an exam would be pointless as it will fail to show true
comprehension of what is being tested. On the other hand, if a student has learned the subject Isabella Bravo
properly, an exam will be pointless because their knowledge will have already been proven. Lightning Product
Acrylics on canva
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 19Academics / Académico María Emilia Bustamante
Entrevista a Lucrecia Maldonado
y Juan Francisco Borja:
2018
2019
Su experiencia en el Colegio " Tenemos la suerte, como
Americano comunidad, de tener gente
A lo largo de los años y por las aulas del Colegio, han pasado varios profesores que han dejado una marca en sus estudiantes, en otros profesores, y en personal
administrativo y de mantenimiento. Algo muy especial de nuestro Colegio, es que tiene profesores que han estado, en muchas ocasiones, trabajando más de 30 años para
nuestra querida institución. Dos de los que más tiempo se han encontrado enseñando son la profesora de Lengua y Literatura de 2do y 3ro BGU, Lucrecia Maldonado, y el
profesor de Física BI de 2do y 3ro BGU, Juan Francisco Borja.
a quien le apasione tanto
impactar en impactar en
20
nuestras vidas y generar un 21
cambio en jóvenes, porque al
fin y al cabo, sobre nuestra
generación recae el futuro de la
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
sociedad global."
Yo tuve el gusto de tener a ambos como profesores en mi quinto curso, y fue una experiencia increíble el ver la manera en la que ellos han perdurado por tantos
cambios que el colegio ha adoptado, en todo aspecto. Me pareció interesante encontrar el motivo por el cual estos grandes educadores han persistido tantos años en
nuestro colegio. Por ello, decidí entrevistar a ambos con el propósito de profundizar en su devoción hacia esta institución.
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Primero hablé con Lucrecia Maldonado, quien también es una reconocida autora de novelas para jóvenes adultos. Además de su carrera como poetisa y
novelista, ha sido profesora en el Colegio Americano de Quito desde 1991, por aproximadamente 30 años. Cuando yo les pregunto a mis tíos y a mi mamá, quienes se
graduaron ya hace más de 20 años, ellos recuerdan a Lucrecia como la mejor profesora de Lengua y Literatura que tuvieron, e incluso le dan el crédito de hacer que les
guste la lectura de verdad.
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 21Academics / Académico María Emilia Bustamante
El confinamiento por el que está atravesando el país, para ambos profesores, ha sido un reto. Especialmente al intentar mantener un trabajo organizado y
ocuparse de sus propias responsabilidades domésticas. Lucrecia dice que “al principio me causó bastante cansancio (...) pero es porque se me duplicó con la carga de
Cuando le pregunté a Lucrecia su opinión sobre el desarrollo de los métodos de enseñanza del Colegio con el pasar de los años, ella afirma que el Colegio Amer- las labores de la casa que no hay como dejar”. Por razones de logística, hay aspectos que no hay cómo controlar, como la presencia de los estudiantes, “pero la gente del
icano siempre busca mejorar e incrementar el nivel académico de la enseñanza. Ella piensa que el colegio lo ha logrado ya que recuerda que durante sus primeros años colegio es muy afortunada (...) porque las teleclases se convierten en un recurso inalcanzable para ciertas familias” de escasos recursos.
