Breathing Life Into Learning

(09) 477 0033

2 Medallion Drive, Oteha, North Shore City 0632, NZ
enquiries@oteha.school.nz

Welcome

Click here for the Principal's Welcome Message

Concept Learning

 

We believe that the competencies are what a learner requires in order for them to learn most efficiently and effectively.

The competencies are a comprehensive set of capabilities that need to become dispositions that are constantly being refined throughout our lives. 

Once the students understand the capabilities of these competencies and it becomes ‘the way we automatically do things’, they are able to apply the Learning Process in a manner that allows everyone to learn successfully.  

We focus on 7 Competencies that support the students to become independent learners. 

Identity: Knowing ourselves, our heritage and personality traits enables us to respond to others and contribute to our community in a positive way

Thinking and Questioning: Using creative and critical processes enables us to make sense of experiences and ideas

Managing self: Developing self-motivation, a 'can-do attitude and an awareness of how our actions affect others

Collaboration:  Interacting effectively with a range of diverse people in a variety of different contexts, including people in our family, whanau and school in order to learn from each other
 
Connecting and Reflecting:  Working and making meaning of a range of different ideas and experiences
 
The Language of Learning:  Developing a common learning language enables us to reflect on our progress with increasing accuracy and ask deep questions about what we know, understand and need to learn more about
 
Cultural:  Developing our ability to communicate with and relate to other's cultures reduces possible prejudice and concerns
 
Some crucial concepts are fundamental to our student's attitudes to their learning - Growth Mindset, The Learning Pit, and The Learning Process.
 
This is what our students are saying about their learning;
 
Learning that’s not just academic- its skills and strategies that can help later in life with problem solving, decision making and getting along with others (Yr 5)
 

It’s all about collaborating with others to overcome challenges  (Yr 6)

In the pit it’s all about taking risks – thinking about your learning and using meta cognition to get yourself out of the pit (Yr 5)

It’s like a little adventure – when we get stuck in the pit someone can help you or you could try to get out by yourself with hard thinking (Yr 1)

It's about our brain and how we can help it grow by challenging ourselves.  Instead of saying things like “I can’t do this” say “I cant’ do this –yet” (Yr 4)

I used to not listen well so now I know the importance of listening and responding to others in an appropriate way (Yr 4)

I look back and I didn’t believe in myself and reaching my goals and now I set hard goals and really work on them (Yr 6)

I find I actually enjoy the learning more now that I am trying harder (Yr 3)

I know that I can do anything if I just try – I really tried to do the speech this year and it’s not something I ever liked doing – I did well at it and it has built my confidence (Yr 6)