“Education is Being Ruined by Best Efforts”

Elizabeth Kesterson

In education, we frequently encounter (maybe even cause) best effort. Best effort could

be defined as different changes made within the system that will attempt to fix a given problem,

but will not guarantee an improvement in the quality of the education system. While often these

best efforts have great intention, they are typically not maintainable or implemented as they

should be, therefore acting as a short-term fix, while further damaging the long term for the

organization.

Within the organization I currently teach in, I have personally experienced best efforts.

While these best efforts were not detrimental to our organization, they did take a toll on the staff

in our building and the learning students are (or are not) engaging in. Our first best effort was to

improve our staff’s knowledge on social-emotional health in our students, as well as how we can

be trauma-informed teachers. After various professional development sessions, outside work,

conversations and effort, there was little to no follow up in the implementation of this program or

support for teachers who did attempt to implement this into their classrooms. While we were

engaging in this learning, it seemed interesting, valuable and helpful to the students we serve.

In the long run, it took up time, energy, some resources, and was never applied in full effect to

support our staff and students. A similar scenario occurred while building Social Studies

curriculum at each grade level. We spent a variety of different professional development

sessions researching, building, and writing a social studies curriculum that would connect to the

previous and next grade level. To this day, we are without the implementation of social studies

in our building, depriving students of that subject area of knowledge and again, using teacher

time, energy and resources.

In EDL 271, I engaged in learning with The Fifth Discipline, by: Peter Senge. During this

course, I learned about the seven learning disabilities within an organization. This furthered my
understanding of the negative impacts different situations within an organization have on the

entire organization and the future of that organization. I feel as though best efforts have the

potential to lead to or intensify each of the seven learning disabilities within the organization.

Best efforts can also lead to sub-optimization. According to Lee Jenkins, “Sub-

optimization is the enemy of schooling; it occurs when one aspect of the organization wins at

the expense of the whole organization” (Optimize Your School, 93). Jenkins then lists examples

of times the Federal Government has sub-optimized the education system. This has occurred

by the passing of The Individuals with Disabilities act (giving new rights to students and then

refusing to fund it), as well as the No Child Left Behind Act (placing such an emphasis on

reading and math that other subjects are no longer prioritized or even taught). These “best

efforts” had the intention of providing resources, building successful students (in terms of

scoring well), and closing the gap in learning. In the long term, we have passed bills that do not

have the resources to be supported, and in the case of NCLB, taken away the opportunity for

students to learn about different subjects as deeply as they are required to learn in reading and

math.

Dr. Deming’s theorem states “we are being ruined by people putting forth their best

efforts”. This quote from Dr. Deming “hard work will not ensure quality. Best efforts will not

ensure quality, and neither will gadgets, computers or investment in machinery. A necessary

ingredient for improvement of quality is the application of profound knowledge. There is no

substitute for knowledge. Knowledge we have in abundance. We must learn to use it”. (The

Essential Deming, 38). I believe the application of Dr. Deming's 14 Principles of Profound

Knowledge, interpreted by David Langford are essential to implementing genuine, high quality

change to the education system at all levels. I look forward to learning more about each

principle as we begin this course.

 Resources

Optimize Your School: It’s all about the strategy by: Lee Jenkins

https://deming.org/too-many-people-putting-forth-their-best-efforts/

Langford’s 14 Principles of Profound Knowledge Article (BlackBoard)

https://thinkingtoolsstudio.org/signup

The Fifth Discipline by: Peter Senge