en el colegio, “el ambiente era mucho más relajado (...) especialmente en el tema disciplinario”, dado a que era un colegio muy liberal donde había mucha permisividad. Sin
embargo, se fue convirtiendo en un colegio más estructurado administrativamente, y aún cuando el cambio fue gradual, los estudiantes lo recibieron tranquilamente. Esto La experiencia que Juan Francisco ha tenido como profesor durante todos los años, le ha ayudado a tener a la mano todos los recursos que él necesitaba para
causó que la disciplina y el aspecto académico fueran mejorando con la implementación del BI, y de las rúbricas de la evaluación de disciplina. Sin embargo, ella reconoce poder enseñar a su propia manera: en un pizarrón. Cuando la pandemia empezó, surgieron complicaciones en su manera de enseñar, ya que “lo que yo [Juan Francisco]
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que el colegio siempre ha dado importancia a la libertad de expresión y de hacer las cosas más prácticas o cómodas para sus estudiantes. hacía en el pizarrón ahora tenía que hacerlo en la computadora”. Aún cuando no es difícil, lleva tiempo y él tiene que dedicar de dos a tres horas diarias a preparar las
clases de los días siguientes. Él clarifica que, “evidentemente, sí ha repercutido un poco en mi casa porque cuando yo estaba normalmente en el colegio (...) las tardes las
Por otro lado, hablé con Juan Francisco Borja quien entró en el año 1985 solamente reemplazando a su socio en ingeniería civil, y en 1987 entró oficialmente al dedicaba a mi vida particular”, pero ahora casi todo el tiempo está siendo utilizado para las clases. Sin embargo, se mantiene positivo hacia el hecho de que esta nueva
colegio, del cual quedó enamorado. Según él, “el Colegio Americano siempre ha sido un ícono frente a la educación en el país”, y es importante reconocer que los padres modalidad sea solo hasta acabar de planificar las últimas clases del año en línea.
de familia, quienes manejan la institución, se han hecho cargo de que todos los ingresos del Colegio sean utilizados para el beneficio del mismo “adoptando siempre las
últimas tecnologías”, para mejorar el personal docente y la infraestructura del Colegio. ' Al final de cada entrevista, ambos docentes recalcaron que le tienen un cariño especial al Colegio Americano y que en realidad, su pasión está en enseñar a
todos y cada uno de los estudiantes que pisan sus aulas. Tenemos la suerte, como comunidad, de tener gente a quien le apasione tanto impactar en nuestras vidas y
generar un cambio en jóvenes, porque al fin y al cabo, sobre nuestra generación recae el futuro de la sociedad global. Lucrecia y Juan Francisco son claros ejemplos de
ésto, y 30 o más generaciones de futuros profesionales estaremos eternamente agradecidos tanto en un ámbito académico como personal por el impacto positivo que
han tenido en todas sus generaciones.
22 23
Mauris ligula sollicitudin. Maecenas netus, vivamus mollis dui.
Durante los años, la tecnología que se ha implementado dentro del colegio, siempre ha sido de la mejor calidad que se ha podido obtener, para crear mejor
acceso a información y educación. Lucrecia recalca que “la tecnología sí ha ayudado bastante, sobre todo en el tema de clases, en circunstancias como ésta [pandemia]
de emergencia, en recursos”, por lo que le acredita más aspectos positivos que negativos. Ella igualmente opina que se han optimizado los recursos posibles para mejorar
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la enseñanza y se ha logrado encontrar un balance con el uso de la tecnología en la manera de impartir clases.
Juan Francisco igualmente atribuye el gran desarrollo del colegio a las últimas y mejores tecnologías. Él piensa que una de las mejores maneras para poner
nuestros niveles de tecnología a prueba, son en casos de emergencia, como la pandemia del coronavirus y el paro nacional en Octubre. “Nosotros pudimos continuar
adelante, porque teníamos la tecnología del Google Classroom (...) que nos permitió rápidamente, aunque nos costó, evidentemente, retomar la actividad y seguir funcio- Sofia Espinosa, SE Studio
nando casi de manera normal.”A pesar de que ha tenido que sobrellevar algunas dificultades durante las clases en línea, ha sido fácil para él utilizar todos los recursos
provistos por nuestro Colegio, y así se han logrado mantener las clases a flote, y con un buen nivel académico de los estudiantes.
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 23Academics / Académico Pedro Jácome
You probably know by now that with more freedom, comes
more responsibility, and this is where things get a little arduous.
