What Do We Mean By "Best Practice"?

It would be an impossible task to include all that has been written about "best practice" in every subject area over the past ten years. Nevertheless certain common themes have emerged which include:
1. Children are naturally active learners. Hence learning should be an active process in which children interact intellectually with both the content and with each other. Knowledge cannot be imparted, but rather it is constructed by each person through their experiences.
2. Learning should be meaningful. It should be based in the context of real world situations and have relevance to the child's life.
3. Learning should be approached from a problem solving stand point. Rote memorization and regurgitation of facts are not an adequate preparation for life in today's world
4. Less is more. Instead of superficially covering a vast quantity of material, it is preferable to engage in an indepth inquiry into a relatively small number of meaningful problems.
5. Independent learning should be encouraged. Children should be encouraged to become responsible for what they learn and how they learn it, within reasonable limits. The teacher's role becomes more that of facilitator than lecturer. (Guide at the side rather than sage on the stage.)
For more information read a hypertext essay by Andy Carvin, http://edweb.cnidr.org/edref.sys.types.html
For resources dealing with constructivist learning read: A Pedagogy for the 21st Century by Joshua Reibel The site is basically a resource, and not something to try to read from beginning to end. Check out what is available.