Our Learning

 

Creating Successful Learners

 
Cosgrove School is multicultural school, with a high percentage of Maori/Pacifica and Special Needs, a growing number of Polynesian, a lower percentage of European and some Asian children in attendance.  

 

We acknowledge and are committed to implementing accelerated learning and teaching strategies which reflect the diversity of our school.  We believe the principles which uphold the dominant cultures in our school of Maori/Pacifica and Special Needs are applicable to all cultures and to this end, embrace the concept of Ako as defined in Ka Hikitia 2008.

 

AKO describes a teaching and learning relationship where the educator is also learning from the student and where educators’ practices are informed by the latest research and are both deliberate and reflective (Ka Hikitia, 2008).

 

AKO is grounded in the principle of reciprocity (i) recognising that the learner and whanau cannot be separated (ii) the learner and the educator cannot be separated.

 

We understand the reciprocal nature of educating a child and strive to apply teaching practices which acknowledges student culture and builds on what they know.

 

As a learning community we believe the values ensconced in our ‘Kinds’ tree to be linked with AKO, forming the foundation on which the culture of our school is built.  

 

Culture Counts: knowing, respecting and valuing who students are, where they come from and building on what they bring with them.

 

Productive Relationships: Maori/Pacifica and Special Needs students, Whanau, hapu, iwi, educators and all stakeholders within the school community sharing knowledge and expertise with each other to produce better mutual outcomes for all learners.
 

 
We believe accelerated learning is learning how to learn:

• metacognition
• thinking
• organising and reorganising information
• solution orientated
• creative
   

 We believe accelerated learning :

•  happens at both school and home
• is engaging, animated and active
• involves making meaning
• allows us to make informed decisions / choices
• builds confidence, self-esteem and a belief in oneself
• to be a developmental journey
• ignites a thirst for understanding, knowledge and innovation
• creates visions and dreams
• is achievable
• Home School Partnerships

 

 

 

We believe learning enables all people to understand the world in which they live and to find their place in it knowing they make a difference.  

 
Children learn best when their physical and emotional needs are met and they are central to the learning process taking ownership of their learning:
 

• being part of the decision making about what they would like to learn
• setting goals and working towards achieving them
• being able to discover answers to their questions
• knowing where they are at in their learning
• understanding what their next learning steps are
• knowing where to go to find information or get support
• through collaboration and shared learning experiences

 

 

 

When they are in a secure environment which reflects them and their culture, giving them a sense of belonging.

When the environment they are in fosters the development of quality relationships between teachers and children, and children and children.

By engaging in purposeful and interesting learning tasks which are achievable, allowing them to meet with success.