For the project, there are deadlines to reach, standards to
meet, and schedules to be followed. If there is any failure
Summarizing the in achieving any of these, there will be consequences. It’s
important to maintain a schedule and stay focused throughout
the project, thus, a strong recommendation is to choose
Personal Project and
2018
something that offers you great interest. It is not uncommon
for students to slowly lose their focus on their topics, and turn
in a below average project. A good thing to remember is to
Interviewing regularly meet up with your tutor, dedicate yourself to your
process journals, and turn in everything on time. As much
as it’s important to choose a topic, it is also important to
Kara Latourell, research it. It’s crucial to gain background knowledge on what
you’re going to dedicate yourself to for a long period of time.
the MYP Coordinator Overall, the project is a considerable step towards your future. It’s great practice for upcoming
projects you’ll face in college or even junior/senior year. It’s always important to look at it
optimistically and perceive the assignment as a way to challenge yourself and push your limits.
Below, I have added an interview with Kara Louterell (the MYP coordinator) to clarify important things when it
24
One of the most anticipated things when moving on to your sophomore year is the Personal
Project. It can be scary, but at the same time very rewarding when it comes to the skills you acquire. To
summarize, the personal project is an MYP requirement that every FCAQ student has to go through. The What’s the biggest mistake students make in the process of their personal projects?
fun part is having the power of choice over the topics and goals of the assignment. Anything of your
own personal interest is valid, hence its name “Personal Project”. The topic can be from conducting an “One would be not choosing a topic or project that they’re wildly interested in. One that they can maintain
experiment to starting a business, and one major factor that the IB scores for, is the process. Mistakes, kind of a momentum over the five months, and maintain their level of interest throughout. So, when students
achievements, thoughts, change of plans, and new stages should all be recorded using journal entries. don’t choose something that they’re feeling pretty passionate about, they can run into danger of just sort of
losing interest in the project. And then the other one kind of equal to that would be managing their time… “
Even though the project seems intimidating, there are many sources on the school’s website, as
well as your tutors to help out. Before commencing the project, you can choose or be assigned a tutor that What types of topics work best for students?
will help you along the procedure. Setting up meetings with them, organizing your time, and consistently
communicating with your supervisor will set you on a good path for the project. The tutors are very “I think a lot of the time our community and service topics are our strongest projects. It doesn't matter
much aware that this is not an easy task and that it’s your first time doing something major; therefore, what that is essentially, but something where they're doing something in the community or for the
they will always be open to help out. So don’t be afraid to speak up whenever something is not clear. community or creating something that supports different community members. I feel like those ones
tend to be the most successful… Also, where they are creating.”
Despite having to complete and pass the Personal Project to advance to the Diploma Program, it can
be fun as well. Through the process you’ll learn how to manage your time and challenge yourself for future How can a student stay stress-free during the process of their projects?
projects such as the Extended Essay. You'll also learn valuable skills such as investigation, communication,
and organization. Not to mention the skills unique to your project, since the project can be anything you want, “The student should speak up when they need support. It’s the first time they’ve done like an extended
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your interests are very important. In choosing something you’ll like, it won’t feel like a burden to do the project. project of this length, and they’re given a website to use, they’re given workshops with me in their
In your area of interests, your knowledge can excel and lead to knowing things that not everyone knows. classroom, they’re given a supervisor to work with, they’ve got their friends who are doing the same
You can become an expert while achieving this task and identify yourself even more with what you enjoy. thing… Kind of taking ownership of what they know or don’t know“
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 25Academics / Académico Pedro Jácome
What would you like parents to know about the project?
“That it’s challenging, and that the reason the IB has created this project, is to support the
When is the best time for upcoming sophomore’s to start planning their projects? students developing small skills they are going to need to be successful in eleventh and
twelfth grade. So organization, time management, writing a long report for following criteria…”
“The best time is to start thinking about what interests you now- I mean even if you are in like seventh or
eigth grade, start thinking about what maybe will ‘tickle your fancy’ when you get into tenth grade… But
for the ninth graders specifically I’ll meet with them in June, talk about the project. However, we don’t kick
it off until September. So there is no pressure to start it over the summer, however some students have
started over the summer. Some students know exactly what they want to do, and they want to start
researching what they’re going to need… That’s not necessarily like a mandatory thing for kiddos to do…”
What personal project tutors would you recommend to students?
