AĂąo 5 NĂşmero 23
A p a r a d is e in n th e M e d it e r r a n e a
Alan por el mundo Employed or self employed, what's best?
App Store
Play Store
Download o u free digital is r su
e!
Photo: Victoria Rodríguez
¡Llegó el verano! Y con él, la oportunidad de tomar un descanso de las actividades cotidianas, es por esto que en este número te ofrecemos múltiples opciones para vivir un verano completamente diferente desde conocer un paradisiaco archipiélago del mediterráneo como lo es Malta, región donde el inglés es el idioma oficial, hasta viajar sin perder todos tus ahorros en el intento. En este número queremos que disfrutes de opciones que te ayuden en tu día a día como por ejemplo si sufres de estrés, te damos algunos tips para combatirlo. Tener mascotas tiene grandes ventajas descubre algunas de ellas. Además, descubrirás un poco de nuestro programa “Academic Mentoring Program” que nos ayuda a asegura la calidad y enseñanza de nuestros profesores dentro de cada uno de nuestros institutos. Esperamos disfrutes este número. Eduardo Soto Magaldi Harmon Hall
Summer’s here! Give yourself the chance of taking a break from your daily activities and have fun reading this issue where we suggest various options to experience a completely different summer have a look at Malta, a paradisiac archipelago in the Mediterranean where English is one of the official languages, and learn to travel without going broke. We want you to stay cool in your everyday life, so in this edition you’ll find some tips of how to fight stress if you suffer from it, and did you know having pets has fantastic advantages too? Find out about them. Besides, you’ll discover a little about our Academic Mentoring Program, which helps us ensure the quality and teaching expertise of our teachers in each and every Harmon Hall institute. We hope you take pleasure reading this issue.
Eduardo Soto Magaldi Harmon Hall
01
3 coffee talks
Directorio
Fun facts
6 must go
Recommendation of events
8 must read & listen Books and music
10 must watch
The most expected movies and TV series
12 must wear women
Fewer clothes with a lot of style
Coordinación Lucía Coronado diseno@harmonhall.edu.mx Atención a cliente atencionaclientes@harmonhall.edu.mx lifetogo@harmonhall.edu.mx 01800-HABLA YA (422 5292) Ciudad de México y Área Metropolitana 5010 0892 www.harmonhall.com Editor Responsable Dilma Claudia Piccoli Díaz
14 must wear men
Let’s go to the beach!
16 must have
Make technology your ally these vacations
18 personal finances
Go on vacation without going broke
20 happiness
10 ways to kick stress away
22 traveller
Malta, a paradise in the Mediterranean
26 lifestyle
What are the benefits of having a pet?
30 cover
Alan Estrada, traveller soul
34 career
Employed or self-employed, what's best for you?
36 success story
El inglés como deporte de resistencia
38 news harmon hall
Academic Mentoring Program
40 who are you?
Inge Ploenning
02
Director General Elías González Rogel Dirección Editorial Verónica Aguirre Ávila veronica.aguirre@gmmedios.com.mx Editor Gráfico Albelia Gamboa y Vázquez Colaborador Rubén Visier Ojeda Raúl Rodríguez Cota Traducción Araceli Paola Salinas Gómez Ventas de Publicidad Perla De la Rosa perla.delarosa@gmmedios.com.mx
El contenido de los artículos aquí publicados refleja única y exclusivamente la opinión de los autores y no la de los editores o Harmon Hall. Life to go es una publicación trimestral editada de manera independiente para Harmon Hall Holding S.A. de C.V. Reserva Exclusiva de Título del Instituto Nacional del Derecho de Autor, número 04-201508171 1255700-102. Certificado de Licitud de Título y Contenido de la Secretaría de Gobernación (Comisión Calificadora de Publicaciones y Revistas Ilustradas) No. 16588. Los editores y Harmon Hall no se hacen responsables del contenido de los anuncios y ofertas de los anunciantes, ni de las ideas, imágenes, materiales, diseño de las piezas presentadas por los colaboradores en esta y otras ediciones. Prohibida la reproducción total o parcial de esta obra, sin la autorización previa –por escrito– del autor. Preprensa digital e impresión: Editorial Esfuerzo s.a. de c.v. Esfuerzo No.16-A Col. Lázaro Cárdenas, Naucálpan de Juárez Teléfonos: (0155) 5358 5958 y 5359 4644. www.editorialesfuerzo.com Tiraje: 23,800 ejemplares. Editora responsable: Dilma Claudia Piccoli Díaz.
