The counseling team: an ally in the well being of our children

School is the first external environment our students have access to after home. New characters, challenges, and dares start forming their autonomy. Although teachers are and will continue to be our best allies as the closest adults to our children in this process, there are moments in which we need a closer or more periodic interaction, a bridge between us and the school environment. The Counseling team represents this bridge.

What is the role of a school counselor?

A school counselor has a background that provides a different perspective of the students’ difficulties in school. With their role, the counselors identify and integrate different elements to explain our children’s behavior. It’s an observer that stays in the area, whose position allows them to understand situations taking into consideration as many factors as possible: family, academics, social, and personal.

The counselor acts also as an orchestra director, who coordinates the communication among different actors: parents, teachers, and students. Counselors are a key player in academic, social and vocational topics. In many occasions, she represents a safe place and a space for reflection for some children with adaptation difficulties.

How can we beneficiate from this support?

Whenever you identify or suspect that your son/ daughter is having any difficulties at school, do not hesitate to contact the counseling department. Even though their function is not to provide therapy, they do facilitate effective interventions in problem solving processes. It’s very important that you communicate to your children the possibility of approaching the Counselors as a trustable and safe place.

Colegio Interamericano’s Counseling Department is an open team, interested in the children’s well being, and with great abilities to help.

“Education consists in helping a child bring his aptitudes to reality”
Erich Fromm

Written by:
Interamericano’s Counseling Department

Interamericano’s Chess Club kicks off!

The Library Media Center (LMC) has started the Chess Club for children with the objective of letting our students practice a game with great benefits. More than 40 students are registered and have begun with the chess classes: learning the rules of the game, tactics, and strategies.

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Chess is considered one of the most important and prestigious sports in countries such as England, Russia, and Spain, where it was introduced in the schools. In some European countries, chess is a key part of the school curriculum, while other countries evaluate the possibility of including this sport to their curriculum. In the last few years, the United States and some American countries have created chess schools and clubs so students can enjoy the benefits it offers, for example:

  • Problem-solving skills.
  • Build and test hypotheses.
  • Memory and Math.
  • Creativity and imagination.
  • Concentration, reasoning, and logic.
  • Decision-making skills.
  • Strategic and abstract thinking.
  • Healthy competition and interpersonal abilities.
  • Combination of mental processes.
  • Provides a different type of entertainment from those like TV or video games.
  • And others…

Students of different ages at Colegio Interamericano participate in this club on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. There will be 2 chess tournaments so the students can put into practice what they have learned, get involved in a healthy competition, and share and enjoy this game.

Click here to view the Chess Club photo gallery.

Written by: Luis Masaya
Manager of Educational Technology/LMC Coordinator
luis.masaya@interamericano.edu.gt

Students succeed at the Mathcounts & Math Relay Competition

As most of you know, twelve of your fellow Middle school students were involved in the MATH RELAY and MATHCOUNTS events at the American School of San Salvador.  The school organized both the MATH RELAY, on February 13th, and the MATHCOUNTS competition, on the 14th.

Twelve schools participated and made this the largest competition in all of Central America: American School of El Salvador, American School of Guatemala, Antigua International School of Guatemala, Escuela Internacional Sampedrana of Honduras, Lincoln International Academy of Nicaragua, Maya School of El Salvador, Panamerican School of El Salvador, Village School of Guatemala, Balboa Academy of Panama, Academia Britanica Cuscatleca (British School), the International School of San Salvador and our school, Colegio Interamericano of Guatemala.

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There were more than 200 students that participated, which consisted of approximately 50 Teams. Interamericano’s Team A placed 4th, Team B placed 6th, and Team C placed 13th (a huge accomplishment for Team C as all are brand new to the competition this year!)

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In the individual competition, which consisted of a Sprint Round (30 questions in 40 minutes), 4 Target Rounds (2 questions at a time and they only have 6 minutes to answer!) Our students placed 12th, 15th, and 16th.  In the Math Relay, our team placed 5th!

Please be sure to congratulate your classmates on a job well done!

Written by:
Jennifer Campbell
Mathematics Teacher