1JOHN F. KENNEDY · THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF QUERÉTAROJOHN F. KENNEDY · THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF QUERÉTARO

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F E A T U R E S T O R Y

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vision To facilitate the balanced development

of our students; with commitment and respect for the local community

and a multicultural world.

Mirtha Stappung M.Ed., MA General Director

Debra Cortney MA Pre–school PrinciPal

Mark Dunn M.Ed., MA elementary school PrinciPal

Robert Callahan M.Ed., MA miDDle school PrinciPal

Adrian Leece MA, BSc, FRMtS hiGh school PrinciPal

Arturo Bustamante athletic DePartment Director

Dra. Josefina Morgan Financial Director

Jeffrey Lewis oPerations anD services Director

Ing. Ángel De Lope Friedeberg , C.P. Benito Adolfo Tagle Jiménez, Arq. Matthew Schmidt

Covo, Dr. Raúl Gerardo Paredes Guerrero, Lic. Luz Ma. Aguirre Schoelman, Arq. Martha

Naranjo Romero, Dra. María Isabel Miranda Sauce.

BoarD oF Directors

Lic. Mónica Duarte BalcárceleDitor in chieF anD

chair oF the eDitorial BoarD

Karime D. Gutiérrez, Leonor Cortina, Virginia Watkins, Paloma Parás Ochoa,

Mónica Duarte.Writers

Leonor Cortina ProoFreaDinG anD translation

sextosentido DesiGn & cover Photo

Víctor Ortega, Asbed Levi. PhotoGraPhy

alumni contact Virginia Watkins

vwatkins@jfk .edu.mx

aDvertisinG sales Karime Dorantes

Ph. (442) 218 0075 ext. 1010 cdorantes@jfk.edu.mx

Fall 2013vol. 1 no. 12 · nov 2013

C O V E R S T O R Y

Adquiere un Seguro de Educación

17 años asegurando al JFK... dice mucho de nosotros.

Sin importar lo que pase...nosotros nos encargamos de que tus hijos terminen sus estudios.

josé ramón vela

tel o�cina 2233418 2134381

celular 442 1 81 71 45

calle del rio 107 residencial calesa 2nda secciónQuerétaro

Editorial Letter

School-WideProfessional Development Plan

Brainstorming JFK’s 50th Anniversary

Changes for the BetterStudents talk about the MYP

Teacher’s Role in the Implementation of the MYP

THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT &the MiddleYears Programme

SPORTS

The New Elementary School Building

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

The Middle School Years

Program

O.OOO1%FOR THE

A TRUEADVENTURE

C L A S S O F 1 9 9 5

Find our Spring 2014 JFK Times tablet issue

app store

Google Play

In this issue we want to share with

you themes reflecting the innovation

that characterizes us, and the

important activities that are taking

place at JFK.

The construction of the Elementary

School new facilities is advancing at an excellent

pace.

A work that certainly will embellish the campus, w

ith

classrooms and facilities that match the 21st cent

ury

education and with beautiful spaces we will all en

joy.

Regarding academic advancements, we are currently

implementing the MYP Programme. We had the opportu

nity

to interview Mr. Robert Callahan, our new Middle S

chool

Principal for this edition of the JFK Times, and i

nvited

students and teachers to write too. They shared wi

th us

their vision about this important program and what

it

represents in the school´s educational process.

In this edition you will also be able to learn th

e

fascinating and inspirational story of Karla Mungu

ía

Colmenero, alumni of the school, who shares with u

s her

experience of working for Animal Planet in Africa.

Lastly, we want to recognize the 50th anniversary

of

the death of President John F. Kennedy that took p

lace on

Nov.22nd. Given that our school was founded the ye

ar after

his death and in his name, we will also be honorin

g this

historic leader throughout next school year as we

celebrate

our very own 50th Anniversary. We invite you to jo

in us.

