Mtra. Elisa Pedrero BuentelloBoard of Directors’ President

Lic. Erika Orantes PedreroAdministrative Director

Lic. Mauricio Orantes PedreroCommunications Coordinator

Mtro. Joe Olivares-LongsworthSchool Principal

Lic. Michelyn StevensVice-Principal

Lic. María A. Ramos AlcazarPreschool Coordinator

Ing. Gabriela Coutiño CervantesElementary School Coordinator

MVZ. Marcos Raúl García ZúñigaMiddle School Coordinator

Lic. Tobin HoffmanHigh School Coordinator

Lic. Ludwig Nostas CoutiñoEditorial and Design Coordinator

Lic. Candy Castillo ToledoEditor

Lic. Claudia Juárez RangelDesigner

.............................CollaboratorsCeleste BennetLibrarian

Jennifer RosenthalSchool Counceling Coordinator

Miriam RamírezMaternal II-B Teacher

Gala JaegerMiddle School Student

Rebecca BlackHigh School Student

.................................................... You made a difference! No. 10 / October-January / 2011-2012

COVER Photo by: Ludwig wig Nostas

Edited and published by the Communication department of the American School Foundation of Chiapas, A.C. / All rights reserved.

Editorial

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To those who have been with us before, welcome back! To those who are new, a very warm welcome to you all; we are so glad to have you as part of our big ASFC family!

It is with genuine pleasure that we share with you another edition of our ASFC magazine. Inside you will discover articles that will help you make a diff erence in the quality of your family’s life. Likewise, you will have the opportunity to see in retrospective memories of this past half school year through pictures of our wonderful events.

While looking at these pages you will become familiarized with our school, especially our commitment to collaboration, enthusiasm and development of a multicultural and bilingual environment for our students. Please celebrate with us the introduction of the International Baccalaureate philosophy in our educational process.

We invite you to sit down and enjoy each section of this issue with your family; there is something for everybody no matter your age! Stay tuned for our next ASFC magazine, which is equally sure to delight, inform and entertain!

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Reading Encouragement

Technology in Schools

Peace!

Improve the Mental Health of Your Chidren

Aprendizaje a Través del Juego

Inteligencia Emocional

Open House

Activities

Journey to Imagination

Gallery

House Competitions

Halloween

Calaveritas

Programas Internacionales

Mini OlympicsThanksgiving

Miss Danna & the “16+minds”

Robótica

Winter Festival

World Tour

3O

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RRR........................................................................................................................ EADING ENCOURAGEMENTEADING ENCOURAGEMENT

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN

MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin

English, 2009, 278 pagesA Newberry Honor BookAges: 8 and up

Abright young girl leaves home to fi nd the Old Man of the Moon,

in hopes of bringing good fortune to her parents and village. She befriends a dragon who cannot fl y, and he joins her in her quest. Their friendship blossoms as they overcome hardships and learn what they value most. A magical tale of friendship and growth, I highly recommend this book to anyone

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because she wants to be

popular even though

she is a

The story takes place

in a school for ghosts.-Maria Fernanda Fernandez Serrano 5B

Ghostgirl is the debut novel from author

and fi lmmaker Tonya Hurley. It is the story of High School senior

Charlo e Usher, amisfi t outsider whose despera on tobe popular lives on even a er her sudden death. The Young Adult novel was published on August 1,2008 by Li le, Brown and Companyand hit the New York Times Bestsellerlist, Chapter Books, on September 14, 2008. Ghostgirl has been printed in several diff erent languages around the world, including Spanish and French. It was followed by a sequel in July 2009 called Ghostgirl: Home-coming, and a third book, Ghostgirl: Lovesick was released in July 2010.*

* ”Best Sellers – Children’s Books – Chapter Books”. The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-10-03.

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Reviews by Celeste Bennet

whoenjoys fairy tales, legends or allegories aboutlife and love.

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Have you ever wondered how big a giant squid is?, How about the giant pyramids? This amazing picture book SHOWS you how

BIG things are compared to each other, and provides factual text to assit. A visual treat, and great for thinking about “How big is big?”

HOW BIG IS IT?

A BIG Book All About BIGNESS by Ben Hillman

English, 2007, 47 pagesA Scholas c BookAges: 8 and up.

ECHNOLOGYECHNOLOGYTTT

TECHNOLOGY in SCHOOLS

The way we use and interact with Technology has evolved so much over the years that many of us wonder what its role is, or could be, within a school environment.

by Joe OlivaresSchool Principal

T hings sure are diff erent these days when it comes to

technology, especially for those of us who grew up in a me when mail was actually wri en by hand and mobile phones were considered an element of science fiction.

According to author David Prensky, those of us who grew up in these tech-nological “dark ages” are referred to as Digital Immigrants. In otherwords, technology has evolved during our life me and for many of us it has been diffi cult to adopt and adapt to such technologies. A great number of our children and students were born in a me when many of these

technologies already existed, such as mobile phones and tablets with touch screen user interfaces that rely largely on wireless connec ons to the Internet and each other (infrared and Bluetooth). This means that many of the young people that belong to this Digital Na ve genera on o en know more about technology and its uses than many of us, crea ng problema c gaps that are refl ected in many aspects of our lives.