Printed in Mexico Año 5 No 23, Julio-Agosto 2017
Foundation
coffee talks
By Raúl Rodríguez
The origins of t h e Frisbee
A g n i w o r g tower
The Frisb ee is one of the be seem to st toys e get old-f ver. It do a shioned. years old esn’t Did you ? It all go know it i es back t people u s 147 o 1870. A sed it as t a t p h i e e time, or cake p in 1940, late. Nev it was ve e r y popula rtheless, students r among . They to u n iversity ok this k threw it itchen ut up in the e n sil and air. Since the kitch then, its en. It bec u se has le ame one ft of the m simpler t o st fun an oys in th d e world.
This fact might give you some vertigo. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France grows a little during the summer. Due to the hot season, the iron in the construction expands. This makes the structure 15 cm larger every year. But don’t worry! It grows so slowly that no one can feel it.
03
coffee talks
Foundation
By Raúl Rodríguez
Cri, cri, cri, cri, cri, cri, cri, cri, cri, cri...
Natural thermometer
It’s classic to listen to crickets chirping in summer. But, did you know you can tell the temperature thanks to them? Next time you hear these insects’ sound, pay attention. Count the number of chirps they make in 25 seconds. Then, divide this number into 3. Finally, add 4 to that number. This will tell you the temperature in the air in centigrade degrees. What an impressive and accurate calculation! Give it a try!
More sguisihcaipdpeinsess and joy in the summer,
Everythin es increase! id ic su e m ti is th during right? Well, sadly ior might be v a h e b e g n ra st eve this Researchers beli als have with u id iv d in n o ti c the intera due to a rise in hormonal h it w n o ti c e n n o have a c others. It might ason, as well. se is th g n ri u d s change
Disadvantaged kids
If you were born in the summer, you might have some disadvantages at school or work. Some studies say babies born in the summer could be more prone to have Attention Deficit/ Hiperactivity Disorder (ADHD). They might even have fewer chances to get a higher position in a company. The reason could be these kids are usually the youngest in school years. Their immaturity may affect the quality of their education.
04
must go
Progressive
Shawn Mendes
Staff
September 20, Auditorio Nacional. Mexico.
n i t r a M Rick y
July 7 and 8, Auditorio Nacional. Mexico City. July 15, Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo. Cancún.
In the middle of his residency show in Las Vegas, this Puerto Rican singer comes back to Mexico with 3 presentations in July. He will perform his greatest hits like “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” “She Bangs,” and “La Mordidita.” Ricky is working on both music and acting. He is part of the cast in Versace: American Story, a TV series we’ll see in 2018.
This young singer and songwriter is visiting our capital city. He’ll present his second studio album Illuminate on his tour of the same name. The Canadian singer gained popularity by releasing covers on his Vine and YouTube accounts. Thanks to this, he got his first music contract.
Blondie & Garbage
August 14, Palacio de los
Depo
Cher
rtes. Mexico City. These iconic rock bands jo in fo rce s on the Rage and Raptur They’ll visit 27 cities in Ca e Tour. nada, the US and Mexico th is su m mer. In addition to their we’ll listen to their new greatest hits, albums. Pollinator is the ne w stu di o LP of De bo May this year. What abou ra Harry’s band released t Garbage? Last year, the in American-Scottish band put out Strange Little Birds, their latest album.
06
August, September and November. Park Theater at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino (Las Vegas) and The Theater at MGM National Harbor (Washington D.C.)