Dear readers,

Mónica Duarte

Editor in Chief

JFK Times Magazine

3

4

OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS BY OUR FACULTY OR STUDENTS

5

All schools should be places where both adults and students learn. Teach-ers and administrators who routinely develop their own knowledge and skills show students that learning is important and useful. Professional de-velopment is the best strategy schools have to strengthen educators’ performance levels and therefore raise student achievement.

The Professional Development Plan rep-resents a school wide effort to address the present and future needs for training and

professional growth for all members of the JFK per-sonnel. The asembly has authorized the implemen-tation of the MYP and fully supports the de- velopment of the neces-sary skills in teachers in order to be able to deliver

the instructional programs offered by the International Baccalaureate for 6th through 10th grade.

That is why, in JFK all staff are encour-aged to participate in professional develop-ment that may occur in many different ways.

School-Wide Professional Development Plan

2013 – 2014Education has changed dramatically over the past 20 years to the belief that learning is primarily understanding the processes by which we make sense of the worlds around us.

The Professional Development Plan represents

a school wide effort to address the present and

future needs for training and professional growth for all

members of the JFK personnel.

1 21st century approaches to teaching and learning.

Education has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, transitioning from the belief that learning is about having informa-tion and accumulating knowledge by grade level to the belief that learning is primarily understanding the processes by which we make sense of the natural, social, and cultural worlds around us.

2 Increasing

technology as a tool for teaching and learning.

Students today live in two worlds -one tangible and one dig-ital- that increasingly connect with each other. The Internet Revolution, providing unlimited access to in-formation, makes this transition even more apparent and urgent. Education must keep pace with the new skill demands of this revolution and prepare students for a future of amazing -if uncertain- potential.

3 Required IB training needs.

JFK believes that the International Bacca-laureate represents the most advanced research and educa-tional theory in the world, thus making their programs the best educational op-tion for our students of all ages. The Diploma Program, which has been offered at JFK for more than 15 years and the recent imple-mentation of the MYP, respond to our com-munity expectations as an excellent educa-tion for the future.

these are the main topics offered in each section by our Professional Development Plan:

We are excited to announce the creation of a unique 50th Anniversary Alumni Committee and are inviting you to be a part of it.

➽Reach out to other graduates.

➽Share memories.

➽ Impart knowledge as a guest speaker.

6

4 Required SEP training needs.

Provide a variety of formative and sum-mative assessment tasks to students, and use assessment for learning. Stu-dents should always know the purpose of an assessment, be given a rubric based on clear ob-jectives, and receive timely feedback that supports the learning process.

5 Alignment of the curriculum from K-12.

Plan yearly revi-sions looking to prepare students to enroll in the Diplo-ma Program in HS.

Define a school wide way of map-ping the curricu-lum, same format K-12 and train teachers to use it in a systematic way

6 Collaborative learning groups.

Teachers partici-pate in collabora-tive learning groups to improve student learning.

Promote regular participation in professional Learn-ing Communities among staff.

7 Interpreting and Using Data to Improve Student Learning.

Our main focus is student learning. Everyone involved in the students’ ed-ucation is account-able for improving student perfor-mance and results.

ACADEMIC CORNER

You’re Invited to a Historical 50th Birthday Party

Contact the Head of Annual Campaign & Alumni Relations

Virginia Watkins vwatkins@jfk.edu.mx /exalumnos.kennedy

8 9

Brainstorming JFK’s 50th Anniversary Through a Community Workshop

By Virginia Grace WatkinsHead of Annual Campaign & Alumni Relations

THE JFK SPIRIT• Roughly 50 participants• 10 teachers & 2 staff• 16 students & student volunteers• 17 parents• 4 alumni• 11 foreign nationals• Several friends with a long JFK history• Various school directors• A couple of professional community

workshop coaches

• 8 round tables of mixed representation• 1 High School Student Council scribe at

each table• Large sketch paper & a marker in every

hand• 3 targeted questions, asked one at a

time, with 15 minutes to collectively answer

• Feedback gathered for analysis & applied to the development of the 50th Anniversary 2014-2015 school year of celebration

• Because people prefer to discuss ideas through casual dialogue

• All sectors of the JFK Community are given a voice at the table

• Encourages teambuilding & collaboration of ideas

• Targeted questions build upon each previous one, filtering toward a specific objective

• Eliminates corporate politics and influence of agendas

• Collects as much info as possible within a brief period of time

Who’s at the Table?