We saw the birth of the Internet, and followed it through its infancy and adolescence. Our young Digital Na ves are growing up in a me when Social Networks such as Facebook and Twi er are the new malls, arcades, and parks, and when cell phones are used more to send text messages than

to actually speak to people directly. We live in a me when many older adults are not comfortable with the basic func ons of a PC and four year old kids learn how to use an Apple iPad Tablet in less than fi ve minutes.

Because of these digital-genera onal diff erences, many parents are skep cal about the use of technology in schools, and more importantly, in the classroom. However, we must remember that history can rarely be re-wri en. Technology is here to stay folks, and as the old saying goes, “if you can’t beat them, join them.” Therefore, as parents and mem-bers of the older Digital Immi-grant genera on, we must con-sider two important elements:The fi rst thing we need to do is (no pun intended here), get with the program. In order to better understand a culture of another country or region, you must immerse yourself within that culture. This also applies to the

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digital and virtual environment in which our kids spend so much me in these days.

Many of us use e-mail every day of our lives and are quite familiar with so ware such as MSN Messenger or Blackberry chat. But not many of us know what blogging means or what Twi er and Facebook (and now Google +) are all about. Many of us know what computer so ware and programs are, but have no idea what apps or app stores are.

Furthermore, not many of us know that you can easily interact with these tools right on your iPhone, Blackberry, Android phone or iPad or even iPod touch (remember our version of the portable music player, the Walkman?), despite the fact that many of us own at least one, if not two, of these devices. So, the fi rst step is to get connected.

Secondly, and most importantly, we must see the benefi ts of using such technologies and tools in educa on. Having access to computers, laptops and tablets, and in turn having accessto the web and other on-line resources will defi nitely enrich the learning processes of our students, especially if the pedagogical focus is now largely on research and inquiry based learning.

There is a wealth of knowledge and informa on within this virtual world that both teachers and students can take advantage of and learn from. Through Apple’s iTunes store (easily accessible from any Mac OS or iOs enabled device), teachers and students can have access to over 90 thousand educa onal applica ons. These can be used to complement learning ac vi es within a wide variety of subjects and disciplines, making

learning activities much more dynamic and signifi cant for students. We must remember that technology has had a deep impact on the way people see and interact with the world. Needless to say, this also includes the way people learn and what they learn about the world, and each other. And remember parents; our kids are certainly no excep on.

SOME RISKS!Of course, along with the many countless benefi ts of technology, there also come some risks. We must remember that many of the problems that exist within our cultures and socie es, are also refl ected within the virtual world. This means we must also take precau ons and measures to ensure that our kids have a safe and harmonious experience within this cyber world. Parents, think of it this way, would you leave your small child or young

teenager alone in a mall or other public space? Why then, do many parents o en leave their children alone on a computer or mobile device with access to internet and the web? While it is not recommended that we shelter our kids from this environment, we should defi nitely be very aware of what our kids are doing within this virtual world, and how they are interac ng with it on a regular basis.

If our kids want to be on Facebook, for example, you parents should be their fi rst contacts on this social network, making sure the proper privacy and security fi lters are in place. In addi on, remember that this old adage s ll holds true today: “Anything in excess is or can be harmful.” As parents we must also make sure that our children maintain a healthy balance, especially in terms of me invested between the real world and the virtual one. A er all, we grew up without these things, and interacted more with nature and each other (face to face) and we turned out all right. Remember, nothing can or should replace true, genuine, and face-to-face communica on and interac on.

To conclude, we must embrace technology and all its benefi ts, especially if we are to understand what the benefi ts of this could bring to the learning processes and experiences of our children. But, in order to keep up with our young Digital Na ves, we must fi rst learn how to speak their language, and which tools we can employ to do so.

“We must remember that technology has had a deep impact on the way people see and interact with the world.”

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These beau ful representa ons of peace (and protest to war and violence) hung delicately in the entrance to the school; a curtain ofharmony for each vehicle to passthrough as their summary to a daydedicated to peace.

In the words of a wise young stu-dent from Grade 9: “Peace is not just a lack of war; it’s a building of posi ve rela onships between people”. ASFC community members:Let us refl ect…Let us build…Let us strive to do our small but vital part in crea ng a more peaceful world, each and every day. oo

Sadako Sasaki, was a young girl who lived in Hiroshima at the time of the atomic bombing. She developed leukemia om theradiation and spent her time in a nursing home creating origami cranes in hope of making a thousand of them. She was inspired to do so by the Japanese saying that one who created a thousand origami cranes would then be g anted a wish. Her wish was simply to live. However, shemanaged to fold only 644 cranes before she became too weak to fold any more, and died shor ly ast er. Her iends and family helped fi nish her dream by folding the rest of the cranes, which were buried with Sadako. They also built a stat e of Sadako holding a giant golden origami crane in Hiroshima Peace Park.

