On The Lookout

The Independent newspaper serving the UTN community

$1.00

Alajuela, Monday, April 18th 2016

No. 1

M.Ed. Merlyn
Perez speaks with
us about teaching
English
Michelle M. Report

Every day as
students
we
interact
with
teachers,
but
what do we know
about
their
profession? What
do we know about
those who help us to become the
future of the
Merlyn Perez at the UTN
society? Well, in
order to extent, a little bit,
students knowledge about the
teaching careers we interviewed
M. Ed Merlyn Perez a teacher at
ILE and the Principal of Saint
John Baptist School
See Interview Page

OBESITY IN
CHILDREN AND
ADOLESCENTS

How to take care of the

animals at home
By Yessica Molina
News Writer

Wondering how to take care of your

pets? This article might help you. Find
out how to feed them and ho tow take
care your pets hygiene on page 4

How to be a mother and a

student at the same time
By Michel M.
News Editor

By Yessica Molina
News Writer

What is obesity?
A few extra pounds do not suggest obesity. However, this may
indicate a tendency to gain weight easily and the need for
changes in diet and / or exercise.
See More Page 2

Being a mother by itself is difficult, but

being a mother and also a student may
represent a challenge for most young
mothers.
See Article page 3
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By Yessica Molina
Writer

What is obesity?
A few extra pounds do not suggest obesity. However, this may
indicate a tendency to gain weight easily and the need for changes in
diet and / or exercise. Usually a child is not considered obese until
they gain weigh at least 10 percent more than the recommended for
their height and body type weight. Obesity most commonly begins in
childhood between the ages of 5 to 6 years and during adolescence.
Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of
10 to 13 years have an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese
adult.

What are the risks and complications of obesity?

1-An increase in the risk of heart disease
2-High blood pressure
3-Diabetes
4-Breathing problems
5-Difficulty sleeping.

What causes obesity?

The causes of obesity are complex and include genetic, biological,
behavioral and cultural factors. Basically, obesity occurs when a
person eats more calories than your body burns. If one parent is
obese, there is a 50 percent chance that the children will also be
obese. However, when both parents are obese, the children have a
80 percent chance of being obese. Although some medical
disorders can cause obesity, less than 1 percent of all obesity cases
are caused by physical problems. Obesity in children and
adolescents may be related to:
How can you manage and treat obesity?
Obese children need a medical evaluation by a pediatrician or
family physician to consider a physical cause. Establishing healthy
eating habits and exercise regularly as a family activity can improve
the chances of successfully achieving weight control for the child or
adolescent.
1-Poor eating habits.
2-Over eating or lose the ability
to stop eating.
3-Lack of exercise.
4-History of obesity in the family
5-Medical illnesses.
6-Life changes that cause a lot of
stress (separations, divorce,
moves, deaths, abuse)
7-Family problems.
8-Low self-esteem
9-Depression or other emotional
problems.
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How to be a mother and a student at the same time

By Michel M
News Editor

several universities are now offering a day care center service. A very accurate
solution, since most of the women nowadays are independent and professional.

Young women with kits are no longer at home taking care of them, nowadays,
those mothers are becoming professionals. But what kind of problems do those
young mothers and students face?
Almost half of those young mothers are single moms, which means more
difficulties, and according to a Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS)
survey 20 percent of the babies here in Costa Rica are from mothers who are
from 10 years old to 19 years old.
This young mother students have to face several issues, but the most important
ones are the time they count on to study, the cost of taking care of a baby and
paying for their studies, and finally but not less important the stress for being both
a mother and a student.

Everybody knows how expensive can be the university or high school, now if you
sum up that to the cost of taking care of a baby is a lot of money. For this matter
several Universities offer a single mom scholarships, the amount of money they
discount depends of each women economy.
Finally, the stress of being a mother is huge by itself, but once again being a
student is also very stressful. In order to release the stress and being able to
study and take care of their babies a lot of women chose to spend some time with
their families. Grandma and Grandpa can be very helpful in this situations.

