CREO PRIMARY SCHOOL

Creo Primary School in Wroclaw is an unusual place where together with children we experience the joy of discovering the world in which each of us is unique.

Creo is a school where the most important things are relationships full of trust and mutual respect for everybody, a safe place full of adventures and wonders which releases our children enthusiasm and admiration for the world.

Creo Primary School is a place with definite core values and a clear vision of future plans. Our approach is based on the experience known in many countries of the world, it is modern and adapted to the current educational needs of students.  We rely on the wisdom and experience of others and therefore we are open for continuous development, we adhere to the philosophy of continuous learning, we gain new experience, develop ourselves and create solutions, adapting them to our students.

CREO FOUNDATIONS

RELATIONSHIPS
CORE VALUES
KEY COMPETENCES
PREPARATION FOR LIFE
LOCAL ACTIONS MAKE GLOBAL CHANGES

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US?

Relationships, trust and respect

The core values of the school are true and honest relationships based on mutual trust and respect. Students’ integration and partnerships with staff is one of the main pillars in our school. We trust the entire Creo community which includes our students, whom we consider to be independent individuals, our teachers and tutors. We respect each other, each of us has the right to choose, vote, express thoughts and emotions, which are an integral part of our life. We listen and speak carefully, together we experience joy and admiration as well as sadness and anger. We are the school that recognizes the principle that there is no wrong answer if a student can justify his opinion. We believe that making mistakes is a natural element of the learning process. We sympathize with each other, learn principles of non-violent communication (NVC) and peaceful resolution of conflicts, respecting the boundaries of others.

Independence and responsibility

In our children we strengthen the need for independence, both in everyday life and in learning process. Transferring responsibility to the child for his behaviour, we send the child a message demonstrating our trust and faith in his ability to read and observe his own emotions. Thus, we leave a space where children can experience the consequences of their own choices. Together with them we recognize our reactions and learn to bear the responsibility for our behaviour and words.

Freedom

“To give a child freedom does not mean to leave him alone”
Maria Montessori

Since freedom in certain conditions and in a certain structure supports the educational process, we give students the freedom to choose and make decisions, the freedom to express their beliefs and make mistakes. We provide time for quiet work and independent reflection. Our teachers and tutors are responsible for creating such conditions that satisfy the needs of independence and freedom of each student.

Self-consciousness and talent development

Self-consciousness is one of the key skills that allows you to find answers to the questions: Who am I? What are my strengths and weaknesses? What I love? What makes me happy? What are my passions in life? In what way should I study? What do I need to focus on? What am I good at and how can I develop it?
To know answers to these questions is a condition under which a child or a person can make conscious choice, find inner balance, realize his interests and become happy. By supporting our students in the search for these answers, we prepare them for success in further education and adulthood.

Self-esteem development

Self-esteem is a key to success in further life. Therefore the goal of the entire school staff is to create the best conditions for the development of students. We, adults (together with parents) are responsible for the development and support of this process.

Self control

Self-control has become one of the key skills, which is determined by the modern pace of life, free access to the Internet, the glut of various types of content, games, information. To stop doing something that gives us pleasure is not easy even for an adult, not to mention a child, so we will practice the development of this skill from an early age.

Empathy, tolerance, openness

Building honest relationships is impossible without mutual friendliness. That is why we pay attention to empathic behaviour, attentiveness, mutual assistance, kind words and smiles every day. Thanks to cooperation with volunteers from different countries and an intercultural educational program we open students to the whole world, we teach them tolerance for different cultures and peoples whose views and behaviour differ from ours.

Emotional intelligence

Recent researches indicate the importance of emotional intelligence for the sustainable development of children. Emotions are a key element in the learning process and make it more effective. Throughout the school year children participate in the projects during which we develop their ability to understand emotions and needs, equip them with tools for emotional regulation and discuss emotional conflicts. All this ensures safety and good mental state of children during the learning process and does not cause emotional problems.

Cooperation

Cooperation is considered to be a key element to success achieving. That’s why cooperation and partnerships are one of the foundations in our school where children learn to work with each member of the team, practice communication skills, find ways to deal with conflict situations, divide tasks and organize work and other teamwork skills. At Creo we strive to ensure that the child’s ability to cooperate and his highly developed empathy prevent the child from unhealthy competition. We want our students to be able to congratulate sincerely the colleague who has achieved the best result or to help those who still need to work to achieve a satisfactory result.

Language development    

We believe that knowledge of foreign languages ​​is not only a must when it comes to the future professional development of the student, but it is also a way to acquire various sources and tools for gaining knowledge, the opportunity to realize one’s hobbies/passions and to build self confidence when interacting with people. According to the researchers, children who know at least two languages ​​are better able to master the three main functions of the language: communication, thinking and learning. The benefits of bilingualism also include: faster learning of subsequent languages; better assimilation and selection of information; a broader view of the world; better immersion in cultures and customs; better cognitive skills.

“The limits of my language are the limits of my world”
Ludwig Wittgenstein

THE WAY WE DO IT

1. Individual approach

Every person is different, has different needs and individual ways of learning. Our task is to identify the child’s needs and help him in everyday learning in harmony with his nature. This process will be organized through Howard Gardner’s concept of multiple intelligence, assumptions of neurodidactics and contact with nature.