Peace!Peace!Peace!Peace!

by Michelyn StevensVice-Principal

At the heart of all caring communi es is the desire and commitment to

form bonds of compassion, support, and mutual respect among community members. It is through such healthy rela onships that we work together to create a more peaceful world; the world that we look towards and celebrate as an IB Candidate school.

Our first annual school wide celebration of Interna onal Day of Peace at ASFC, was a quaint example of our commitment towards collabora on, though ul ac on, and peace within and beyond our school community.

The students and staff from all levels, as well as many parents, joined in wearing white as a gesture of our peaceful message. A number of our Grade 9 and High School students coordinated a special recep on for all of the Kindergarten and Primary students, consis ng of individual gree ngs upon arrival to the sounds of a peaceful serenade; a small group of students and staff singing, strumming, and “ ckling theivories” of the keyboard in the entrance.

Our young students were pleasantly ushered into the lobby, where they were invited to leave their mark (and

their name!) on a peace pledge sta ng:

I am a skillful builder of peace. I pledge to say kind words, to

help others, to respect diversity, and to care for our planet.

I see that peace is not the absence of confl ict, but the

willingness to solve confl icts peacefully.

I will build peace at home, at school, and in my community

each day.

The whole school enjoyed the moving messages of peace during a demon-stra on by the Colour Guard and Ban-da de Guerra from the Tecnológico Regional, followed by a lovely rendi on of “Imagine” presented by the older students. Photos were taken, peace signs were waved, and happy vibes were shared by one and all.

During recess, children from Kinder and Primary wandered over to the “paper crane making” sta on to test their dexterity and pa ence as they experimented with the art of origami, replica ng the world wide tradi on of folding paper birds to honor Sadako Sasaki and the thousands of children who died as a result of the bombs that fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII.

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........................................................................................................................................................ VENTSVENTS

Photos: Ludwig Nostas

EEE

by Jennifer RosenthalM.A. Counseling Psychology

What do you teach your child about his health? Did

you think about his physical health when you answered this question? What about his mental health? What does your child learn from you about mental health? There are things parents can do every day to help maintain and nurture the mental health of their children.

1From the moment babies cry and someone responds, they start to develop a sense of who to trust. Signifi cant components of trust include knowing that someone is invested in your well-being, that someone is reliable and honest, that every rela onship has healthy limits, and that people feel valued. We o en believe that our children know they can trust us but do our ac ons show them that we are trustworthy?

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TIPS

2 Show him/her thatis CAPABLE of doingthings for himself.

Children need to see that they can do things for themselves.

Whether it is a child´s fi rst me going to the bathroom by himself or a teenager´s fi rst me driving, learning how to do things and feeling capable of doing things is a huge part of mental health. Do you create the expecta on for your child that she needs to do things that are developmentally appropriate for her to do herself (e.g. homework, ge ng ready for school, chores in the home, etc.)?.

Many mes parents or family members believe they are helping children by doing things for them when really we end up preven ng children from feeling like they can accomplish something on their own.

If your child knows how to e his shoe, it is more helpful that he con nues to do it for himself. If your teenager knows how to set her alarm, it is more helpful if she is responsible for ge ng her-self up on me. If things don´t turn out with perfect results, children need to learn that

3Do you spend me with your children when you say you will spend me with them? If you say that your

child will have a consequence for breaking a rule, do you consistently give him the consequence?

How do you show your children that you value them? Does your child see you as someone who is honest? Does your child believe that you will do the things you say you will do?

they can improve things themselves without someone doing it for them.

Although children can have characteris cs that are a combina on of the adults in their lives, they are not us.

They are their own people and they need to learn who they are and what is important to them.

Do you give your children an opportunity outside of school to develop his abili es and to posi vely socialize with children his own age? Does your family have tradi ons and rituals that help your child understand her religion/culture/family values? Do you help your child iden fy his strengths? Are there opportuni es for your child to express to you what her dreams, hopes, fears, likes, and dislikes are? Does your child know the diff erence between his role and the role of a parent?

4 Teach your children how to identify...

...the things that MAINTAIN posi ve mental health and how to MANAGE the things that nega vely impact their mental health.

It is important to help our children iden fy what improves their mental health and to help them engage in the ac vi es (e.g. exercise/sports, talking with loved ones, music, art, wri ng, etc.) that help to maintain their mental health on a regular basis. Also, when parents model their own

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construc ve ways of maintaining their mental health, children pay a en on.

Parents´ ac ons can teach children how to communicate with respect, how to posi vely express emo ons and needs, how to construc vely deal with problems, and when to seek support from others.

Children also pay a en on when parents manage their problems in destruc ve ways. Drinking, shut- ng down when there are strong

emo ons, excessively working to the point of ignoring other family responsibili es, arguing in a disrespec ul way, and pretending that nothing is wrong are just some of the destruc ve ways of handling problems that children learn from the adults in their lives.

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Mental health is just as important as physical health. Parents are one of the most important infl uences on the mental health of their children. However, parents are not alone in this process.