“A tutor that you feel comfortable with. We all receive the same training, we all have the same resources, we all
grade together in moderation teams. So the key to a strong tutor is someone that you feel comfortable talking
too, going too and reaching out to. So that is going to be different for everyone. And if you have someone in mind,
the best thing to do is to contact them and ask them ‘will you be my tutor? Because tutors also fill up quickly.
What would you like parents to know about the project?
“That it’s challenging, and that the reason the IB has created this project, is to support the students
developing small skills they are going to need to be successful in eleventh and twelfth grade. So organization,
time management, writing a long report for following criteria…”
”
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 27Academics / Académico Andrea Rodriguez
My idea of how to make the 1st option
for school support happen is to add to the
A 7th Grader Career Interest and class of Consejeria a period of time to just
talk about and do different activities that
can be related to the careers based on the
How the School Can Support Them graphics. For the 2nd idea of support, what
can be done is putting on talent shows to give
students the opportunity to show their abilities.
Everyone goes through a period of time in which we start thinking of our future and that includes Finally, for the 3rd idea of support I think that an exposition can be done during 9th or 10th grade because
our career. 7th grade is a normal time to start thinking about this and give it a lot of thought because it's more likely for students to get to know different careers with presentations. It can be done by different
we start to discover ourselves and our talents within time. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have parents with different careers to talk about them. The students surveyed who already knew their career
more time to think about our future and what we would like to do for the rest of our lives. Personally, I interest, were supposed to answer if they are already preparing for those careers. Based on 93 results,
think this time is perfect to do hobbies that we love and try new activities to get to discover our talents. 23 students are not yet preparing and 70 students have already begun preparing in different ways. Lastly,
It takes a lot of time to know exactly what we want our career to be. No one says that in 7th grade you I asked a very important question that was if 7th graders know what universities are looking for in
should not think of this, instead, in 7th grade it is sometimes the perfect time to try new things and to applicants. The graph shows that the majority of students don’t know what universities are looking for.
start to think about what it is that we enjoy. This is the time when career interests can start to grow.
Students need to know what universities are
It is important to know what's the best for us, and for that we can always ask an adult. In this looking for so that they can start doing things
case, I asked the 7th and 8th grade counselor some questions to know what she thinks about when that may help them get into their ideal university.
career interests start entering our minds. Isabel Arroyo recommends that the best time to start thinking In the first place, different universities look for
about our career is when we turn 15, but there are some students that have earlier thoughts. It could be different qualities, but most of them can be:
better to start considering career options earlier, because then students will have more time to consider
options and become prepared. Also, Isa suggests that the best way to help students obtain their careers 1) A positive outlook on studying and learning
is to help them better understand themselves with questions related to different activities and careers. 2) A passion for the chosen career or subject
A recommendation Isa gives to all students when considering their future is that whatever they decide 3) The capacity to work and think independently
to study it is better to be aligned with their identity, passions, and it should be chosen with their heart. 4) An inquiring mind
5) And that they can work effectively in groups
7th graders thinking about careers have many varied interests, which makes
everyone unique in what they love. I did a survey for 7th graders to answer some questions Other things that universities look for are: extracurricular activities, volunteering and work
about what their thoughts in careers are. Out of 93 students, 19.4% of them chose as their experience, important test scores, and talents or passions. Students have different characteristics
career interest for now, Business and Financial. This was the most chosen career interest. because everyone is unique, but there's certain characteristics that universities look for, which
are: leadership, commitment, work ethic, public service, openness, ambition, and curiosity.