The Format

Why this Format?

#1 “Why Do We Celebrate Anniversaries?”Past • To commemorate/honor progress made, goals

met and special moments

Present • Celebrate an evolution

• See the big picture & reevaluate our direction

• Share our successes with society

Future • Inspire young generations

• Start a new chapter and set new goals

• Build momentum for future progress

Community • Strengthen relationships within our JFK family

• A sense of belonging & unity; to be part of

something

Appreciation • Honor/thank the dedicated individuals who

have played key roles in the school´s growth &

success

The 3 Big Questions & Your Answers:

In the evening of September 17th, representatives across our community sat down together for a united purpose... to explore the why and how of celebrating our JFK 50th Anniversary. Here’s the skinny on how it went and what we learned.

#2 What Does JFK Have to Celebrate After 50 Years?History • Academic/athletic/national/international

achievements

• Facilities advancements

• Overcoming numerous obstacles during our growth

• Persevering for half a century!

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BUILDING COMMUNITY

Culture • Our multicultural identity! (The diversity of

different cultures/languages & the positive

interaction between them.)

• Effective bilingualism

Values • Tradition

• Honor

• Leadership

• Genuine prestige

• Good sportsmanship

• The footprint JFK leaves on its students; the high

caliber of a JFK student, reflected in society

Social Responsibility/Impact • Social commitment & service

• Being a green school/environmentally conscious

What´s Next?

People • Decades of JFK graduates

• Achievements by our students, staff & alumni

• Professionalism and dedication of our

extraordinary teachers & staff

• Alumni who have been improving the world

& changing society

• Those who have dedicated years of leadership

& service to JFK

• Teachers who have impacted lives

Education • Academic advancements & quality of education

• Education model that successfully integrates many

cultures/languages/learning styles

• International scholarships for graduates; opportunity

for world travel & exposure

• The development of all aspects within each individual

Community/Relationships: • Relationship between students & teachers

• JFK Community as a single, unified family

• The people who work at JFK smile, and the

students smile as a result

• Legacy of the JFK Community, where alumni

return to enroll their children

• The spirit, love of community & pride to be Kennedy

First things first:

Thank You!to all of our JFK Community participants for your active collaboration, time investment & invaluable feedback; it´s worth its weight in gold! Take pride in knowing that you´ve helped shape a historical celebration for JFK during next school year´s 50th Anniversary!

SHOUT OUT!

MOVING FORWARD

#3 How Are You Going to Be Involved in JFK´s 50th Anniversary?Also answered as: “How would you like to celebrate our 50th?”

Recognition • Past & present leadership • Valuable retired teachers • All JFK employees

Culture • Art • Music • Ethnicity

Sports

Community-building activitiesFundraising

With the community´s feedback on what you value and event concepts, we´ve constructed a layout for an anniversary year full of historical recognitions & meaningful celebrations.

This ´14-´15 golden anniversary will include not only several unique commemorative events, but “golden touches” integrated throughout the school calendar & its existing activities. You will have the chance to honor our past, celebrate our present and dream about our future.

So, get ready to be an active part of a historical moment in our JFK history as we celebrate 50 years of achieving the extraordinary!

12 13

around Middle School the MYP brings many positive outcomes.

Some older students who were in Middle School before the programme was introduced also have some-thing to say about the MYP. One of them, Gerardo Urbi-ola (8C) gives advice to the new students about how to work with the MYP, “I would recommend them to pay attention in each class and to do all their homework be-cause with the new program, homework counts more than usual.” If you work hard and do all the work there should not be any problem getting good grades and not failing.

the MYP is trying to make the students grow as people and become better human beings every day.