At 71, this American singer and actress keeps the ball rolling. She released her 25th studio album, Closer to the Truth, in 2013 and went on tour. But she’s now back with a residency show called Classic Cher. Let her delight you with all her greatest hits.
must read & listen
Vantage
By Rubén Visier
Music recommendation
Billboard ( ic
Top 5 Best Sellers (The New York Times)
)
1. 16th seduction, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro 2. Into the water, by Paula Hawkings 3. Against all odds, by Danielle Steel 4. The fix, by David Baldacci 5. The handmaid's tale, by Margaret Atwood
Top 5 Mus
Prince
He was an American singer, songwriter, and producer. This great musician could play over thirty instruments, which gave him creative independence for his many singles and albums. Along his career, he won seven Grammy Awards. He also got a Golden Globe to the Best Original Song for “The Song of Heart” (Happy Feet). In addition, he won an Oscar in the same category for the film’s title track Purple Rain. He died at 57, on April 21, 2016.
1. Despacito, Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber 2. That's what I like, Bruno Mars 3. I'm the one, DJ Khaled feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne 4. Shape of you, Ed Sheeran 5. Humble, Kendrik Lamar
Book recommendation
The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
These are the books and the music that you can't miss Awarded the Pulitzer in 1940, this novel tells the story of the Joads, a farm family from Oklahoma. Misfortune strikes with a serious drought that destroys their crops. To make matters worse, they’re deprived of their house since they’re incapable of repaying bank debts. As a result, the Joads have to emigrate and travel to California. On their arrival to the west coast, the Joads will encounter poverty, injustice and labor exploitation. The book was deeply outrageous and stirring at its time. It realistically portraits the misfortunes of those who suffered the Great Depression, especially the Dust Bowl migrants.
Disfruta de la app de la revista
1 Ingresa a App oa Store Play Store .
2 Busca la revista Life to go y descรกrgala en tus dispositivos mรณviles.
3 Verรกs este icono en tu pantalla da clic para ver todas las ediciones.
4 Elige la ediciรณn que quieras leer e interactua con ella.
must wear women
Progressive
By Rubén Visier
Fewer clothes with a lot of style Make your message clear
Quote t-shirts are always a good option. This way you’ll add a personal funny touch to your most casual looks.
Summer clothes must be comfortable and at the same time make you look great. Take a look at these items for a better summer style.
Fashion basics Comfort and fashion can go hand in hand. These pants in light shades are a proof of it.
Don’t kiss long sleeves goodbye There are many ways of tackling hot weather. One of them is wearing sheer garments like this blouse.
Day in, day out
A good pair of sandals are a must this summer whatever the hour and place.
12
Retro stysle are back.
High-waisted bikini h details Add a fancy touch wit . Check like bows and straps out this model.
An ode to color
Everlasting jeans reinvent themselves thanks to stripes in various shades that make them more dynamic.
Time for contemplation If you believe in energy forces, having a mandala in your watch can be spiritually useful, let alone trendy.
For book lovers
Photo courtesy: Bershka, H&M, Pull&Bear and Zara.
A large bracelet adapts to whatever occasion, either formal or informal. Make the most of the summer and put it on while going sleeveless.
Dare to show off your legs!
Another basic item for the hot weather months along the year are shorts. This garment will make your silhouette look more flattering. That’s why celebrities never stop wearing them.
13
must wear men
Progressive
By Rubén Visier
Let’s go to the beach
Dressing trendy is important in the summer months too. But if you don’t want to spend money on new clothes this season, you can count on your closet. Why not cut good old pants or t-shirts and adapt them yourself? Renew your closet however you want.
Say yes to prints
Casual style jeans, denim ke a good pair of
Profit from basic colors by alternating them with bright shades.
Just li l in the summer. a ti n e ss e re a s rt sho
A fresh aroma The arrival of hot weather is no excuse not to smell good. Scent your body every day and you’ll definitely make a great impression.
Be positive Good humor not only shows with actions. Wearing accessories with a quote also helps a lot.
14
Multi-se purpo
g Swimmin a trunks are p thumbs-u t to if you wan he get into t hout water wit ry car having to ht. extra weig
Show your ankles Team rolled jeans with low-top shoes. This will add a natural touch to you outfit.
An essential Beat the hot weather while keeping a formal look with a short-sleeved shirt. Add your personal touch with your favorite pants or shorts.