Overall, it is very important to see the things we can start doing right now to prepare for
Even though it’s not in the universities, it doesn't have to be something big or something we can't necessarily do right
graphics, there are some now, but we can start practicing different skills that can be improved by practicing them daily.
students interested in a
sports career and also being As mentioned, 7th graders don't necessarily have to start thinking of what they want to be or choose
musicians. Students would like their career right now, but it’s not bad to start having interests in other things and investigate other
for the school to support them, hobbies to try. Also, the school can be very helpful for the students to feel supported in whatever they
so I mentioned some ideas on want to become. Opportunities come and go, so as a recommendation it's very important to take
how the school can support those opportunities that attract us because we don't have anything to lose, it's better if we try new
them and it all came to this: things to get to know ourselves a little bit more. In addition, it's very important to give all of our effort
1) Make more activities based on career interests in school and things that we love so we can grow and start practicing skills that will help us when
we have the chance. In conclusion, 7th graders need support from the school as well as from each
2) Help students discover talents via questionnaires and showcases other to know what they want to do and do things that will help them be successful and fulfilled in life.
3) Prepare an exposition with a lot of presentations, a job or career fair.
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 29Academics / Académico Victoria Gangotena
Programa de verano
La pandemia por la que el mundo está pasando actualmente ha cambiado la vida de
millones, forzandonos a adaptarnos a condiciones que nunca hubiéramos imaginado. Un factor
muy grande que ha afectado la vida de estudiantes alrededor de todo el planeta es la necesidad de
clases en línea. Este formato de educación tiene efectos muy diferentes en todos, principalmente
por el hecho de que trata sobre adaptarse a un sistema con el cual nunca hemos trabajado. Pero
después de varios meses de tener que aprender a lidiar con las clases en línea el Colegio Americano
decidió instalar un programa de verano para refuerzo y crecimiento estudiantil. Este programa fue
diseñado con el propósito de motivar a estudiantes a mejorar sus conocimientos y reforzar cualquier
materia que les pudo causar problemas durante el año lectivo. Un programa como estos guía a los
estudiantes a fortalecer su disciplina y aumentar su pasión por conocer más sobre el mundo. La
directora de la sección secundaria nacional, Gabriela Bustamante, nos ayudó con información más
detallada de cómo esta idea va a desarrollarse, para así entender las opciones que nos ofrecen.
Para comenzar, este programa se llevará a cabo en el verano del 2020. Se diferencia a las clases
de supletorios ya que esas son obligatorias para los estudiantes que fallaron en pasar la nota mínima. Las
clases funcionarán en un horario de 9am a 2pm, dejando que cada estudiante decida qué materia quiere
reforzar a lo largo de dos semanas. Se ofrecerán materias tales como matemáticas, inglés, y ciencias; y
serán completamente gratuitas. Estas clases tienen como meta lograr que el cuerpo estudiantil fortalezca
sus conocimientos antes de pasar al siguiente año y así evitar problemas académicos. La facultad de
profesores voluntariamente decidirán quién dará las clases, lo cual ayudará a los estudiantes ya que
muchos de los profesores en el colegio trabajan con formatos similares de aprendizaje. Sin embargo,
las clases no avanzarán en materia ya que se trata solo sobre refuerzo de lo previamente aprendido.
El programa de verano diseñado por el colegio puede tener resultados muy positivos si
los estudiantes deciden poner su esfuerzo y dedicación en ello. Yo creo que cualquiera puede
beneficiarse de los servicios ofrecidos, y que debemos considerarnos muy afortunados de
poder trabajar con un sistema como este. Aunque la situación por la que estamos pasando
es dificil, siento que debemos sacarle provecho y usar este tiempo para crecimiento personal.
Isabella Cruz
4rt Studio
Mixed Media (digital
art and pictures)
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 31Academics / Académico Stephano Proaño The lacking aspects of this device is that it has few Thunderbolt connectors (Thunderbolt: a data
transmitter that exchanges data from one device to another. Exclusive for Apple products), but this can
be replaced by a USB port. The keyboard can be irritating, keys have little space between each other
What is the Best Electronic and typing can take some getting used to. Finally, the MacBook has a thick bezel (Bezel: the space or
borders that separate the screen from the rest of the device), but that’s no problem for the wide screen
size it has. Finally, the price is quite high, especially considering other devices offer better traits for low-
Device for Students to Buy? er prices, but if you require the Apple OS, there is little compromise on price.