There have been many challenges to overcome with the arrival of the MYP programme. Some students feel ready to face the chal-lenges head on like Jorge Rangel (6A), “Children need to challenge themselves more”. Many students agree with him and are ready to start facing the challenges ahead of them, like Vale-ria (6C) who thinks that “Every challenge helps me become a better person and develop my abilities.” With students ready to learn all

This new school year there have been a lot of changes at the JFK

Middle School. First we had to say goodbye to our princi-pal Miss Tara who was with us for many years. With the arrival of the new principal Mr. Callahan, we started the new school year ready to learn. We also have the con-struction of the new Elemen-tary School building, right next to the Middle School. But what came as the biggest shock of all was the MYP.

What is the MYP? Upon being asked this ques-tion many of the Middle School students came up with different answers and

By Paloma Parás Ochoa 7D

Gerardo Urbiola (8C)

Annika Honack (7C)Ale Lizarraga (7C)

Jorge Rangel (6A)

Valeria Urbiola (6C)

opinions. MYP stands for Middle Years Programme. It is a programme that was recently implemented in our school. It is designed to help students learn and be better prepared once they go out into the “real world”.

Here I am going to briefly describe what some of the students of Middle School think about the MYP. Stu-dents have been encouraged by the MYP all over Middle School, and I quote, “It is really important and a very good idea to change the pro-gramme because the school is trying to make us better students”, says Valeria Urbi-ola (6C). This is true because

THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY

What is the MYP? Upon being asked this question many of the Middle School students came up with different answers and opinions. MYP stands for Middle Years Programme.

However, some students don’t like this approach to “real world” learning. What if the challenges are difficult for some students? What do they have to say about this? Annika Honack and Ale Liz-arraga (7C) say, “The MYP is a new programme in which we get more homework and everything changes. It’s supposed to make the school better but we think it is more difficult than before.” The new programme involves a lot of changes for many of the students, and some are uncertain of their feelings towards it. Other students have mixed feelings.

So now we know that some

students are enjoying the change the MYP brings to the school, and others not so much.

One thing that is certain is that our school has a reputa-tion of always being a school that teaches the students and helps them grow in every as-pect of their life. It has always shone in all aspects (especial-ly academic) thanks to the hard work of its principals, teachers and students. We know that there will be a pe-riod of adjustment that may be difficult for everybody, but once the change is imple-mented and we are all adjust-ed, the school will continue to shine, brighter than ever.

I would recommend them to pay attention in each class and to do all their homework because with the new program, homework counts more than usual.”

The MYP is a new programme in which we get more homework and everything changes. It’s supposed to make the school better but we think it is more difficult than before.

Children need to challenge themselves more.

It is really important and a very good idea to change the programme because the school is trying to make us better students.

It is a programme that was recently implemented in our school. It is designed to help students learn and be better prepared once they go out into the “real world”

Changes for the Better

14 15

Ma. Guadalupe Fragoso Portales 6º grade Science Teacher

What do you think about the MYP program being implemented at the school?I’m a practicing educator with twenty years of expe-rience now. When I came into this school and I began to experience the imple-mentation of the program, I realized the importance of incorporating new ways of teaching. This is something I was already looking for, I wanted to do things differ-ently but I didn’t know how.

When I began with the training program and this new way of teaching, I said to myself ‘Bingo!’ this is what I was yearning for.

As a teacher, how does the MYP change the way you teach?I think for most of us in Middle School it’s creating much more of a sense of facilitation and the fact that we roam around the room helping students out much more individually with their unique needs inside the classroom and it helps us specialize the learning envi-ronment with differentiation for all of the students.

Can you share with me an experience of something that in this process has impacted you or caught your attention of a change?

David WhartnabySeventh Grade English Teacher

What do you think about the MYP implementation at JFK?I think it’s like an exciting time, because as technolo-gy is increasing, students have more and more access to content, for me just to show what a square root is to students, they could get that lesson online, and so we have to go deeper, we have to be able to force them to analyze things more, to use more critical thinking skills.

