The Power of Vulnerability in IB Teaching

The Power of Vulnerability in IB Teaching

April 18th, 2025

When I first started teaching, I thought great educators were the ones who had all the answers—the ones who stood at the front of the classroom with complete confidence, never hesitating, never uncertain.

But I was wrong.

Over the years, I’ve realized that the most powerful moments in teaching happen in the spaces between the content, the assessments, and the deadlines.

They happen when we drop the façade of perfection and show our students that learning isn’t about always having the right answer—it’s about the willingness to explore, to question, and to grow.

And the way we create those moments? Through vulnerability.

Why Vulnerability is a Strength

It’s easy to think that being an IB teacher means being the expert, but let’s be honest—none of us have all the answers.

And the best part? We don’t have to.

I might not be saying something smart but, when we embrace vulnerability in our classrooms, we send a powerful message:

It’s okay to not know everything.
It’s okay to ask questions.
It’s okay to get something wrong and learn from it.

And that’s a lesson our students need now more than ever.

IB students are constantly pushed to think critically, to challenge assumptions, and to navigate complexity. If we model intellectual humility, they learn that uncertainty isn’t something to fear—it’s something to embrace.

This shift changes everything. Classrooms become places of discovery rather than performance. Students feel safe enough to take risks, to share their thoughts, to engage deeply with ideas.

And when that happens, real learning begins.

How Vulnerability Creates a Stronger Classroom Community

Think about the classrooms where students are most engaged, most comfortable, most willing to speak up.

Chances are, those are the classrooms where teachers aren’t afraid to be human.

Where teachers admit when they make mistakes.
Where teachers laugh at themselves when something doesn’t go as planned.
Where teachers share their own learning struggles alongside their students.

The result?

Students see their teachers as real people, not just authority figures. And that connection transforms the classroom.

When vulnerability is present, students feel safe enough to ask questions without fear of judgment. They become more willing to engage in discussion, take intellectual risks, and challenge ideas—because they know that mistakes aren’t signs of failure. They’re signs of growth.

And isn’t that exactly what we want for them?

Why This Matters for IB Educators

Teaching in the IB isn’t just about covering content—it’s about developing students who are curious, open-minded, and resilient.

And that kind of learning doesn’t happen in a classroom built on rigid perfectionism.

It happens when we:

Model the courage to be wrong.
Show students that learning is a process, not a performance.
Create a culture where uncertainty is met with curiosity, not fear.

That’s how we teach them not just to succeed academically, but to thrive as thinkers, problem-solvers, and people.

Because at the end of the day, students won’t just remember the facts and figures.

They’ll remember the moments when they felt seen, heard, and valued.

And that starts with us—by showing up as real, imperfect, and deeply committed to learning, just like them.

Be good out there, my friends, and I’ll see you next week.