Skip To Main Content

Whole Child Approach

Children learn best when they feel safe and connected.


Research into both neuroscience and education confirms that the best learning emerges when children feel emotionally safe and socially connected. Social-emotional skills are taught using a multi-pronged approach with the goal of fostering empathy, self-awareness, confidence, and resilience.  

We use mindfulness to increase focus, regulate emotions, and decrease stress and anxiety.

Practicing awareness of thoughts, emotions, sensations, and the surrounding environment helps children improve attention, self-control, and resilience. Students have daily and weekly opportunities to slow down and pay attention to their breath, bodies, and sensations. As a county-wide leader in Mindfulness, we’ve hosted trainings for teachers from other schools, and brought international experts Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and Dr. Daniel Siegel to speak as part of our Speaker Series.

 

Emotional intelligence is a key foundation for future success in work and life

We use the RULER approach to help our students master the skills of emotional intelligence and to pave the way for greater well-being and better relationships. Developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, RULER gives our community a shared set of tools and language for emotional literacy.

 

We inspire children to lead lives of purpose and compassion.

Our mission calls for our students to develop compassion and citizenship, so we make the time for direct conversations about values and character. Whether looking at ideas like honesty and responsibility, or inclusion and diversity, our character education programs help children grow up to be good citizens and contributing members of society. 

 

Children want to help others, and knowing they can make a difference empowers them to do more.

Authentic service learning begins with empathy, as we guide children to connect with the local community and discover who lives here and the challenges they face. Next, students consider ways they can bring their skills and knowledge to find possible solutions to those problems. Students then move through prototyping and iterating these solutions, before taking them back into the field to try to make a difference. When given the chance, children can make real, tangible differences that improve the world..

 


The Gateway Difference: School Community  |  Gateway Families Association