And as a teacher what opportunities will arise with this new method and new way of thinking?I think you are going to see more of us teachers, out of the room, because I think you are going to see more hands on type of stuff. I know within our math

The importance of the Teacher’s Role in the Implementation of the MYP (Middle School Years Program)

In your opinion, what do you think will be the greatest benefits for the students?This way of learning is preparing them for the real world. They will stop being mere receivers of informa-tion and they will learn to in-vestigate, question, analyze and organize information and apply the knowledge to solve different types of problems in real life.

Well with our particular nov-el unit that we are doing our literature circles, we started out with an author study and students had to do their own research to learn about the different authors of their individual books and really figure out how the author’s life has impacted their writ-ing and what they have cho-sen in their own profession. I thought that was interesting to see the students’ thought process and that they had never considered how an author’s background has a substantial role and played such an intricate part in their expression on the page.

methods sessions we’ve been discussing different type of activities. I’ll give you an ex-ample: For the Pythagorean theorem class, we will go out and actually take measure-ments of the stairwells to be able to use the information for the discussion of the class.

Something else that you would like to share with our readers?The students are going to be able to dig deeper and un-derstand things better, with reflection. They are going to develop skills they are going to use for life. To me it’s an exciting time, it can be nerve wracking as a teacher who has grown up in the lecture taught style of class, but I’ve also had experiences of prob-lem-solving type of classes.

A FOCUS ON OUR STAFF

This way of learning is preparing them for the real world. They will stop being mere receivers of information.

We started out with an author study and students had to do their own research to learn about the different authors of their individual books and really figure out how the author’s life has impacted their writing.

For the Pythag-orean theorem class, we will go out and actually take measurements of the stair-wells to be able to use the information for the discussion of the class.

14

We talked to three teachers from Middle School to get an insight on their opinion and vision on the implementation of the MYP program at the Kennedy school. They are very enthusiastic with this challenge and are already applying new ways of teaching and feel motivated by their leader.

Nick KonopaEight grade Mathematics Teacher

THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT &

the MiddleYears Programme

16 17

SPORTS

I n preparing for the future, our commit-ment to our students

and our whole JFK com-munity, with the best and highest quality education, the implementation of the program involves not only the academics aspect but the sports one too. To learn a lit-tle more about how the MYP is revolutionizing the Ath-letics Department, we talked to Professor Ramón Salce Ayala, who teaches Physical

By: Karime D.Gtz.

Education to 6th, 7th and 8th graders here at the JFK. He agrees that this new way of teaching requires being up to date with the new technology and of course, training in the new methods and structures of teaching a class, which are different from the traditional ones. It’s not only about integrating the sports knowledge into the programme but a matter of health and that includes taking courses, certification

PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR OUR MODEL OF EDUCATION

The teachers who do not incorporate themselves in this rhythm of work and study won’t be able to incorporate themselves in a programme like the one we are working with now.

programs and training. This implies that the change be imminent and, as Ramón puts it “the teachers who do not incorporate themselves into this rhythm of work and study won’t be able to incorporate themselves in a programme like the one we are working with now.”

Implementing the MYP involves a new way of teaching, and the Athletic Department teachers are no exception. With the help of

the activities done during the Professional Days and the training programs that are given to the teachers as counseling and teaching methodology, teachers can innovate, experiment and make the necessary changes in the classes. “They –Robert and Danielle- are working very closely with us and helping us check our lesson plans and they are also supervising our classes first hand”, Ramón says. It is im-portant that teachers follow the same direction according to the standards that are being asked of them.

Our teachers will not only feel proud to be part of the JFK community, which in itself is a prestige already, but they will play a very important role in the implementation of the MYP. As an institution that is constantly looking for better and new ideas to help its students improve their lives by having the best quality education that’s out there, the implementation of the MYP from the International Baccalaureate it’s more proof of how committed they are with their community to keep providing their stu-dents with the proper tools to face the future in this 21st century and show the world the best they can be.

18 19

The New Elementary

School Building

WHAT ARE WE UP TO?

The project consists of four

stages, two of which will be

ready on August 2014. We are all

working very hard to gather the donations

needed to complete the

remaining two.

