Katalin Szilagyi, Former Principal, Open Mind Schooling Budapest

  • 23 Apr 2020 11:37 AM
Katalin Szilagyi, Former Principal, Open Mind Schooling Budapest
Ms Kate Szilagyi is the Education Manager as well as the Principal of Open Mind Schooling Budapest. This education centre provides after-school tutoring at its headquarter in Budapest, where students are said to "improve very fast" as the one-to-one teaching is "goal-oriented and very effective".

The school also helps students to be more self-confident as they get individual care, the school atmosphere is family-centered, lively and warm.

All the tutoring services are also available online from the students' homes.  Kate says she, "Controls the adherence of the teaching methodology, overviews teachers' daily tasks with the students, manages the day to day operation and monitors the improvement of the students".

Among their one-to-one tutoring services students can choose from the subject tutoring in the IB, IGCSE, A-level and AP systems. They also provide English language tutoring from Beginner to Advanced levels for students to catch up and reach the required levels of international schools. 

Looking to the future, she plans to expand their tutoring services into other parts of Europe.

1. Where did you grow up?
I am pleased to be born and raised in Budapest, Hungary.

2. If you could be an expat anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
I worked in the UK for 1 year then lived in Uzbekistan then in the USA for 2 years studying different teaching methodologies. After all this time, having experienced so many cultures, I can say that I would truly be happy anywhere my work would take me. After those years it is good to be back.

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?
The smiling of my team members, our culture, our language, and family.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Go around the city on a hop-on, hop-off bus, then taking a walk at the Normafa,  
indulging in the Gellért Spa, get to explore the breathtaking downtown architecture.  
Budapest by night is a must see. Walk across the Chain Bridge, take a boat trip on the Danube, and try some authentic food. Finally visit us at Open Mind.:-)

5. What is your favorite food?
Csirkepaprikás of course!

6. What is your favorite sport/form of exercise?
Swimming lifts my spirit.

7. What is your favorite place in Hungary?
Castel District.

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Honestly, I wouldn’t see myself in any other career. I am grateful to manage and direct an organization that gives us the joy to change people’s lives, starting with students, inspiring them, building self-confidence, teaching them to become successful and happy young adults in their future, this is what gives me great satisfaction.

9. What’s a job you would definitely never want?
One which would hurt others.

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?
In south Florida, Miami a place mixed with a lot of different nationalities and cultures. I also had the opportunity to learn about their Education system, which inspired me to expand our network, open the first Open Mind branch in the USA, and provide them with our unique and perfect tuition methodology.

11. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
Japan. To experience their culture, their food, look at their beautiful landscape,
Including the sakura blooming, and to gain new fresh ideas.

12.  What was your favorite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Swimming was favorite hobby and I took it very seriously. When it comes to music, at the time, I had always found myself inspired by all kinds of music and sounds that somehow drove me to be more focus on pursuing my dreams and goals in the future.

Films related to biographies are what used to catch my attention the most. To learn about someone’s path and how they made a significant discovery that improved the actual world we live in today.

13. Apart of temptation what can't you resist?
To keep working on students’ academic goals!

14. Red wine or white?
I don’t drink alcohol. I prefer flat mineral water.

15. Book or movie?
Reading…primarily biographies.

16. Morning person or a night person?
Impossible to agree to any of them, since my mind never stops working.

17. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
No matter what situation we are in, we should always help each other. This is what makes the essence of having a real wealthy life.

18. Buda or Pest side?
Buda at sunrise, Pest at sunset.

19. Which achievement in your life are you most pleased about?
Having created a unique institution that has been applying unique tutoring techniques helping students reach their maximum potential which is highly beneficial to their future academic goals!

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
Accomplishment and prosperity don't just find you. You have to go out, get it, and inspire others.

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