The School Counceling department is here to support you in your work to strengthen your child´s mental health. If you would like to learn more about the ps listed here or if you would like addi onal resources, please contact our department at the school. oo

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.................................................................................................................................................... RESCHOOLRESCHOOLPPP

El juego es reconocido por to-dos sin dis nción de razas, credos

edeideologías, es además la ac-tividad más agradable con la que cuenta el ser humano. Cuando jugamos actuamos que vivimos una situación, a pesar de que mentalmente sabemos que sólo

es un juego, nuestras emocionesy valores se sienten comprome dos. Es por ello que el juego se convierte en parte esencial de la formación, porque permite ensayar y aprender nuevas opciones de comportamiento.

Desde que el ser humano nace hasta que tiene uso de razón, el juego ha sido y es el eje que mueve sus expecta vas para buscar un rato de descanso y esparcimiento. Es por esta razón que no se debe privar a los niños del juego, porque con él desarrollan y fortalecen su campo de experiencias, sus expecta vas se man enen y sus intereses se centran en el aprendizaje signifi ca vo.

El juego suaviza las asperezas y difi cultades de la vida, aliviando el estrés y propiciando el descanso. En el aula sirve para fortalecer los valores: honradez, lealtad, fi delidad, cooperación, solidaridad con los amigos, con el grupo y respeto por los demás. A través del juego el niño logra expresar sus ideas, fomentar el amor y la tolerancia; además invita a la refl exión y la búsqueda de alterna vas o salidas que favorezcan una posición. La curiosidad, la inicia va, la imaginación, el sen do común, son valores que se impulsan a través de estas ac vidades y facilitan la incorporación en la vida ciudadana.

por Miriam Torres BermúdesDaycare II-B Teacher

Los juegos marcan las etapas de crecimiento del ser humano: infancia, adolescencia y edad adulta. Los niños no necesitan que nadie les explique la importancia y la necesidad de ju-gar, la llevan dentro de ellos. El empo para jugar es empo para aprender. El niño necesita horas para sus creaciones y para que su fantasía le empuje a mil experimentos posi vos. Jugando, el niño siente la imperiosa necesidad de tener compañía, porque el juego lleva consigo el espíritu de la sociabilidad.

Para ser verdaderamente educa- vo, el juego debe ser variado y ofrecer

problemas a resolver progresivamente más di ciles y más interesantes. Aquí, se debe de conver r a los niños en pro-tagonistas de una acción heroica creada a medida de su imaginación maravillosa. Su desbordante fantasía hará que amplíe lo jugado a puntos por nosotros insospechados.

En resumen, el juego es de gran importancia en la vida de los niños, no sólo en su desarrollo psicomotor, sino también en su crea vidad, en el aspecto cogni vo, en su desarrollo socioemocional, en el manejo de normas, etc. Como adultos conocien-do más a fondo el juego como tal, entendiéndolo y comprendiéndolo de manera signifi ca va, es mucho más fácil entender el universo de los niños y así poder llegar a ellos.

del

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El concepto de Inteligencia Emo-cional, aunque esté en voga, ene

sus orígenes en el concepto Inteligencia Social del psicólogo Edward Thorndike (1920) quien la defi nió como la habilidad para comprender y dirigir a los hombres y mujeres, muchachos y muchachas, para actuar sabiamente en las relaciones humanas.

Sin embargo, le debemos la popularización del término a Daniel Goleman con su célebre libro: Emo onal Intelligence, publicado en 1995, en el cual explica que la Inteligencia Emocional consiste en la capacidad de reconocer sen-timientos propios y ajenos, también la habilidad para manejarlos a través de cinco ap tudes:

-Conocer las emociones y sen mientos propios.-Manejar dichos sen mientos.-Reconocerlos.-Crear la propia mo vación y ges onar las relaciones.

La mejor etapa para desarrollar estas capacidades es durante los primeros cuatro años de vida, ya que es cuando el niño comienza a explorar sus capacidades sociales y su lugar en el mundo.Si en estos años, el infante se ve rodeado por un ambiente de estrés, su centro de aprendizaje puede verse comprome do, creando inseguridad, falta de atención e incluso aislamiento.

-Facilitar los procesos de toma de decisiones y responsabilidad personal.

-Orientar personalmente al alumno.

-Establecer un clima emocional positivo, ofreciendo apoyo personal y socialpara aumentar la autoconfi anza de los alumnos.

Sin embargo, es importante recordar que gran parte de nuestros logros educativos, se deben también al apoyo de los padres de familia que incluyen las mismas líneas de acción en la dinámica de sus hogares.

Por ello, es de suma relevancia que unamos fuerzas y mantengamos una constante comunicación maestros-padres de familia, para alcanzar nuestra meta en común: El crecimiento armónico e integral de nuestros pequeños.

Inteligencia

EMOCIONALEn el caso contrario, creando un ambiente de armonía, amor y estabilidad; propiciamos y reforzamos la seguridad de nuestros pequeños.

