It’s Time to Redefine “Best Practice”

Last fall, Will Richardson posted an interesting article on “best practice.” Here’s what he had to say:

“I remember when I was teaching, my supervisor was always in search of ‘best practices.’ We would research them from other schools. We would share them within our departments and, sometimes, school-wide. We worked to create them.”

“What I always struggled with was trying to suss out what, exactly, the desired outcome was that these ‘best practices’ were supposed to achieve. And, importantly, why ‘best practices’ always seemed to revolve around teaching and not learning so much.”

“I’ve been reminded of this tension of late in the conversations…[I’m having] with some of the schools we’re working with long term. It feels like there is this uptick in the desire to define the ‘best way’ to teach kids, and that the answer somehow lies ‘out there’ in the edu-verse. As if it’s already being done, and all that’s left is to find the practice and make it our own.”

“Which leads me to the same tension: ‘best practices’ for what? For whom?”

“Looking back, it’s pretty obvious that my supervisor’s idea of best practice was anything that led to greater ‘success’ in terms of a very narrow set of student outcomes, as in better scores on tests within the classroom and on the larger, statewide standardized exams. She spent a lot of time trying to figure out what specific teaching techniques could move the needle the most.”

“But in today’s world, that can’t be what ‘best practices’ accomplish. (Can it?)”

“Given the adolescent (and adult) mental health crisis we’re dealing with, might ‘best practices’ be more attuned to making sure our students and teachers are joyful, hopeful, and peaceful?”

“Given the climate crisis we’re in the midst of, might ‘best practices’ be more focused on outcomes that serve the entire planet rather than those that serve any individual student or score?”

“And given the increasing complexity that life seems to be throwing at all of us on an almost daily basis, might ‘best practices’ be centered on helping our school communities feel more deeply connected in ways that allow us to withstand our challenges together rather than along?”

“We’ve said it many times, but it bears repeating. This moment requires a reframing of our work as educators. ‘Success’ in school or in life is not what it used to be. It can’t be. Which means we need to develop new ways of thinking about our practice that serve a much greater good than simply ‘being the best’ at producing old, increasingly irrelevant outcomes.”

Well said Will!

But I think you are preaching to a deaf choir. I’m guessing our traditional public school system will never change their definition of “best practice,” since the traditional system has always been more about teaching practice than learning outcomes.

So what does “best practice” mean when it comes to learning?

“Best practice” when it comes to learning starts with a well-trained learning coach, an adult learning leader who can teach to high levels, but is primarily focused on how well their young learners are achieving desired outcomes.

“Best practice” when it comes to learning continues with a well-constructed learning plan, a plan that is negotiated between the learning coach and the young learner. A plan that includes reading, writing, problem-solving, character, and personal goals.

“Best practice” when it comes to learning uses time, space, and talent differently.

Unlike traditional school, time is variable while learning is a constant. Learning can happen anytime, anywhere. Schools can play a role in the learning process, but schools aren’t the be-all, end-all to the learning process.

Talent is defined by generalist learning coaches and specialist learning coaches. Generalist learning coaches take care of basic skill development in reading, writing, problem-solving, and character. Specialist learning coaches focus on pursuits like calculus, choir, football, physics, foreign language, and others.

“Best practice” when it comes to learning depends on connecting resources (budget), expectations (academic and social-emotional), and support (coaching, feedback, and evaluation).

Money should stay closest to the learning coach/young learner relationship. In fact, learning coaches should receive training and be expected to develop a budget that supports the execution of the learning plan.

Resources are not allotted without both academic and social-emotional expectations. It’s sort of like the Bible passage: “To whom much is given, much is required.” Without expectation fulfillment, resources and maybe learning coach employment, will be addressed and possibly changed.

Support includes coaching performance, providing feedback to both learning coaches and the young learners, and providing formal evaluations to all involved regarding wins, losses, or draws connected with the learning process.

So you see “best practice,” when it comes to learning, has a very different meaning compared to when it describes a system focused on teaching.

It’s time to change how we use “best practice.”

Til tomorrow. SVB