Don’t let sunlight dazzle you
Photo courtesy: Bershka, H&M, Pull&Bear and Zara.
A good pair of sunglasses are a must this season. Better yet, get a pair with UV protection.
Combine with light colors Keep your coins safe For a wallet to be really useful, it must have room for bills and pocket money.
There’s a world outside white or black sneakers. Why don’t you give them a try in case you haven’t yet?
15
must have
Progressive
By Raúl Rodríguez Cota
Make technology your ally these vacations!
Summer vacations are here! Make the most of them. Here are some gadgets and apps that will definitely make you live a better summer experience. Keep reading to find out more.
Air Selfie
Waterproof Kindle
APPS
n. You can use it even in sandy If you really like reading, get this gadget soo especially designed to read in beaches and wet places. Its LCD screen is stop you reading. Besides, it has a sunny days. Why? Dazzling sunlight will not safe from water. No matter if you waterproof protection that keeps your device spill a mojito on it because it’ll endure!
Do you like surfing or enjoy extreme water sports? Well, this app will prove very useful. Surfline can tell you about wave heights and wind conditions. Besides, it displays news, videos, and photos related to the surfing world. Once you start using it, you won’t do without it! Don’t wait any longer and download it now.
16
It’s time to take selfi es more creatively and originally. This revolutionary flying camera connects to your smartphone. With it you can capt ure vacations seen from images of your the sky. Its fan propellers can lift th is camera up to 20 meters high. It com es wit absorber that guaran h a vibration tees you take photos or videos w ith no vibrations. Believe it or not, th is gadget only weighs 61 grams.
It’s very common to go to the seaside with all your family or friends. The number of people you travel with may sometimes be quite large. As a result, you don’t always know where they’re hanging around. Luckily, you can rely on this app where everyone can share their location. Enjoy your vacation while being aware of your beloved ones’ whereabouts.
Liquid Image
Still not sure about travelling this summer? Check personal finances on page 18
If you have a fascination for going underwater, check this out. This hi-tech scuba diving mask has a built-in HD video cam. You can record high definition images and sound, too! The best part is you can immerse it 39 meters under. It’s such a resistant gadget. Get it now and capture your water adventures forever.
Wakawaka Power
There’s nothing worse than on e of your devices running out of batte ry. Now imagine this happens when you are va cationing at the beach. Avoid that terrible experience with this gadget. It’s a compact so lar charger that stores sun energy. It lets you recharge your smartphone or tablet no ma tter where you are. You only need to expose it under the sun for 12 hours. It can fill up an y phone battery in just two hours!
Beach Safety
On vacation it’s very important to know how to keep yourself and family safe. This app can help you a lot. It’ll give you valuable and easy-to-understand information. For instance, it tells you how to recognize and run away from dangerous animals in the region where you are. It can also provide you with some data on jellyfish stings and how to treat them. It’s necessary to be safe at the beach, do you agree? That’s why this app is a must whenever you go to the beach. Have it on your phone, feel safer, and enjoy the beach!
17
happiness
Intermediate
By Raúl Rodríguez
Stress is what you feel when you have to deal with too many things and you find this difficult. Having some of it is considered normal and even useful. This is because it could help you work harder or react quickly to an emergency. For example, it could encourage you to finish a project or win a running race. However, if you usually feel stressed or this sensation lasts for too long, bad effects can occur in your organism. Headache, stomachache, backache, and finding it hard to sleep are some of them. Besides, stress can weaken your immune system, making it easy for disease to attack. In addition, it can make you feel depressed or more apprehensive than usual. Fortunately, there are several ways to fight this terrible affliction. Our top ten are the following:
20
10
Ways to Kick Stress Away
1. Focus on the present. Try to meditate, selfinduce hypnosis or listen to soothing music. See the bright side of life, too. Laughter and humor can really make stress disappear.
2. Take care of yourself. Rest as necessary, eat well, don’t smoke and limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
3. Learn better ways to manage your time. You could reduce stress if you have a schedule and arrange your activities from the most important to the least important. Set priorities. 4. Let out your feelings. Talk, smile and express your anger every time you feel you need it. Why not talking to a therapist or a spiritual buddy about your emotions? This might prove useful to alleviate stress.