Las capacidades que posteriormente se irán desarrollando en la etapa escolar de nuestros hijos, encuentran su fundamento en los años mencionados anteriormente; es por ello que Goleman asegura que el éxito escolar depende de los parámetros sociales y emocionales en lugar de, por ejemplo, una precozhabilidad para la lectura o las sumas.

Por lo anterior, cada vez somos más los docentes quienes confi amos en una educación formal basada en el desarrollo cogni vo y el desarrollo emocional; con base en que la enseñanza, es un proceso caracterizado por la relación interpersonal y los vínculos surgidos en el aula a par r de los fenómenos emocionales.

Como educadores, hemos ido adecuando nuestro método de enseñanza para mediar entre los conocimientos queimpar mos y la asimilación de los mismos por parte de nuestros alumnos;siguiendo la presente línea de acción:

-Percibir las necesidades, mo vaciones, intereses y obje vos de los alumnos.

-Ayudar a los alumnos a establecerse obje vos personales.

By Gabriela Cou ñoElementary School Coordinator

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LEMENTARY SCHOOLLEMENTARY SCHOOL

We love having our parents visit ASFC classrooms and get involved in the growth development improvements of their children. This year has been a great success, both in Kinder and Elementary School, thanks to all of your many dedi-cated parents and teachers!Como cada año, nos encanta recibir a nuestros padres de familia para que conozcan los salones de clases de sus hijos y los avances que han tenido a lo largo del año. ¡Esta ocasión fue todo un éxito en Kinder y Primaria, gracias a todos los maestros y padres!

...........................................................................................................................................................VENTSVENTSEEE OPEN HOUSE!OPEN HOUSE!Photos: Ludwig Nostas & Lesly Cavazos

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.................................................................................................................................................... CTIVITIESCTIVITIESAAA

These little matchbox chest These little matchbox chest of drawers are great for of drawers are great for keeping small treasures in or keeping small treasures in or as storage for stamps, buttons as storage for stamps, buttons or even bugs (for all the boys or even bugs (for all the boys out there!)out there!)

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

- 3 Matchboxes (empty)- Pa erned paper or plain paper- Glue- Measuring tape or string- Ruler, Pencil, Scissors- Cra knife or bradawl- 3 split pins (paper fasteners or brads)- Extra decora ons (Op onal)

11. Glue the 3 match-1. Glue the 3 match-boxes on top of each boxes on top of each other, making sure other, making sure all the sides match all the sides match up evenly. Leave to up evenly. Leave to dry.dry.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

22.Using a fl exible 2.Using a fl exible measuring tape, measuring tape, take the length take the length (from front of (from front of the drawer tothe drawer to

the back) of a matchbox and then measure the back) of a matchbox and then measure all the way around the sides of the 3 boxes. all the way around the sides of the 3 boxes.

33 .U s i n g t h e s e 3 .U s i n g t h e s e measurements measurements cut a strip of cut a strip of patterned paper.patterned paper.

4

4. Spread glue on the 4. Spread glue on the back of the paper and back of the paper and star ng at the middle star ng at the middle base of the bo om base of the bo om matchbox, wrap the matchbox, wrap the paper around, joining paper around, joining up again at the base. up again at the base.

5 5. Take out the 5. Take out the drawers and using drawers and using the p of a cra the p of a cra knife or bradawl, knife or bradawl, carefully cut a small carefully cut a small hole in the centre of hole in the centre of each drawer front each drawer front and add a split pin. and add a split pin. Add any extra Add any extra decora on. decora on.

66. Slide the 6. Slide the drawers back drawers back in.in.

Your mini chest of drawers Your mini chest of drawers

are now ready!are now ready!

VOCABULARY: Matchbox-VOCABULARY: Matchbox-Caja de cerillos / Ruler-/ Ruler-Regla // Cra Knife-Cra Knife-Exacto // Bradawl-Bradawl-PunzónSplit pins-Split pins-Clavijas / Measuring tape-/ Measuring tape-Regla

Beethoven was told by a

music teacher that he had no talent

for music. Now Beethoven is considered one of the

greatest music composers of human history! How odd!

A cow produces around 200,000 glasses of milk in her life me. Wow! That is alot of milk!

A toaster uses almost half as much energy as a full-sized oven. Also, energy is being wasted if a toaster is le plugged in a er use. So GO GREEN! and don’t forget to unplug your toaster a er you use it!

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..................................................................................................................................................... CTIVITIESCTIVITIESAAA

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by Lesly Cavazos

“Miss Danna, what can we make as home made gi s”

HOME MADE GIFTS

Let´s ask

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Once again, the Buenos Aires Theater Players filled our ASFC stage with four funny and educational shows in English. All of our students were delighted! / Una vez más, The Buenos Aires Theater Players, llenaron el escenario del ASFC con cuatro divertidas y educativas presentaciones en inglés. ¡Nuestros estudiantes lo disfrutaron mucho!.