When you are a student you have to invest time in your career, this means to be
able to make group projects, exams, task and more. This might look easy, but
when you have to do all of this with a kid in your arms might not look so easy.
Part of being a mother is always being there for your baby, so how do you
manage to be at High School or University if you have to be with your kid. As a
solution for this problem and in consequence of the increase in students with kids,

Brushing: The best way to keep your hygiene

without altering your skin is daily brushing.
Ears: must be cleaned with gauze. There are
specific products, they are poured into the ear
canal and the area is massaged, proceeding
then to clean with gauze.
Nails: In dogs do not wear it must be cut,
especially in the spurs. For cats exist in the
accessories market so that scratching so keep
cats nails in perfect condition.

How to take care of the

animals at home
By Yessica Molina
Writer

HYGIENE

Alimentation
It is very important to keep our companion
animals ingesting a balanced diet that meets
their energy needs and provide adequate
nutrients. Ideally, both dogs and cats, is
consuming dry food, adapted to each stage of
growth and every need. They should never eat
raw foods as they may be a source of parasitic
diseases.

Bathroom: Experts do not agree with regard to

the frequency to perform the bathrooms. In
general this should not be less than once a
month. Some authors suggest that should be
done when needed, for example when the hair
is dirty. Although cats are generally less tolerant
than dogs with bath it is possible to make the
kitten accept it and get used to it. Special gels
for pets are recommended.

UTN
ACTIVITIES
CHRONOGRAM

Organized by UTN COMMITTEE

Every year UTN organizes a race for the environment between men and women. It is an excellent race where people share each other also the
students take care of the environment it is very important that people understand that not every day need to use the car, people can go to their works
by bus, bicycle or walking if it is possible it is good for the environment if we take care of it and we can do it starting with a day this is the principal
point of the race also that the smokers not smoke in public places it is very easy to take care of the environment and we do not do it very frequently.

PARE (PROGRAMA DE APOYO RESIDENCIAL

ESTUDIANTIL)
UTN reports an important new from students that
get PARE (Programa de Apoyo Residencial
Estudiantil ) during the first quarter in 2016 if the
students want to keep this help they need to
presents some documents to the central office the
documents are:
1. Rent receipts from
January, February, March and April of 2016. 2.
The receipt needs to indicate the name of the
student.
3. The monthly amount
paid and the place where the student rent.
The limit date for introduce this documents is Friday
April 29, 2016 at 5:00 pm.
Do not lost this opportunity.

Some months ago the biggest company in the country SYKES and UTN one of the
best colleges in the country too are creating a fabulous program for the students this
is a really good experience for them, and also an opportunity to get an excellent job
in the future. This program is for all the majors in the UTN, but the students just have
few days more for fill the documents that the program needs. The lessons start this
coming May and finally in June it has a special schedule from Monday to Friday from
8:00 am to 12:00md. The program has an incredible and accessible costs which is
just 90.0000 per the hold program and exams.
1

M.Ed. Merlyn Perez

speaks with us about
teaching
Michelle M. Report

How long have you being a teacher?

Ms. Perez: I started being a teacher in 1986, you
do the math.

States for a while, but I couldnt study there. Then I

went back to London and I study six months there,
and then I came to Costa Rica to finish my
studies.

Where?
Ms. Perez: UNED

What do you think about teaching as a

career?

Ms. Perez: I became a teacher because of an

accident. I thought I was going to be a lawyer, but
then I wanted to enjoy life, so teaching was so
easy since I already knew English, so I decided
ah that is quite easy you dont have to study
anything, because you already know the language.
I didnt chose this because I wanted to be a
teacher or because Ioved the profession, but
because I was a very very lazy girl.

Ms. Perez: To become a teacher is not something

easy. Number one, you have to be very
responsible. Number two, you have to love what
you do, because this is not easy. This (Teaching)
is quite difficult. Right now you could find a bunch
of professor who consider themselves being
fantastic ones, which is not true they come to lie to
the university and just to make estimate just
meaning they come for the money. They are not
interested in students. They are not interested in
people, and they are not interested in teaching
them in real real way of speaking the language.

Michel: But even though you already knew the

language..

Will you recommended as a career for

future students?

How did you become a teacher?