5. Write. This can help you get the things that bother you off your chest. It would be good to write from 10 to 15 minutes a day about the stressful events you’re living and how they make you feel. This will help you find out when you get more stressed and how stress mak es you feel. After having this information clear, you might find other better ways to face your negative emotions.
6. Ask for help. People who have a strong bond with their family and friends usually manage stress better. 7. Do something you enjoy. Perhaps you have a workload, but try to make time to relax. Think about you pleasures like gardening, handcrafts or arts, and enjoy those precious moments with yourself. 8. Try new ways of thinking. When you notice you’re starting to worry, try to stop such thoughts that upset you. Learn to overcome the things you can’t change.
10. Exercise. Doing some physical activity is one of the best ways to manage stress. You don’t have to have quite an intensive workout. Try walking to get started. Believe it or not, daily activities such as doing housework can also help.
9. Say how you feel. Not being able to talk about your needs and concerns usually produces stress. But it could also make your negative feelings worse. Assertive communication might help you better express how you feel with more tactfulness and reflection.
Now you know how to fight back. Next time you feel down or worried about your problems and intricacies, read this. Follow some -or why not all- the recommendations we have for you. They’ll certainly help you accomplish many wonderful things in life.
21
traveller
Foundation
By Rubén Visier
n i e s i d a r a p A n a e n a r r e t i d e the M Key facts The Republic of Malta is one of the 28 countries that belong to the European Union. Maltese people live on the three largest islands of this archipelago: Malta, Gozo and Comino. This country is to the south of Italy. It has 316 km2 and around 450,000 inhabitants. It’s one of the smallest countries with the highest population density.
22
Due to its strategic position, many cultures have settled there over time. That’s the case of Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Sicilians, the Spanish, French, and English. By the way, English became the official language in 1800. It still is the official language together with Maltese, which comes from Arabic.
Historical cities Medina People used to call it Città Vecchia (Old City). This fortified city was the capital until 1570. There are beautiful palaces and religious buildings like Saint Paul’s Cathedral.
Valletta The country’s capital is so small you can go through it walking. You can visit San John’s Cathedral, Casa Rocca Piccola or simply go around its historical streets.
Older than the Egyptian pyramids The megalithic temples of Malta are between 3,600 BC and 2,500 BC. UNESCO has declared some of them World Heritage Sites. One of the most impressive ones is the Hypogeum of Hal-Saflieni. It’s the only prehistoric underground temple that we know in the world.
23
Ideal for water sports and sunb
athing
The archipelago has many mountains and hills. It’s common to find rocky inl ets with no sand. This ma kes the sea crystal clear, neces sary to go scuba diving or snorkeling. Nevertheless, there are many sandy beach es worth visiting. For example , Golden Bay, Hamla Raml a and Blue Lagoon in Malta , Gozo and Comino, respe ctively.
A film destination
The landscapes we can find in Malta are unique. Its constructions are one of a kind, too. They go back to many different ages. This is why Hollywood uses this country as a location for big movie productions. These are our favorite ones:
In Popeye (1980), the production set up a fishing town for this live action film starring Robin Williams. You can visit the set nowadays.
The whole film Troy (2004) took place in Fort Ricasoli, Mellieh a and Comino. Brad Pitt, who plays hero Achille s, also filmed World Wa rZ (2013) and By the Sea (2015) in this country .
In Gladiator (2000), the surroundings of Fort Ricasoli served to recreate ancient Rome. They even built a replica of the Coliseum that was 15 meters high!
Remember the outdoor scenes of King’s Landing, capital of the seven kingdoms in Game of Thrones? Some locations for the first season are in Malta and Gozo. The Azure Window (which unfortunately collapsed in early March 2017) was the stage for Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo’s wedding.
24
lifestyle
Vantage
By RubĂŠn Visier
Improved physical and mental health and lots of love are only two good reasons for having a pet. But, how about letting the kids learn from animals at home, too? Keep reading to find out other seven interesting ideas why having a pet is just great.