Photos: Ludwig Nostas

........................................................................................................................................................... VENTSVENTSEEE

Photos: Ludwig Nostas & Raúl Calleja

Lesly Cavazos

Yo Mirómiro comoCommunity Quilt

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Photos: Ludwig Nostas

VENTSVENTSEEEHOUSE

Competitions

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Haunted manors, altares de muer-tos, beau ful friends and their scary li le monsters, all hungry for fun, fi lledASFC for our tradi onal Halloween Day! We had such a thrilling me!

Casas embrujadas, altares de muertos, hermosas espectros y sus pequeños y escalofriantes monstruítos con hambre de diversión llenaron el ASFC en nuestra tradicional fi esta de Halloween. ¡Nos la pasamos espeluznantemente bien!.

...........................................................................................................................................................VENTSVENTSEEE

Photos: Ludwig NostasPhotos: Ludwig Nostas

Aquí les presentamos a los ganadores de nuestro primer concurso interno de calaveritas. Muchas felicidades y gracias a todos los que con su picardía e ingenio hicieron de este concurso, todo un éxito.

CATEGORÍA INFANTIL MENOR CATEGORÍA INFANTIL MAYORCATEGORÍA INFANTIL MENOR CATEGORÍA INFANTIL MAYOR

1er Lugar: Diego Martínez LevetP-2B

Enojada y enojada llegó la Catrina,cuando al American School visitó,

venía por unos cuantos muchachos,pero a Mr. Joe le tocó.

A mi ni me lleves chulita,que estoy haciendo mi chambita,

y menos a mi amiga Michyporque tuvo a su pichita.

Aquí hay muchos niños y niñasque con tazos quisieron jugary que zapatazos dieron, hastaque al panteón fueron a dar.

Bueno pues, ya me voy,Dijo la Catrina,

a las mamás del PTA quiero visitar,porque mujeres juntas, sólo difuntas.

2do Lugar: Melissa Manera Bonifaz K-2A

La Catrina entusiasmadavino a nuestro colegio,usando su sor legio,venía bien disfrazaday se fue a la Dirección

para ver a quién encontraba.

Pretendiendo lo mejorvino al Americano

y cuando saludó de manoa nuestro Sr. Director,el sin ó un escalofrío

y presin ó lo peor.

En su desesperaciónle pidió muy asustadováyase para otro lado

que me agita el corazónpero la Catrina despiadada

se lo llevó al panteón.

1er Lugar: Miranda Velázquez Vázquez / P-6A

Por rumbos de la escueladicen que anda la Muerte,con gran can dad de ganasy con muy poco de suerte.

En las aulas del Americanoson muy afortunados

pues dicen que la muerte les hacetodos los mandados.

Al panteón de la ciudada los maestros se llevaron

y a los niños del Americanosin estudio los dejaron.

Los alumnos descontentos,con la huesuda se enojaron

y en la puerta del Americanoa pambazos la sacaron.

2do Lugar: Adrián Caleb SalcedoP-5A

Estaba la Catrinabailando reggaetón

Llegaron los de primariay le bajaron el pantalón.

La huesuda enojada,pues estaba reportada,

llorando a cascadas,ya casi fue expulsada.

Nadie quería estar a su ladopues quita la comida,

ya que esta fl aca;tenía problemas en la barriga.

El Profe de sica dijo:Tú no estás en mi equipo,

tú estás muy fl aca,necesitas subir unos kilos.

3er Lugar: Adrián Vélez LópezP-5A

Una tarde de noviembrese dejó venir la Calaca:

A ver si aquí me reciben,no importa que yo sea naca.

Cada persona importantepor pasillo, aula y cocina,pues lo que ella buscaba

era que le pusieran “disciplina”

Mr. Joe, Michelyn,dirección y ofi cinas,

hagan caso a la Calacaporque ya los alucina.

A dueños y profesoreslos lleva en un costaly al salir del edifi cio

se cayó en el lodazal.

PG039

Puntualitos y sonrienteslos alumnos en la entrada

a la Maestra Danna y Mónicacon muchos besos saludaban.

Tomaron todos sus asientospreparándose a estudiar

y aprender a colorear.

Llegó muy tarde la catrinaves dita muy formal,

dispuesta a entrar en la clase para aprender a colorear.

La maestra Danna la detuvo:¡Espera ahí, no has de entrar!

tu gafete no lo veo,te tendré que detener

Apenada por su olvido,la catrina le explicó,

“Lo dejé en un en erroque muy tarde terminó”.

CATEGORÍA JUVENILCATEGORÍA JUVENIL

........................................................................................................................................................ VENTSVENTSEEE

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IDDLE SCHOOLIDDLE SCHOOLMMM ................................................................................................................................................................................ .........................................

por Gala K. Jaeger PedreroMiddle School 9 Grade Student

En los días fuera del salón de clase, todo alredor me enseña cosas nuevas, aprendo ya sea

algo insignifi cante o grandioso. Pero la persona que me guía en

la vida, mi abuelo, tiene infi nidad de interesantes

historias que referirme; de igual manera, mi madre me enseña a no rendirme, y en lo que forjo encuentro su apoyo absoluto.