2. Integrated education and small groups

Classes are conducted in small age groups. Children learn from each other, learn to cooperate, help each other, empathize, show patience, build relationships and resolve conflicts.

3. Method of educational projects

The teaching process is carried out in a holistic manner in the form of interdisciplinary educational projects. Students receive the full context of a given issue together with the cause-effect relationships. The project is also a form of fun, a way to make creative and innovative solutions. It is a way of work that engages, motivates, incites curiosity and causes emotions, which leads to a better assimilation of knowledge. The teamwork during the implementation of projects improves communication, enables to build skills of duty sharing, organization of work, conflict resolutions, forms responsibility for the implementation of the project, as well as many other social skills.

4. Teacher as a guide, tutor

A teacher in our school acts as a guide, a tutor and creates conditions for the better development of students, shows them opportunities to explore the world and acquire knowledge, helps to develop their skills. Relying on the theory of multiple intelligence we try to determine the individual abilities of children and the way of learning. Throughout the entire learning process there are partnerships between the teachers and students that work together in accordance with generally accepted and clear rules, so that everyone feels safe and comfortable.

5. Development of key competences

We form the following key competences:
– social and emotional intelligence;
– ability to combine knowledge from many fields and use it;
– intercultural competences, openness to other cultures;
– ability to filter, select and present information.
Our goal is to equip children with tools and skills that enable them to cope with a constantly changing world.

6. Language development

Quick learning of a second language is possible through the use of CLIL ( Content and Language Integrated Learning ) which has been proven many times in the world and is based on partial immersion in a foreign language. It is also known as a bilingual teaching method. That is why we invited a group of volunteers from AIESEC to cooperate with us every day, thanks to which students will be in constant contact with the English language. Striving to ensure that our children are bilingual, we focus on the natural and communicative method, develop social skills through the language, introduce activating methods, implement projects and also study the culture of different countries and not only that.

From the beginning of the school year you can also take part in additional Russian, Spanish or French language classes.

7. Tutoring

We run a tutoring program at our school. A tutor is the child’s closest friend whom he chooses among the adults. The tutor supports the child, motivates him, helps to discover his passions, solves his problems, accompanies him throughout the entire education process.

8. Going out, trips and contact with nature

Everybody knows how important a bond with nature is! That is why every day, regardless of the weather, we are in the open air (work at vegetable beds, make construction works, do gardening and outdoor activities). We are quite sure that “a dirty child is a happy child”. Together with our students we plan and organize long trips, city games, visits to such places on the map of Wroclaw as laboratories, universities, museums, art galleries and the zoo.

9. Program of 7 habits of effective activity

We implement a program of 7 habits of effective activity according to Stephen R. Covey to provide students with tools that help them to achieve a satisfactory level of self-motivation for effective activity. According to Covey there are seven habits that help you to live happily. We want children to have self-esteem and be able to appreciate the value of people around them. We want them to learn to take responsibility for themselves and for the group, working together and striving to solve problems together. We want them to know how much they can do in their lives for the benefit of the family, school, community, environment. We want to teach them to take care of their own resources: health, strength, spiritual balance and constant intellectual development.

AT OUR SCHOOL WE FOCUS ON:

• conscious, effective communication;
• problem-solving skills;
• cooperation;
• healthy self-esteem;
• critical thinking;
• health, ecological, global education;
volunteering.

AT OUR SCHOOL THERE IS NO PLACE TO:

• Assessment

We do not recognize education as a defined system of numerical grades that does reflect neither the level of student’s knowledge nor the effort made by the student to achieve a result. However we are convinced that extensive feedback is more effective and much more enriching. It helps to understand strengths and weaknesses, mobilizes for further actions and prevents comparison and competition.

• Ranking

We recognize that the satisfaction of students, parents and teachers is more important than rankings, as even the highest rankings do not lead to complacency and success in life, they can only do harm. For us the level of student’s involvement, the amount of work he has put in and the level of his satisfaction are much more important than any certificate of honour.

• “Cram, Pass, Forget” system

Today there is no particular need to learn information by heart because the information is publicly available. It is more important to understand cause-effect relationships, analysis and question phenomena, to equip students with learning tools. Instead of mere reproducing of the learned content, we focus on practical interdisciplinary training that allows us to develop many different competences simultaneously.

• Stereotypes

We show respect for each of us, regardless of our choice, decisions, views or origin. We appreciate the uniqueness of each student, support and help everyone, talk about stereotypes and prejudices.

• Standard homework

We don’t want to take our children away from their childhood by doing useless thing outside the school. Our homework will have a modern practical form (interview, mind map, implementation of a specific project, etc.) and if the student wants to do traditional home task, it will be his decision.

We do not know what the world of the future will look like, but we are sure that it will be a world of constant change. Our goal is to prepare the child for the life in such a world. We strive to make Creo graduates aware of their own values, responsible for their own choices, open to diversity and change, have the skills to communicate, self-organize, manage their emotions, work in a team, set goals and consciously aim for self-realization.