A more resistant immune system
Exposure to certain germs associated with animals makes the youngest develop antibodies. This way, they can fight respiratory illnesses, allergies and a wide variety of infections better.
Great for loneliness and depression
Having a pet at home can also contribute to feeling more confident and stop feeling alone. This is due to mutual physical contact and communication between pets and humans. Feeding them, meeting their needs, among other daily activities, make it easy to have an unworried state of mind.
Life lessons
A better physical condition
keeps you Walking your pet y. Startlingly, h lt a e h d n a e v ti c a alk their dogs w y ll a su u le p o e p . In contrast, k e e w a rs u o h 8 5:3 people the average time is 1:20 devote to the gym hours a week.
Thanks to their pets, childre n will learn about experiences such as giving birth, sexuality, illness, pain and death. All these are helpful to understand the same proces ses in humans.
26
Responsibility, empathy, and respect Pets are more than just cuddling and having fun out of them. Feeding them, caring abou their hygiene or taking them out help create a daily routine, especially for the youngest at home. Besides, our little ones learn to develop positive attitudes and cope with those who are different from them.
They help fight stress Psychiatrist Sandra Baker and her team at Virginia Commonwealth University in the US carried out a study. They measured dog owners’ brain waves before and after spending time with them. The results suggested that caressing their pet and sharing time together is useful to reduce stress, loneliness and depression.
Likelihood disease dec of heart reases The Americ a
n Hear t Association conducted a study relate d to this is sue. It revealed that having pets, especially dogs, migh t reduce the likeliho od of havin g cardiovasc ular diseas e. Plymouth U niversity an d the University of Exeter in the United Kin gdom have done research to o. Their res ults show that staring at fi sh helps reduce hig h pressure .
27
career
Intermediate
By Rubén Visier
Employed or self-employed what’s best for you? More and more people start working on their own every day. Sometimes, people feel forced by companies to work by themselves. In other cases, people embark on selfemployment by choice. These different ways of having an income have pros and cons. Here we’ll tell you about them so you can decide which one to go for.
34
Being employed by a company of · The main advantage security. being an employee is hedule A fixed income and sc e. This help you plan your lif vacation includes leisure time, others. and shopping, among ys a risk Although there’s alwa level of of losing your job, the uncertainty is lower. rights · Workers have certain vacation like a year-end bonus, sharing. In pay, and annual profit ve access addition, employees ha housing to social security and ey’re also loans (INFONAVIT). Th t fund entitled to a retiremen ay make to which employees m ns. In case voluntary contributio
ees must be of being fired, employ Another plus: given a severance pay. e to deal with the company is the on ents. employees’ tax statem
l over the · There’s no real contro d future. company’s situation an o take Bosses are the ones wh t to choose decisions. You don’t ge . Besides, your workmates, either n be limited. professional growth ca lly imposed These limits are usua n by people inside the organizatio ard the who sometimes disreg employees’ needs.
Becoming self-employed · Freedom is esse ntially the · There can either main asset. Working tim be prolific e and m on th s or te vacation are flexible. rrible months. You You can even do n’t always know. get to choose the clien ts you’ll · There are no em work for. Also, you can ployment opt for benefits, INFONAVIT or higher income if you social invest more security. Retirement fu time doing your job. nds are available if you pay fo · You can deduct ta r one. xes. A great Besides, you are respon deal of your expenses sible for may be filing your own taxes. refunded to you after submitting · Hiring an accoun your annual tax statem tant to do ent. them for you is an op tion, but consider their fees to o.