Una cosa que he aprendido es que la gente incesantemente cambia: Hace dos años yo era otra; de mis compañeros ni se hable: ¡Hemos cambiado muchísimo!

He aprendido que no todo dura para siempre: amistad,

amor, cordura, lealtad o vida. Nos equivocamos, nos lastimamos en

algún instante, incluso nos sen mos tristes a veces. Parte del empo

lo perdemos en tonterías, dejando pasar oportunidades

por no tener el valor de enfrentarlas y seguirlas.

De mí misma estoy orgullosa por

superar obstáculos que las circunstancias me imponen. En estos años de Secundaria,

experimento infi nitamente.

La lección más notable es la de seguir adelante sin rendirme; por eso fuera de casa ensayo

que debo perseguir mis sueños y jamás dejar vencerme por

nada ni por nadie.

APRENDER APRENDER FUERA DEL FUERA DEL

SALÓN DE CLASESSALÓN DE CLASES

KKarlaarla se perdió su fi esta de graduación de secundaria se perdió su fi esta de graduación de secundaria porque tenía que tomar un vuelo que saldría de la Ciudad porque tenía que tomar un vuelo que saldría de la Ciudad

de México la mañana siguiente. de México la mañana siguiente. ¿Qué fue tan importante que ¿Qué fue tan importante que la obligó a perderse tal ocasión? ¿A dónde iba su vuelo?la obligó a perderse tal ocasión? ¿A dónde iba su vuelo? Ella se inscribió en un Ella se inscribió en un programa de estudiantes internacionalesprograma de estudiantes internacionales en Canadá. Viajó con un grupo de jóvenes de todo en Canadá. Viajó con un grupo de jóvenes de todo México a Nova Sco aMéxico a Nova Sco a, una provincia en la costa este del , una provincia en la costa este del país; ahí pasaría el verano en el campus de una escuela y país; ahí pasaría el verano en el campus de una escuela y después con una familia durante un semestre.después con una familia durante un semestre.

El Programa de Estudiantes Internacionales de Nova Sco a El Programa de Estudiantes Internacionales de Nova Sco a (NSISP, por sus siglas en inglés) ofrece una variedad de (NSISP, por sus siglas en inglés) ofrece una variedad de programas a estudiantes de todo el mundo. Los estudiantes programas a estudiantes de todo el mundo. Los estudiantes de NSISP, cuya edad generalmente está entre los 13 y 18 de NSISP, cuya edad generalmente está entre los 13 y 18 años, viven con familias anfi trionas canadienses mientras años, viven con familias anfi trionas canadienses mientras realizan sus estudios. Los alumnos enen la posibilidad de realizan sus estudios. Los alumnos enen la posibilidad de estudiar durante periodos de cinco o diez meses, incluso estudiar durante periodos de cinco o diez meses, incluso algunos se quedan más de un año. Asímismo, durante los algunos se quedan más de un año. Asímismo, durante los meses de julio y agosto, se lleva a cabo un campamento de meses de julio y agosto, se lleva a cabo un campamento de verano que incluye clases de inglés como un segundo idioma verano que incluye clases de inglés como un segundo idioma (ESL). Este es el programa en el que par cipa actualmente (ESL). Este es el programa en el que par cipa actualmente Karla Bardier Grajales, estudiante graduada de Secundaria Karla Bardier Grajales, estudiante graduada de Secundaria del ASFC. del ASFC.

Estudiantes de todo el mundo par cipan en este programa Estudiantes de todo el mundo par cipan en este programa para aprender inglés, acreditar la secundaria o el bachillerato y para aprender inglés, acreditar la secundaria o el bachillerato y conocer la cultura canadiense y de Nova Sco a. Karla había conocer la cultura canadiense y de Nova Sco a. Karla había planeado quedarse al campamento de verano y cursar el planeado quedarse al campamento de verano y cursar el primer semestre de Bachillerato, sin embargo, está tan primer semestre de Bachillerato, sin embargo, está tan encantada, que ella y sus padres han decidido que se quede encantada, que ella y sus padres han decidido que se quede el año completo.el año completo.

Si eres estudiante de Secundaria o de Bachillerato del ASFC Si eres estudiante de Secundaria o de Bachillerato del ASFC o del cualquier otro colegio, te invitamos a que te inscribas o del cualquier otro colegio, te invitamos a que te inscribas en uno de nuestros programas internacionales. Para mayor en uno de nuestros programas internacionales. Para mayor información, visita la sección “Programas Internacionales” información, visita la sección “Programas Internacionales” de nuestra página web, envía un correo a: de nuestra página web, envía un correo a:

interna onalprograms@americanschool.edu.mx interna onalprograms@americanschool.edu.mx o pide informes en la ofi cina de Excelencia Educa va del Colegio.o pide informes en la ofi cina de Excelencia Educa va del Colegio.24

MINI OLYMPICS

THANKSGIVING

MINI OLYMPICSPhotos: Ludwig Nostas & Lesly Cavazos

22VENTSVENTSEEE........................................................................................................................................................

