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Best Practice – Really?
What is Best Practice? Is there really such a thing? Is best practice for me the same as best practice for you? Is Best Practice just a phrase used to help publishers sell books?
One of the unconference sessions I went to at the Learning 2.008 conference in Shanghai was a discussion on Best Practice and if there really is such a thing. I don’t have all the answers of course, just plenty more questions!
For me, best practice (if one needs to use that term) would be something that takes my teaching and my students learning further. Something that pushes boundaries because for me, that is one of the best things you can do in a classroom. Much of the description that came out of this session about what ‘best practice’ actually is to me sounded like common sense teaching. Saying that of course, then just begs the question as to what common sense teaching actually is. So, I’m not sure if I should use that phrase. What do you think? It’s not a simple conversation to have!
‘Best practice’ is not going to look the same for everyone, as we all have different classrooms and kids, different ideas and different curriculum. Best practice then has to be the thing that is then best for those particular students in that particular context. How then can you write book saying what it is?
There is value, however, in learning for others who have done the trials and found methods that work successfully all or most of the time. Is this not best practice?
One thing we have to be careful of is getting all caught up in labeling things and saying that one thing or way is better than another. It is so easy for everyone to make judgments of others and say that things aren’t up to standard, or best practice. In order to be able to implement a form of best practice effectively, you have to have a good relationship with your students and be able to engage them or the rest is a waste of time.
Have I missed the point? What is best practice for you?
My tweets from the session – please read from the bottom up!
best practice as something that engenders the values and competenciesthat are valued by society (great comment from participant to end on!)01:30 PM September 20, 2008
students beyond what we are doing – something innovative – thoughts?01:29 PM September 20, 2008
it has to be very fluid or it very quickly becomes outdated01:22 PM September 20, 2008from twhirl
@nzchrissy yes it has to be. if you don’t know your kids, how can you engage them properly in order to use ‘best practice?’
@israelgreg yes, I think so. does it really matter as long as it is making positive differences for our kids?
best practice definitions up to the teacher – thoughts?01:11 PM September 20, 2008
@mdeborde way too many variables, which is why I don’t think there really could a be one ‘best practice’
best practice is whatever engages the student – thoughts?
best practice being about what is best for the child in the particular context
if you are going to call something ‘best practice’ then I would want it to go beyond common sense teaching
if there has to be best practice, then for me it is what is going to
take my classroom and my students forward with new skills, experiences
is there really such a thing as best practice?
what is best practice?12:49 PM September 20, 2008
Flickr image: contactjuggling
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