Worldwide, policy makers are placing increasing demands on schools and their teachers to use effective research-informed practices. In New Zealand a collaborative knowledge building strategy—The Iterative Best Evidence Synthesis Program—has been implemented at policy level. Drawing on findings from the mathematics Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration, and more recent research studies, this paper offers ten principles of effective pedagogical approaches that facilitate learning for diverse learners. In examining the links between pedagogical practices and a range of social and academic student outcomes we draw on the histories, cultures, language, and practices for the New Zealand context and comparable international contexts.