35
success story Staff
z e u g í r d o R Carolina sistencia re e d e rt o p e d o m o c s lé g in l E ctativas porque cada pe ex is m n co o id pl m es han cu didad, "Las clas e abordamos a profun qu es nt re fe di as m te día vemos a más claro". por lo que todo qued
36
¡Hola!, mi nombre es Carolina Rodríguez, soy de Querétaro y actualmente me dedico a entrenar para competir en triatlón, así como a estudiar en Harmon Hall. El triatlón es un deporte muy duro. Por eso, lo practico a tiempo completo, ya que lo hago de manera profesional. Mi primer acercamiento a esta actividad fue a la edad de cinco años. Yo soy la más chica de tres hermanos y los dos se dedicaron también al deporte. Mi hermano mayor hizo mucha natación, aunque ahora se enfocó en ser futbolista. Mi hermana, la de en medio, es nadadora profesional. Mis papás siempre nos metieron a este tipo de actividades como forma de recreación. Por este motivo, a mí también me tocó tomar clases de natación desde los cinco hasta los doce años de edad. Poco después, me invitaron a participar en un acuatlón -que es una rama del triatlón- para competir por Querétaro ¡y resultó que me fue muy bien!, por lo que seguí participando por dos años. Cabe mencionar que en un acuatlón todo consiste en nadar, pero esto me sirvió para darme una idea de lo que era un triatlón. Así pues, para el tercer año, me animé a participar en dicha competencia. ¡Aquí también me fue de maravilla! Tanto así que me fui dos veces de gira a Estados Unidos. Una a Sarasota, Florida y otra al estado de Iowa. Cuando empecé a salir de competencia fuera de México, me di cuenta de la importancia de saber inglés, ya que todo se habla en este idioma. Yo alcanzaba a entender muchas cosas, pero se me dificultaba mucho hablarlo. Entonces, decidí que debía aprenderlo al 100% para poder comunícame bien cuando estuviera en otro país. Además, estoy a punto de entrar a la universidad para estudiar Ingeniería Industrial, y pensé que me serviría mucho ahí también. Fue en ese momento cuando decidí meterme a Harmon Hall Querétaro. Hasta ahora llevo 8 cursos, ¡pero todo el proceso me ha gustado desde el comienzo!
Las clases han cumplido con mis expectativas porque cada día vemos temas diferentes que abordamos a profundidad, por lo que todo me queda más que claro. Además, me gusta que en cada curso cambien de maestro, porque de esta forma escuchas diferentes tonalidades, acentos o pronunciaciones que facilitan que tu oído se acostumbre a entenderlos. Otra cosa que ayuda mucho es la práctica diaria, ya que entablar una conversación con alguien o ver videos solamente en inglés, te ayuda a envolverte más en el idioma para dominarlo mejor. Un buen consejo que podría darle a cualquier persona que quiera aprender un nuevo idioma, ¡es que no le dé miedo expresarse! Habla sin temor a que te equivoques. Podrías pensar que lo vas a decir mal, pero el chiste es simplemente decirlo y, poco a poco, vas a saber pronunciarlo como se debe. No te debe dar pena equivocarte. Finalmente, tienes que recordar que aprender inglés es como ganar un triatlón, ¡tienes que practicar mucho!
37
news harmon hall
By QUALITY AND ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT
A cademic M e n to r i n g Program Para evaluar la efectividad de nuestros s de circuito maestros, se instalaron cámara cerrado en cada una de las aulas de los institutos de Harmon Hall En Harmon Hall estamos conscientes de que el aprendizaje de un alumno, aparte del empeño y compromiso que éste ponga en sus clases, depende en gran medida del talento y habilidades que tiene un maestro al impartir su clase. El maestro es el elemento más importante en el proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje y por ello su capacitación y desarrollo es clave para el éxito de nuestra misión como empresa. Por tal razón, Harmon Hall implementó en enero del 2017, el programa de auditoría académica: Academic Mentoring Program (AMP), con el fin de evaluar la efectividad de nuestros maestros y así asegurar la calidad y excelencia de la enseñanza en cada uno de nuestros Institutos. Para tal fin, se instalaron en cada una de las aulas de los institutos de Harmon Hall, cámaras de circuito cerrado. Un equipo de expertos en la enseñanza del inglés, observan diariamente clases impartidas de todos los niveles, utilizando como norma nuestros planes institucionales de clase y estándares no negociables. De esta forma, aseguramos que nuestra metodología está siendo implementada correctamente. Pero el AMP no acaba ahí; el gran valor de este maravilloso proyecto, es que el énfasis está en identificar en qué áreas necesita apoyo el maestro para poder desarrollar y potencializar sus habilidades. Los monitores definen la retroalimentación de la