When the Assembly set itself the important

task of building new facili-ties for Elementary School three years ago, it did so with the objective of pro-viding the larger section of our community with spac-es needed for a 21th Century quality education.

Now, as we see the efforts of the Construction Com-mittee taking shape in the new buildings currently un-der construction, we are dis-covering that this project is bringing much more to the By Mónica Duarte & Leonor Cortina

Kennedy Community than new classrooms.

For starters, the transparen-cy with which every aspect of the project was held is some-thing we can all be proud of. The Committee invited 8 ar-chitectural firms to compete with their design and after the winner was chosen by a group of Assembly parents they pro-ceeded to do the same for the construction firm. In the end the winner for design was Vega+Vega and the construc-tion was awarded to indu sa. Now the Construction Com-

mittee composed by parents, school directives, technicians, and JFK staff, are work-ing day by day to make this dream come true.

The project consists of four stages, two of which will be ready on August 2014. We are all working very hard to gather the donations needed to complete the remaining two. The remaining two stag-es complete the design in a “U” shape form that will al-low teachers great visibility, while creating amazing spac-es that will foster a feeling of

community.The design concept orga-

nizes the buildings around the central playground with a linear distribution where color is the main identifier. Children will be able to find their classrooms by look-ing for their “color”. Square shaped classrooms will al-low the use of four walls for learning, where lighting and air circulation have been carefully studied to provide comfortable conditions at minimal cost. A bridge con-necting this building to Mid-

dle School symbolizes the transition from one section to the other, but more than that, the feeling which in-spired the whole project: a sense of community where we all belong.

The final stage contem-plates a green roof and so-lar panels that generate solar energy, a greenhouse and a special space for our animals Some of the materials and requirements used to build the school are all part of our commitment with the envi-ronment and of our certifica-tion as a green school.

Other amazing spaces, such as the cafeteria that seats 200; a new multipur-pose room for everyone to use; an agora where every-thing from a theater presen-tation to a parents meeting can take place; music and art rooms with direct access to the street which will house art exhibits; a new swas learning space; speak of a project that was conceived not just for Elementary but for the whole school. A pro-ject we will all enjoy and profit from. A building that will allow us to do what we do best: grow together.

Every week we get clos-er to the completion of this dream… or the first half of it. As we start getting a glimpse of the great things our new facilities will bring to this community, we invite you to be a part of it; to put your hearts into it as many parents in the school Assem-bly and Construction Com-mittee are doing and have done in the past.

20 21

Bob, can you explain to us what were the main reasons for implementing the MYP in our school?The IB is the most demanding aca-demic program in the world. It requires a lot of self-management and being able to work independently, with the teachers as a guide. Here and in schools around the world, students were experiencing difficulties going from 10th grade to the 11th. One of the main reasons to implement the MYP at JFK was to have continuity, so students would learn the skills, the style, the organization and self-management they needed to have to succeed in 10th grade and transition into 11th grade.

Ideas in education are changing so quickly that MYP’s philosophy of edu-cation really fits with the 21th Century, which is flipping the classroom so students engage content thru video and traditional reading, but when they come to the school they are investigat-ing, enquiring into something. In the MYP, the learning process always starts

with an interesting question which students need to enquire. They need to find the information, organize it and present it in their own opinion, and those skills are part of every single job.

Apart from continuity with the IB, another im-portant benefit of the MYP is creating lifelong skills in students.

What will be the main benefits for the students with this change?The MYP demands that students learn about key concepts that are directly related to their lives and that are important all around the world. Key concepts are the most important issues in our subjects and the Global concepts are how we make it relevant to the lives of stu-dents. Students will have a better sense of self management; they are going to think critically, to be able to solve things themselves, to communicate

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

The Middle

School Years Programme

PREPARING THE

STUDENTS ON EARTH TO BE LEADERS OF THE WORLDO.OOO1%By Mónica Duarte

Ideas in education are changing so quickly that MYP’s philosophy of education really fits with the 21st Century.

Robert Callahan our Middle School Principal, explains to us the reasons, the challenges, the benefits and the expectations of implementing the Middle Years Programme in JFK

20 21

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that information and to work that information in order to create something original.

