The power of an inclusive community to accelerate learning and growth for bright and gifted kids
Social-emotional growth is a central focal point of our program, and flows from the premise that the purpose of social-emotional learning within an educational environment is to help each student develop the skills, awareness and priorities they need to become a positive member of their social communities—in friendships, within the school and as a local and global citizen.
Our academic program is designed around and fosters this premise. All students, regardless of age, diagnostic profile or service level, work, interact and collaborate together as part of one cohesive community. This is fostered through our social-emotional curriculum, proprietary Human 101 course on the neurophysiology of human interactions and project-based learning curriculum —all of which develop essential 21st century skills in how to build and foster relationships and empathy towards others whose talents and needs differ from our own.
Here are some of the ways our program is structured that fosters and elevates the experience of community:
Building community starts in our admissions process
Through this unique approach, we have been able to develop a community in which students are able to find common ground despite a wide range of learning, social-emotional and neurophysiological differences. This allows them to extend empathy towards one another, forgiveness for atypical patterns of communication and investment in their own growth processes. It is, we have come to realize, our most valuable therapeutic asset, as students are motivated to to gain self-direction over their actions by the pull and encouragement of the group.
And, it won’t be effective for all students.
In order for our unique approach to be effective, students don’t have to know how to build connections to or foster a sense of community, but they do have to be motivated to try. They don’t need to understand social interactions or how to interpret others’ behaviors, but they must be able to feel the empathy that is required to convert that information into compassion and kindness towards others as we work to develop those understandings.
Thus, ours is not an appropriate program for students who do not feel a desire for social connection, or who lack the ability to experience empathy for others, are physically assaultive towards staff or peers, have a history of bullying, are intentionally emotionally hurtful or show sadistic tendencies, as these tendencies are destructive to the emotionally safe environment that is essential for a trauma-informed program, and to the community itself. Students who repeatedly engage in bullying behavior towards staff or students may be asked to leave.
Cajal Academy is an avowedly inclusive community, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical disability or any other protected class.