38
clase de acuerdo a las necesidades específicas del maestro observado. De esta forma promovemos que el maestro identifique sus áreas de mejora y en el proceso, desarrolle y perfeccione sus habilidades docentes. La labor del equipo es observar al maestro un máximo de tres veces, hasta asegurar que el plan de mejora fue efectivo. Así, el proceso de calidad y mejora continua académica se cierra hasta tener evidencia que la retroalimentación fue exitosa y que la capacitación arrojó los resultados esperados. En los últimos tres meses, se han observado de forma remota más de 400 clases de las cuales derivan los planes de acción para cada maestro. En este proceso también hemos identificado a excelentes maestros aplicando las mejores prácticas y herramientas pedagógicas en la enseñanza del inglés, las cuales se comunican a nivel nacional cada trimestre. Esto con el fin de reconocer públicamente a estos maestros y también divulgar, entre nuestra comunidad académica, las mejores prácticas docentes para que puedan replicarlas. Estamos seguros que a través del Academic Mentoring Program, como sistema de auditoría académica, lograremos mantener la calidad y excelencia académica que ha caracterizado a Harmon Hall por más de 50 años, mediante el desarrollo y apoyo constante de nuestros actores clave, nuestros maestros. Así, coadyuvamos diariamente en cumplir nuestra misión como empresa: ser líderes en educación especializada al ofrecer a nuestros alumnos excelencia académica y servicios que superen sus expectativas, a través de procesos de mejora e innovación continua.
Durante el primer trimestre del 2017, identificamos y reconocemos a los siguientes maestros, quienes ejemplifican la mejor forma de cómo implementar nuestra metodología a través de las siguientes estrategias de aprendizaje: 1. Uso de visuales Maestra María Eugenia Solano - HH Acapulco Gran Plaza
1
5
2. Creatividad para lograr clases interesantes Maestro Alejandro Almada Pacheco - HH Ciudad Obregón 3. Dinámica de clases Maestra Sara Hernández Martínez - HH Ecatepec
2
6
3
4. Preparación y organización de clase Maestro Omar David Valdés Guadarrama - HH Santa Fe 5. Interacción significativa Maestra Paulina Ivette Hernández Cenobio - HH Oaxaca 6. Instituto con mayor mejora en resultados de observaciones de clase Responsable Académico María Martha de la Rosa - HH Acapulco Gran Plaza
4 39
Photo: Victoria Rodríguez.
who are you? What do you value in friends? Loyalty. a What did you dream to be when you were little girl? To become a psychologist. like What activity have you put off but would to accomplish one day? Becoming a better tennis player. What place in Mexico City do you like the
most? Reforma Avenue with all the lights and flowers, and the Desierto de los Leones re If you went on a food tour in the city, whe would you get started? Downtown. How do you picture perfect happiness? my Walking in the woods with my family and black labrador. What’s your greatest fear? To lose faith. in What has been your greatest daring feat life? To not live my life ruled by doubt or fear. What do you think is the most overvalued virtue these days? . To think that money will buy you happiness What are the words you use most?
Inge Ploenning
is SubDirector of Quality and Academic Development
OK.
What’s your current state of mind? I’m in a very good mood. What’s your mostly cherished possession? Health and my family. What do you think is the greatest misery? Being poor in spirit. What historical people do you admire the
most? e Transcending researchers/inventors like Mari i. Vinc Curie or Leonardo da What quality do you like most in a woman or man? Integrity.
Who’s your fictional hero? Yoda, from Star Wars. How would you like to die? While sleeping after a delicious dinner.
40
What do you think of death? It’s a transition phase. What would you never forgive? Treason. What makes you laugh? Black humor. Where and when are you happy? When I have time for my hobbies.
What makes you cry? Animal abuse.
What personality trait do you like least in a man? Scornfulness. What or who is your greatest love in your life? My father and my husband.
What do you think is your greatest accomplishment? Investing time and resources to know myself better. What’s a terrible insult for you? People who abuse or humiliate others. What’s your idea of faithfulness? Being loyal to myself.
When do you lie? I try not to, it’s not worth it.