How long will it take to imple-ment this change?We are at the beginning stages of implementing the MYP. With the IB we had a period of three years to implement the program. But people are get-ting excited about the chan-ges. It’s a different way of teaching; it’s a different way of learning.

What will be the impact for teachers?For teachers it’s a big change in the sense that we are now organizing the curriculum around inquiry. We are or-ganizing the curriculum around having interesting questions in our subjects. As students investigate, we guide them through the learning process. It’s no longer teaching content. We already have all the content in the world, all the information online with technology. But now we are teaching students what to do with it, how to file information, how to organize it, hot to use it prac-

tically to be able to solve real world problems. We have one hundred years of education that have taught us to do one thing. Now we have three years to get the program going and change it. So it’s a very big change for teachers.

What are the new tools for the teachers to do this transition?

Each department of Middle School will learn how to organize a unit and the best methods to transform teaching into the IBMYP. Teachers will give students a puzzle and then will guide them through the process of solving it. They will come up with a plan and we will give them feedback on the plan. Then they will present their findings or their results in every subject but we will not necessarily grade that part; we will grade them reflecting on what they created. We will grade their ability to un-derstand key concepts in each subject, through reflection. That’s a key change in education; it’s the best change.

What are the key things that will generate enthusiasm?Enquiry: giving students a problem and then telling them to solve it. Using their natural curi-osity and their own perspectives on what’s the best way they’d like to work to be able to accom-plish a goal. When students come up with plans to be able to solve a problem, teachers are having twenty five different conversations to give them feedback on each one of their plans. That’s brand new; that’s differen-tiation, getting a personalized educa-tion. That is not the same as teaching content and having everybody quiet in the classroom. It looks like chaos when you walk in but it’s not. It’s amazing.

What does this challenge mean to you? It takes a little bit of patience to realize that teachers, parents and students are not going to be on the same level of knowledge. Moving in one direction when not everybody

Students will have a better sense of self management; they are going to think critically, to be able to solve things themselves.

is in the same level of understanding is going to be a challenge. But, for example, now when I meet with parents and tell them where we’re going, everybody will shake their head and say, ‘yes, that’s what I want for my kid’.

But that’s the biggest chal-lenge: how do you take a community that is at differ-ent levels of understanding

and an education system that is a hundred years old, and change it in three. I tell parents, ‘we’ll get there’. But we need to have patience.

It’s important to realize that this pro-gram is for the.0001% of all students, all people on earth.

Only the top teachers in the world can structure and manage a program like this. Only the top students in the world can have success in a program like this. Because this is a program for the leaders of the world

In the MYP, the learning process always starts with an interesting question which students need to enquire.

Only the top teachers in the world

can structure and manage a program like this. Only the top students in the world can have success in a program like this.

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2524

A TRUEADVENTURE

C L A S S O F 1 9 9 5

b y M ó n i c a D u a r t e

In an inspiring interview,

Karla tells us how her

hard work, passion and

determination drove her to

fulfill her cherished dream:

working for Animal Planet.

26

WHEN I WAS SEVENTEEN I DISCOVERED A CHANNEL THAT BLEW MY MIND AWAY: ANIMAL PLANET.

From the moment I saw that first take of a cheetah chasing an antelope, I said “I want to be the one behind the camera”. That is why I studied communications at the Tec de Monterrey. While studying, I found work at a Multimundo Radio. I started pulling cables and bringing coffee but ended up as a broadcaster and a producer.

I had wanted to be a diver since I was eleven when, in a trip to Cozumel, the clarity of the water allowed me to see four divers kneeling at the bottom of the sea. When I was older, I saved all the money I had earned until I was able to buy my equipment and pay for my certification.