The survey results show that students like this device because it is light to carry around. They also
mention the good quality of images on screen. The life of
Many parents and students are frustrated when it comes to choosing an electron- the battery is also something that most students like, others
ic device for school use. Not only because of the price, but from the confusion of deciding mention that it’s not enough for school use.
which device has the best advantages and disadvantages for them. This article discusses 3
devices that you can buy at the moment for school use. 2.- HP Spectre x360 (Late 2019)
There are various devices existing for school use, but not all of them work success- This laptop has a high storage space, with 256 Gigabytes.
fully for students. First, phones aren’t on this list because they’re not allowed in the school’s The amount of RAM memory is the same as the 13-inch
campus. Second, Ipads and Tablets are also excluded because typing in any of those devices MacBook Pro, with 8 and upgrades available up to 16 Giga-
can be slow, except you have a keyboard that connects to a tablet, and Tablets and Ipads bytes. The screen size is 13.3 inches diagonal with 1920 x
don’t have enough storage space. Based on computer storage, RAM memory, display size, 1080 pixels. The battery lasts 13 hours long. Its price goes
the duration of battery, special components, price and reviews; this article presents a list of around $ 1000. This laptop has a sophisticated design, it
the most recommended devices for school use. can be used as a tablet or as a drawing board, it has a touch
screen, it has a detailed and bright display, fast processing PCmag.com
Any electronic device can be superior to others when using cloud support, neverthe- and a comfortable keyboard.
less, the article will focus on laptops as the main tool of use; evaluating MacBooks, Chrome-
books and Windows Laptops. The negative traits of this laptop is that it has too much bloatware (unnecessary softwares in a com-
puter that drains your RAM memory, however, they can be removed), maximum volume sounds get
The article also includes survey results and opinions of 124 secondary students who own the distorted and the laptop can get warm when running under heavy load.
same or similar devices from the ones mentioned in this article.
PCmag.com The results of the survey taken by students from secondary demonstrate that this device has fast data
processing. Students also mention the good variety of tools that
1.- 13-inch MacBook Pro (2019) this device provides, like drawing pencils or photography soft-
ware.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2019 is one of the
most updated MacBooks when it comes to storage, 3.- Asus Chromebook Flip C434
containing 128 Gigabytes (this is the base model,
more storage available on upgraded models for The Asus Chromebook Flip C434 contains a low storage space
additional cost). The RAM (Random Access Memo- with 64 Gigabytes, and the RAM memory is also low-level, running
ry. The amount of processing memory of the com- with 4 Gigabytes. The display size length is 14 inches, with 1920
puter) starts at 8 Gigabytes, and can be upgraded x 1080 pixels. The battery goes around 10 hours. The price goes
up to 16 Gigabytes. The display size is 13.3 inches around $ 550. It has a thin design and a widely-detailed image display. Laptopmag.com
diagonal with 2560 x 1600 pixels (pixels: tiny illu-
mination in screen, more pixels typically indicates On the down side, this Chromebook touchscreen can be unresponsive and requires you to press pre-
greater image quality). The duration of the battery cisely on your selection. Survey results show that students like this device for the different types of
lasts around 10 hours. This device has special features such as Digital ID recognition, has a uses that the laptop could do. They also prefer this computer because it is easy to carry. However,
vibrant display with good color display and screen brightness, as well as powerful speakers. students don’t recommend this device for things such as photography due to low storage space and
The price is a little bit over $1000. processing power.
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 33Academics / Académico Stephano Proaño
The next list will include the final ranking for the devices, and
the reasons of their place:
1.- HP Spectre x360 (Late 2019)
This laptop has a wide amount of storage space, and it is a
fast device because of its RAM amount. This device has a
long-lasting battery life, a wide and good quality screening,
and it offers many uses. It is a well-designed device, and it
has a comfortable keyboard.