Ms. Perez: I have to study

Michel: Yes, at least the teaching part.
Ms. Perez: Yeah, but when you the language, so
then you just have to learn a few things. You just
have to focus on teaching.

Ms. Perez: I will recommended just because Costa

Rica has to grow and we are living in a globalized
world. Since we are living in a globalized world,
you have the influence of a bunch of foreigners
coming to the country, investing the money in the
companies. I see more from an economical
prospective, it is very important for economy in
Costa Rica that everybody knows the language.
Teaching, yes somebody has to do it.

Where do you study?

Ms. Perez: I studied in different countries. I started
studying at UNAM, Mexico. Then I kept on
studying at UCA, Nicaragua. Then I went to the

What are the pros and cons of being a

teacher?

Ms. Perez: Being a teacher is really hard, because

of the money. Number one you work harder
sometimes than many others professionals and
you dont get pay like that. Number two nobody
respect you. Normally they thick that you study to
become a teacher or you are a teacher because
you are not smart enough to be something else.
Number tree, is really sad when you come to the
classes and you give your best and students never
appreciate the effort you make.
Michel: And what about the pros?
Ms. Peres: I will say that is really rewarding in an
emotional way to see that students learn, number
one. Number two, even when they dont want to
you are part of every single students life which is
really important, if you thick as a human. It is really
nice to know that many people will remember you
or you are doing something in peoples life. And
number three if you love your country, so you are
contributing in a way.

What is the hardest thing that had

happened to you as a teacher?
Ms. Peres: Getting along with young people. New
professors have different ideas, and they forgot
that they learned from people like me.
Michel: And the best?
Ms. Perez: The best thing that had happened to
me? Being part of my students life.

Is teaching what you expected when you

started?
Ms. Perez: No, not really that is why I studied
different majors. Not really, I starting being a
1

teacher, then I thought that I was going to move

from the field, and I studied business
administration, and then I studied to be a teacher
for general things in elementary school, and here I
am.
Michel: So you decided to stay in the field of
teaching..
Ms. Perez: I do, because even though I didnt
chose this because I love the profession many
years ago, eventually I realized that I liked it, that I
enjoy being with young people a lot.

What is the best way to be a successful

teacher?
Ms. Peres: Being responsible and keeping in
mind that you can learn something new every
single day from different people around you.

How important or relevant is to be a

teacher nowadays?
Ms. Perez: I will say quite important if you
thick all of the professionals, all of the majors
come from teachers. I mean if you want good
doctors in your country, you should have good
teachers. If you want good lawyers, you
should have good teachers. If you want
people who capable of dealing with
globalization process then or can coop with
them, you do need good teachers. Of course
it is quite indispensable.
Michel: The last one

Do you have any advice for the future

teachers out there?
Ms. Perez: Yeah, I would tell them to consider
religiously that they wont be rich, because

this profession wont make them rich, but this

profession will give them a bunch of things
such as changing peoples minds and souls. If
that is what they want, stay in the field,
otherwise look for something else.
Michel: And this a personal question. Even
though is hard and even though it seems like
nobody appreciates the profession and what
teacher do for the country and for everybody,
do you thick is worth it to be a teacher?
Ms. Perez: Like I tell you on my classes if you
go home put on your pajamas and you feel
satisfy of what you have done then it means
that what you are doing is really worthy. And I
go home put on my pajamas look at myself in
the mirror and I think it is worthy.

If you put on your

pajamas and you feel
satisfy of what you
have done then it
means that what you
are doing is worthy
1 Merlyn Perez

Special Section
Traditional Recipes from Costa Rica

Guinean Angu

INGREDIENTS

Directions

6 Guinean

1. Peel of the Guinean under the water and boil them. Add

Oil

salt

1 sweet pepper
1 onion

2. Smash them with the help of a fork..

kg ground beef
Salt and pepper

3. Frying pan, pre-heat the oil add the sweet pepper and the

2 tomatoes

onion. Wait until is cook and then add the meat. Add salt and

1 roll of coriander

pepper. When everything is well cooked add the tomatoes.

Few leaves of celery

Finally add the coriander and the leaves of celery.

4. Mix all the ingredients and add the Guinean.
5. Mix, served and enjoy!!!
2