Caitlin Kantor embodies Gateway's strong commitment to community and collaboration. As a pioneering graduate of Gateway Middle School, Caitlin learned the value of teamwork early on.
Now at Gateway High School, Caitlin gives back to the very same place where her collaboration skills were nurtured and fully developed.
Caitlin volunteers regularly at the Middle School but went above and beyond her typical administrative duties when she gave a special presentation to Ms. Arsenault's 6thgrade class at the beginning of the school year.
She wanted to talk to her younger peers about acceptance, inclusion, and teamwork with one special person in mind - her brother, Ethan who just started Middle School. Ethan experiences the world around him differently than his peers due to a birth injury that compromised his spatial awareness and auditory processing.
Caitlin wanted to educate Ethan's classmates on what made Ethan see the world differently and encouraged them to appreciate differences in others. Her presentation not only provided insight into who Ethan is as an individual, but dovetailed the class' lessons in acceptance, team work, and team building.
Like many teachers at Gateway, Ms. Arsenault ensures her students have the opportunity to work in teams and collaborate with one another on a daily basis.
"For students to achieve a comprehensive, well-rounded education, integrated teamwork is vital," says Arsenault. "Teamwork introduces a variety of skills that will be valuable for students in all aspects of their life, such as communication, compromise and collective effort."
At the end of her presentation, Caitlin surprised the class with a gift certificate to play Bubble Soccer, a unique and fun twist to traditional soccer where players step inside inflated bubble suits and are encouraged to bounce into each other as they compete for possession of the ball.
"Our senses work together like a team, whether weak or strong, they all matter and help make us unique," said Caitlin. "On the soccer field, in the classroom, at school, or in our community, we all benefit when we figure out how to work together in teams. I chose Bubble Soccer because everyone can be included and I had hoped it would start a ripple effect of inclusion, acceptance, and teamwork."
Several months prior to her class presentation, Caitlin participated in a Bubble Soccer Tournament with her friends and realized that Bubble Soccer is the perfect activity to even the playing field for those who may lack skills in communication and for those who have not developed their sense of space yet.
The game also allows players to experience what a learning difference may feel like because they are unable to see or move in the same way when wrapped up in a bubble.
By giving the class the opportunity to participate in Bubble Soccer, Caitlin hoped Ethan's peers would embrace the importance of inclusion and collaboration.
On a beautiful spring day in late April, Ms. Arsenault's class headed to Golden Gate Park, split into groups, suited up in their inflatable bubble suits, and got the game started.
According to Ms. Arsenault, who also participated in the game, the students had to first get used to being in the bubble. "Some students bounced around in the balls, others fell over, and the remaining students kept crashing into each other. However, after initially getting used to the bubbles, students got into the game and started working collaboratively to help their team along."
Several months earlier when Ethan had the chance to participate in the Bubble Soccer Tournament with Caitlin and her friends, he was afraid to try it. However, when Ethan saw that everyone in his class was participating in the game he quickly joined in and became a valuable member of the team.
Bubble Soccer reinforced to Ethan and all of the other students what they have been learning about teamwork and collaboration all year.
"As a class, we always try to include all students in a game and project," said student Ryan Snodsmith. "The game of Bubble Soccer is a perfect example of team building and teamwork that we use on a day-to-day basis. While playing, we used teamwork to find different strategies to score, but we mostly just had a good time playing with our friends. Personally, I thought that the day we all walked to the park and played as a class was the day that I really got to know my peers, as well as teachers. I had a great time, and I hope to do it again."
Through activities like Bubble Soccer, students recognized that teamwork doesn't necessarily come easy but that it's an important skill to learn not just for success in school, but also for success in other parts of their life.
"Ms. Arsenault has been teaching us about group work and how to make sure that everybody in our group keeps up and doesn't fall behind," said student Sophia Shizuka Lee. "Every semester or so, everybody in class gets assigned a new group to work with, which means you need to learn how to work with new people and how to be flexible. I was frustrated by the many different groups I had to work with but that was part of a learning experience for me. My classmates felt the same way that I did so we worked together as a group to overcome our annoyances and become better collaborators. Now group work is natural to me. I use the skill of collaboration everywhere without realizing it. I use it to get through difficult homework, cleaning up the classroom, helping parents with dinner, and even at activities such as Bubble Soccer. Bubble Soccer was just another extra test for my collaboration skills which have improved so much."
Bubble Soccer is just another example of how Gateway excels in teaching and learning. We are committed to providing students with an educational experience that helps them develop confidence in themselves as learners and leaders while also developing their capacity to work in a team environment to overcome obstacles.