Korowai Ako (cloak of learning) – our quality teaching and learning framework

Korowai Ako Explained

There are many educational demands and competing ideas, at Kristin are focused on what matters most – our values (Progress, Vision, Integrity and Love) and our five core strategies that we use to create high quality teaching and learning. 

To illustrate our core values and five strategies, in consultation with mana whenua, we developed a new teaching and learning framework called “Korowai Ako” or Cloak of Learning. This simple metaphor represents the wraparound care and support that Kristin provides to both staff and students in their learning, focusing on five main strands or strategies that are essential in ensuring a world-class education. 

The cloak shows that these five strategies do not occur in isolation, but are interwoven to help unlock the potential of all learners so they can prosper. These five strategies interlink by supporting our young people to develop a strong wellbeing that helps them to reflect and learn from their actions and experiences, embrace our diversity and strengths, to foster inquisitive thinkers and problem solvers, all through a learner-centred approach based on knowing our students.

This Korowai Ako framework provides us a focus to guide our strategic decisions, staffing, budgeting and staff professional learning and development. This framework also builds upon Kristin’s strengths: our strong educational core, highly valued teachers and our supportive, holistic education.

OUR KEY STRATEGIES TO FOSTER QUALITY TEACHING AND LEARNING

Wellbeing
Having a common model and range of strategies and resources for people in our community to thrive and prosper.
Diversity
Understanding and catering for variations in human brains and cultural needs, through differentiation and culturally responsive practices.
Inquiry
Supporting all students and staff in the process of individual and collaborative investigation, and problem finding and solving within and beyond the classroom.
 Learner Centered
Enhancing learning through pedagogies such as: e-learning, personalised learning and play based learning.
Reflection and Coaching
To enable people to have 'better conversations' and reflecting on one’s own actions as a process, in order to support continuous learning and growth. 

COME AND VISIT KRISTIN

Step inside our gates and see for yourself what makes Kristin so unique. We invite you to take a tour and observe a typical school day. Take the opportunity to engage personally with student guides and staff.