After graduating from the Tec in 2006, the opportuni-ty to work as a submarine videographer in Playa del Carmen came up. I loved the work, but weeks went by without the man who had hired me fulfilled his promise of paying the nice salary he had offered. One day, I got lost under the sea. I was starting to plan my emergency ascent, but the sea sent a diver to my rescue. At that moment I realized I was not only lost at sea, but

in my life. I returned home with noth-

ing but a DVD with some of the shots I had made. To shake me out of my despair, a friend got me an interview for a job at a German company. But al-most at the same time, another friend asked if I had seen the in-vitation to enter a reality show announced by Animal Planet. The link publi- shed in Disco- very Network’s site led me to a window that read: “If you speak English, know how to handle a cam-era and write a script, this is your opportunity to enter On Earth, a reality show in the South African reserve Shamwari, where experts in their field will teach you how

care of the planet and loving animals was part of my DNA… something I never questioned because it was part of me since I was born.

After the lon-gest weekend I can remember, they announced me that out of a 34,000 appli-cants, I had won a place in On Earth. I could not believe that I was the only repre-sentative from the American Continent —the other chosen were two Europe-ans, one Aus-tralian and two Asians; I believed they had made a mistake.

On July 7 2007 I traveled to Mexico City. All my family was gathered at the airport to bid me farewell, and the

last words I heard before boarding were my mother’s, saying “Karla, remember you are representing Mexico,

don’t cry” —because I cry a lot. Thirty hours later, still believ-ing someone had made a huge mistake, I arrived at Shamwari, a five stars reserve. It was not until I a saw my name on a huge manual that I truly be-lieved I had won.

The following day —at 6 am in a bitter cold that I would have never have associated with Africa— we were all ready

to get started. As if being in Shamwari wasn’t reason enough for excitement, all through these days I had one other illusion. I had

to make documentaries”. It was as if the universe

had finally said, “Here’s this for you, Karla”. The only

requisites were to speak English and to send a documentary made by our-selves, which I sent along with my resume and the tape I had made at Playa del Carmen. Meanwhile, I got the job at the German compa-ny, and was so focused on my new job that I for-

got to check my email for several days. One morning my mother called me at work telling me Animal Planet had tried to get in touch with me for several days. When we finally talked, they asked me why I loved animals so much. I answered that taking

27

heard that Lindal Davies, the woman who appeared in all Animal Planet commercials —my true hero— would be there. And on that freezing morning, as commotion arouse, I saw her coming towards us. She greeted me with a warm “Hi, Kar-la, how are you”. She was getting ready to board our first animal ride, when she noticed that nobody was following, and she soon learned that it was me breaking in tears that had steered the cameramen’s focus on an unexpected direction —so much for “Karla, remember you are represent-ing Mexico, don’t cry”. We

From the moment I saw that first take of a cheetah chasing an antelope, I said “I want to be the one behind the camera”.

Life is made of cycles, and my time in Africa came to an end. I now take great pleasure in sharing my experiences with children. I have great faith in them.

29

competed for four weeks to make the best documentary. I won second place. But that moment along with other opportunities set me apart in the eyes of the production crew.

After chasing elephants and watching zebras in their natural habitat, my return to Querétaro and a desk job was a little bleak. So I decid-ed to write Lindal and try my luck again with Animal Plan-et. It turned out that she was just launching a new project in Shamwari and offered me work for a trial period of three months —that turned

into three years. Every effort and every path I had taken

until then finally made sense. I was living my

dream.Life is made of cycles, and my time in Africa came to

an end. I now take great pleasure in sharing my

experiences with

children. I have great faith in them. Planting a small seed in them has become one of my callings, as well as writing a book where love of diversi-ty, respect for all living crea-tures and taking care of our planet are the main themes I want to share with kids, young adults and women.

I would like to say to all Kennedy students, that they should appreciate and take advantage of the complete and privileged education they are receiving. I also want to tell them they should own their dream and believe in themselves in order to make them come true. It takes great effort; it takes not surrender-ing after the first, the second, or the hundred times that things do not turn out the way you want them to.

As I said, life is made of cycles. Now that one of mine has come to an end, I am getting ready for a new and exciting beginning.

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To all Kennedy students...

they should appreciate and take advantage of the complete

and privileged education they are

receiving

/user/Karmuncol

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