The Three Most Important Elements of Great Teaching...

December 5th, 2025

This week I want to share an experience from my time as a high school principal, and one big takeaway that has stuck with me ever since. It comes from my very first year in that role, when I did something many new principals probably do. 

I went looking for a book to tell me what to do.

Over the summer, before the school year began, I bought a book called Your First Year as a Principal.  It was exactly the kind of stress-induced decision you make when you want to get things right. 

I read it cover to cover, and among many words of wisdom came one simple idea that ended up being far more powerful than I expected.

It was called the three-minute walkthrough.

The idea was straightforward. 

Once a week, set aside thirty minutes, walk through classrooms, and just spend three minutes standing in the doorway. 

No formal observation. No follow-up meeting. No evaluation. Just being present long enough to listen, look around, and get a feel for what students experience every day.

I had two goals...to keep myself grounded in the life of the school and to stay connected to the reality of classroom learning.

So I started doing it. Every week, I blocked off thirty minutes and simply walked the high school, stopping at doorways and watching class unfold for no more than three minutes. 

It was one of the best habits I formed that year.

And one day, about three weeks in, it taught me something I have never forgoten.

I stepped into the doorway of a math classroom. The teacher was excellent—deeply respected, a genuinely kind person, and someone whose life had been shaped by childhood polio. One of his legs had been severely affected, and he moved slowly through his day on crutches. He taught from a tall stool at the front of the room, shifting between sitting, standing, and writing on the board.

And he lectured. That was his pedagogy. That was his rhythm.

Now, with all of my training on "educational pedagogy" and all the stuff stuffed in my head in my education classes, part of me had had the usual thoughts.  A teacher "needs to " vary lessons, build in activities, try different methods. 

But as I stood there that morning I thought, you know what?  It's way simpler than that.  It's way more human than that.  What's the point of teaching?  That students learn stuff.  That students emerge from the classroom more highly educated and carrying with them a fulfilling and meaningful experience.

As I looked on, what did I see?  I saw students that were fully engaged.  I saw students that were listening. I saw students that were learning. They felt connected to him.  The room felt good.  It felt healthy.  It felt like education was happening.  Because isn't that the point?

What struck me in that moment was how much we often times overcomplicate what makes a great teacher.

That moment reminded me that there are a few things far more fundamental than any technique, strategy, pedagogy, philosophy or method to create a profound educational experience.

First, the relationship between the teacher and the students matters more than anything else. Do students feel safe? Do they feel seen? Do they believe their teacher cares about them? If the answer is yes, that single dynamic carries more weight than any instructional strategy we put on a slide during a Wednesday PD session.

Second, healthy classrooms share a very particular rhythm. They shift smoothly from seriousness to laughter and back again. Students feel the importance of the work, but they also sense the humanity in it. They know this matters, but they also know we are all human beings sitting together in a room, doing something meaningful. When a teacher and a class can move between those moments with ease, that is the mark of a genuinely strong classroom culture.

And third, the thing I walked away thinking about for years is the power of presence.  There is something almost mysterious about presence. Some teachers walk into a room and the room settles. Not out of fear, not out of control, but because their presence signals something. It communicates that learning is happening here. It communicates that the teacher believes that what happens in this room is important. It communicates energy in a way students feel without needing to be told.

Presence is one of the most powerful forces in the classroom.  And I would argue, after a lot of years in education, while pedagogy, content knowledge, philosophy, and training matter enormously, a teacher’s presence is just as essential, if not more important to student success.  Because presence is what brings them to life. Presence is what makes students want to be there. Presence is what makes them lean forward, not because they have to, but because they want to.  Presence is what makes students want to learn.

So for all of the leaders reading this—Heads of Schools, High School Principals, Directors of Teaching and Learning, IB Coordinators, Assistant Principals, Department Chairs, and everyone else who supports teachers—I think it’s worth remembering just how much these fundamentals shape the student experience.

Healthy relationships. 

A grounded, human classroom dynamic. 

And the quiet, powerful force of a teacher’s presence.

Those three things are at the heart of great teaching.  The rest flows from there.

See you next week.



Opportunities to Empower IB Teachers and Students... 

I just arrived back from two incredible days working with the American School of Barcelona on a two-day on-site visit.  More to come on that.  Kurt and I will be doing customized Supervisor Trainings on the Extended Essays for Colegio Suizo de Mexico, Pan American School Bahia in Brazil, and Academia Cotopaxi in Ecuador in January, as well as a five-day trip to Hong Kong to work with Victoria Shanghai Academy.  

If your school would like a tailored training on the updated Extended Essay guidelines, we’d love to help—onsite at your campus or live online—just send me an email at [email protected] and we’ll work together to make it happen. 

Effectively Supervising the New Extended Essay - February 7th, 2026 - This focused and practical workshop is designed to help teachers confidently navigate the updated Extended Essay framework for the Class of 2027. Together, we’ll explore what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and how to effectively guide students through both the Subject-Focused and Interdisciplinary pathways. 

IB Economics Online Courses - Currently 50% Off - These Online Economics Courses provide IB aligned, self-paced learning across core topics—Introduction, Microeconomics, Market Power, Macroeconomics, and The Global Economy. Each course combines clear video lessons, real-world examples, structured slides, and IB-style practice questions. Trusted by 27,000+ students world wide, these courses help students master concepts, raise grades, and feel confident in your economics journey.

IB Economics Teacher Membership - Currently 50% Off - Empower yourself behind the scenes. Teaching IB Economics can be a rewarding yet challenging journey—balancing content delivery, effective writing strategies, real-world examples, and engaging lessons. This membership is here to support you every step of the way, helping you bring the curriculum to life and inspire your students.

IB Economics School Membership - Currently 50% Off - The School Membership is your all-in-one solution for IB Economics. With 450+ video lessons, 1,000+ pages of materials, exclusive teacher tools, student review resources, professional development, and access for up to 100 users, it empowers teachers, supports students, and connects your school to a global IB Economics community.

IB Economics On-Demand Teacher Workshops - Currently 50% Off - The On-Demand IB Economics Teacher Workshops offer practical, curriculum-aligned training at your pace. Each 3-hour course includes video lessons, strategies, and a free 30-min Q & A. Gain actionable tools, confidence, and expertise whenever and wherever you teach IB Economics.

IB Economics Teacher Resource eBooks - Currently 50% Off - The IB Economics Teacher eBooks provide over 1,000+ ready-to-teach resources. You’ll get lesson-specific slides, key term glossaries, IB review questions, and exam-style practice. Each eBook (Microeconomics, Market Power, Macroeconomics, and the Global Economy) is sold individually, or get all five in a discounted bundle.




Brad Cartwright

Educator | Speaker | Workshop Leader | Course Creator 

About Me | Testimonials |  Join 25,000+ Learners | LinkedIn