Ako
Whakataukī | Proverb
"Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu"
It is the feathers that enable the bird to fly
Ako recognizes that learning and teaching are reciprocal. Teachers learn from students, students learn from teachers, and together they co-construct knowledge. This reciprocal relationship enables everyone to flourish.
Definition
Māori concept meaning both to learn and to teach. Emphasizes reciprocal learning where teachers and students learn from each other. Knowledge is co-constructed through this reciprocal relationship.
Research Evidence
Berryman & Eley (2017) emphasize ako as fundamental to Kaupapa Māori education. Research shows that when teachers recognize they can learn from students, and when students are positioned as knowledge-holders, engagement and achievement improve.
This aligns with Vygotsky's social constructivism and Freire's problem-posing education, both emphasizing that learning is a collaborative, reciprocal process.
Key Principles
Teachers and students learn from each other. Teachers are not the only source of knowledge.
Knowledge is built together through dialogue, collaboration, and shared exploration.
Students bring valuable knowledge, experiences, and perspectives that enrich learning.
Teachers continuously learn from students, adapting and growing in their practice.
How We Apply This in Te Kete Ako
Ako is embedded throughout our resources. We:
- Create opportunities for student-led teaching
- Design peer tutoring and collaborative activities
- Include spaces for teachers to learn from students
- Encourage co-construction of knowledge
- Position students as experts in their own experiences
- Recognize that learning is a two-way process
Our resources honor the reciprocal nature of learning, ensuring that teachers and students learn together, building knowledge collaboratively rather than transmitting it one-way.
Application Examples
- Student-led teaching sessions
- Peer tutoring programs
- Teacher learning from students
- Co-construction of knowledge
- Student voice in curriculum
- Collaborative inquiry projects
Cultural Connections — Mātauranga Māori
Ako is itself a Māori concept that sits at the heart of mātauranga Māori. It reflects a worldview in which knowledge is relational and reciprocal — not held by one authority but co-constructed through whanaungatanga (relationships) and manaakitanga (care and generosity). Tikanga Māori underpins the way ako is enacted: respect, reciprocity, and shared responsibility guide every learning interaction.
- Whanaungatanga — Relationships are the foundation of learning
- Manaakitanga — Generous, caring support for every learner
- Tuakana-Teina — Older/more experienced learners guide younger ones, embodying ako
Classroom Application
Use this understanding of ako to reshape your classroom culture. Rather than positioning yourself as the sole source of knowledge, create structures where students regularly teach each other and where you visibly learn from them too. Next step: try a structured tuakana-teina rotation in your next unit.
- Model learning out loud — share when something surprises you
- Rotate the "expert" role so all students lead at some point
- Use classroom seating that supports pair and small-group dialogue
- Acknowledge student knowledge contributions explicitly