With the arrival of the ASFC Mayan council we ini ated the inaugura on ceremony for the 2011 Mini Olympics. The story of twin brothers Hunapuc and Ixbalanque, from the “Popol Vuh” was narrated from the perspec ve of a curious Macaw Warrior, against an exci ng scenery upon wich the Jaguar olympic torch was ignited. A mul cultural and tradi onal event!Con la llegada del consejo Maya ASFC, se dió inicio a la ceremonia inaugural,de las mini Olimpiadas 2011. La historia de los hermanos gemelos HUNAPU E IXBALANQUÉ “POPOL VUH”, contada por un curioso Guerrero Guacamaya, fue el emocionante preámbulo parael encendido del pebetero, con fuego del jaguar. ¡Un evento lleno de tradición y mul culturalidad!.

American School Idol is here to stay! As part of our Thanksgiving celebra on, our students had the opportunity to see their teachers per-form. By using their ar s c and musical abili es, staff members fi lled the stage with fun musical numbers in apprecia on for the blessings received this year! ¡American School Idol, llegó para quedarse! Como parte de las celebraciones del Día de Acción de Gracias, nuestros alumnos tuvieron la oportunidad de conocer la faceta histriónica de sus maestros, quienes haciendo uso de sus habilidades ar s cas, llenaron el escenario con diver dos números teatrales y musicales, para demostrar su agradecimiento por las bendiciones recibidas en el año.

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Photos: Ludwig Nostas & Lesly Cavazos

................................................................................................................................................IGH SCHOOLIGH SCHOOLHHH

the “16 + minds” the “16 + minds”

As an exchange student coming from the United States, I thoroughly expected English class in Mexico to literally be English class, meaning, a class dedicated to teaching the English language. Upon my fi rst day of Track 1 English class in Mexico, I soon discovered that my expecta ons could not have been more incorrect! For one, I never expected I would be taught by a bodacious, blonde Canadian woman with the delicate name of ‘Miss Danna’. Secondly, I was surprised to learn that the classroom curriculum consisted largely of reading comprehension and cri cal thinking.

Miss Danna began by presen ng to the class a founda on on which to build our skills for the dura on of the school year. This ‘founda on’ is offi cially known throughout the educated world as the 16 Habits of Mind. What exactly are the 16 Habits of Mind? Compiled by two University professors, the 16 Habits of Mind are a set of “16 problem solving, life related skills, necessary to eff ec vely operate in society and promote strategic reasoning, insigh ulness, perseverance, crea vity and cra sman-ship”. By learning to understand and use the 16 Habits of Mind, one is provided with “skills to work through real life situa ons that equip that person to respond using awareness (cues), thought, and inten onal strategy in order to gain posi ve outcome”. Essen ally, studying and learning these 16 habits will help us to grow as students and individuals. As stated, the curriculum largely consists of reading comprehension and cri cal thinking. In order to prepare us for these, Miss Danna designed a group ac vity that forced each group to prac ce thinking interdependently, which is actually one of the 16 Habits of Mind! Each group was given a large sheet of paper with a diff erent habit of mind wri en on it. With markers in hand, we all went to work wri ng our ideas of how that par cular skill connected with reading. Some ex-amples of the 16 Habits of Mind that we were asked to think about are as follows: persis ng, thinking fl exibly, striving for accuracy, ques oning and posing problems, applying past knowledge to new situa ons, remaining open to con nuous learning, and fi nding humor. Each group was given the opportunity to see and add ideas to each habit of mind. One group wrote that persis ng is important to reading because it helps one strive to fi nish a book. Another group added that when one persists, they don’t give up, even if the text is diffi cult. A erwards, we all shared our ideas with one another.

Miss Danna has helped our class understand how much we think when we read! Miss Danna says that ‘when we read, we are constantly asking ques ons’. This was proved true during a diff erent class ac vity in which we were given a short story to read and write down every me we found ourselves asking a ques on. By par cipa ng in this ac vity we as stu-dents realized how useful the 16 Habits of Mind are, par cularly when paired with reading. So what do the students expect for the rest of the school year? Or more par cularly, how do they think the 16 Habits of Mind will help us in our con nuing studies? Many in our class believe that it will help us comprehend our reading be er, and help us to think on our reading. Overall, our English and reading skills, as well as our life skills, will be strengthened, and help us to grow and emerge as successful, educated adults.

Miss DannaMiss Danna &&

By Victoria Black(High School Student)

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Phot

os: R

ubén

Mar

nez

& G

iova

nna

Stoc

he

.........................................................................................................................................................EEEVENTSVENTS

This past December we “fl ew” over several ci es and con nents while enjoying the outstanding performance of all of our students! It was an amazing night! / En diciembre pasado, volamos sobre muchas ciudades y con nentes, mientras disfrutábamos de las maravillosas actuaciones de nues-tros alumnos. ¡Sin duda, fue una noche asombrosa!

......................................................................................................................................................... EEEVENTSVENTS

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