The problems can be easily solved, or are unlikely to happen.
The only real problem is that the device can heat up when it’s
working hard, and also, the price. The price is a little bit high Students at a Model UN Conference
but it’s justified for its qualities and advantages against the other laptops.
2.- 13-inch MacBook Pro (2019)
This device is good for storing information that students need to keep, but it can’t hold up
much data. The image display is on a high-quality level, and the battery lasts a long time.. It
has a good security system, and good quality speakers.
The only downsides are the keys, for their typing difficulty, and the price, when you can get
better results like the HP Spectre x360 (2019) for cheaper prices.
3.- Asus Chromebook Flip C434
The display is really good quality and size The battery has a useful 10 hour battery life. It’s
price is more affordable than the
other devices.
Pedro Rodríguez, “The Dragon Studio” Markers
The negative characteristics are that
the storage nor the RAM size are
big, meaning it won’t be able to save
much information and to work quick-
ly. Also, the exact pressing on the
screen might annoy users. For daily
simple use like Google classroom,
school assignments, and Youtube,
this device is reliable and adequate.
For more information on computer
specifications and to browse devices
Students prepare for a presentation in the RAC auditorium. on the market check out
Tomshardware.com & Newegg.com.
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 35Culture / Cultura Antonia Sandoval
"Los estudiantes de la
Nuestra mascota el Diablito promoción de 1962 querían
Lo vemos en nuestras camisetas de deportes, en nuestras canchas, en el internet e incluso
en la chompa de los sextos. En muchos lugares podemos encontrar a nuestra mascota, el Diablito.
recaudar fondos para
Normalmente las mascotas de los colegios son animales, pero nuestro colegio es tan original que
tenemos a un diablito como representación. Tiene una cara joven, traviesa y feliz, y solo con verlo ya lo
identificamos con el Colegio Americano.
encementar en el campus
Pero una pregunta que se han hecho
canchas de basket y de volley."
estudiantes, profesores e incluso padres es
¿por qué un Diablito? ¿Qué representa y de
donde salió? La historia de este personaje
empieza en el primer campus del colegio, el cual
estaba situado en las calles Toledo y Madrid.
Los estudiantes de la promoción de 1962
querían recaudar fondos para encementar en el
campus canchas de basket y de volley. Con este
reto, uno de los miembros de dicha promoción
diseñó un diablito para ponerlo en forros de
cuadernos, lo que era una tendencia en esos
años, y venderlos para la recolecta. Una vez que
se imprimieron estos forros y los vendieron,
lograron obtener suficiente dinero para la cementación que tanto anhelaban. Así fue como
lograron dar al colegio canchas para que los estudiantes disfrutarán de los recreos. Con esto,
la promoción de 1962 sin pensarlo nos había dejado un legado, gracias a que este diseño
tan original atrajo muchas ventas. Con el cambio al campus de Carcelén, donde se localiza
actualmente el Colegio Americano, dicha promoción decidió “donar” el diablito al colegio como
un recuerdo de lo que lograron hacer por el bien del mismo, convirtiéndose en la mascota oficial.
Entonces, ¿qué representa? Además de
la Promo 1962, también simboliza lo “juguetón”
que es, considerando que fue creado con el
propósito de la creación de canchas para deporte.
Y así, se lo usa en todas las representaciones
deportivas del Americano. Cabe mencionar que
no se lo ve en representaciones académicas y Estudiantes de 5to grado en el año 1953. Colegio Americano, La Floresta
no tiene nada que ver con religiones. Siempre
se lo va a encontrar cuando nuestro Colegio
Americano triunfe y se destaque deportivamente.
Siendo tan originales y destacados, nuestro
increíble colegio tiene una mascota única, El antiguo Colegio Americano en la Floresta
June 2020 | School Views fcaq.k12.ec 37You can also read
