Brad Cartwright

Theory of Knowledge New Teacher Workshop July 23rd & 24th, 2026 Hey Everyone, I wanted to send a quick reminder that our Early Bird Discount for the Theory of Knowledge New Teacher Workshop ends on April 1st. If you are new to teaching Theory of Knowledge next year, or if you have a colleague who is stepping into the course for the first time, this workshop was designed specifically with that transition in mind. Theory of Knowledge can feel overwhelming at the beginning. It is abstract. It...

This is part two of our eight-part series where Sofia and I are breaking down the Eight Essential Elements of the Theory of Knowledge course for all IB teachers. As we continue this series, Sofia and I are co-authoring these newsletters to help all of us better understand what Theory of Knowledge actually is, what the coursework looks like, and what the expectations are for students. But more importantly, so that you can feel informed about how to integrate Theory of Knowledge into your...

Before we begin this week, I want to take a moment to send a message of love to all of our colleagues in the Middle East, and to those who have family and loved ones there, whose lives may have been shaken by the recent escalation of conflict. Having never lived through war myself, I can only imagine the uncertainty and fear some may be feeling right now. I also know that many within our global community may be watching these events unfold with deep concern for friends, colleagues, and former...

Ok, here we go! This is part one of our eight-part series where Sofia and I are breaking down the Eight Essential Elements of the Theory of Knowledge course for all IB teachers. As we mentioned previously, Sofia and I are co authoring this series to help all of us better understand what Theory of Knowledge actually is, what the coursework looks like, and what the expectations are for students. Why? So that we as IB teachers can feel empowered to integrate Theory of Knowledge into our IB...

One of the things I have seen repeatedly through my work with schools around the world is that many IB teachers do not fully understand what exactly happens in the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course. It actually frustrates me quite a bit. This gap makes it nearly impossible to integrate TOK ideas, concepts, and practical connections into our classrooms. That is why I am excited to announce a new eight-part series designed to share what we see as the Eight Essential Elements of the Theory of...

Theory of Knowledge New Teacher Workshop July 23rd & 24th, 2026 Hey Everyone, I hope this email finds you well and that this part of the school year feels steady and manageable. As we begin looking ahead to next year, I am really excited to let you know that this July, Sofia Elizalde and I will be hosting our first ever Theory of Knowledge New Teacher Workshop on July 23rd and 24th via Zoom. This two day training is designed specifically for teachers who are new to teaching Theory of...

Last week, we took a closer look at Paper 1 and worked to make sense of what the IB is really asking students to do on that exam. In response, I received a very kind email from Mazen Alaboud at UWC Dilijan in Armenia asking if I would follow that up with a similar breakdown of Paper 2 in IB Economics. So thank you, Mazen, for the suggestion. And as always, if any of you ever have ideas for a future newsletter, please feel free to reach out. I am always happy to take suggestions. So here we...

First off, I just want to hank you for all of your kind words and many, many emails in response to last Friday's newsletter. I really appreciate it. This week, I thought it would be cool to take a closer look at Paper 1 of IB Economics. Paper 1 is often described simply as “the essay paper,” but that label does not really do it justice. Writing a strong Paper 1 response is far more technical than writing a traditional essay in History or English. It requires precision, clarity, and a very...

Effectively Supervising the New Extended Essay February 7th, 2026 Hey Everyone, Thank you for all of your kind words and many, many emails in response to last Friday's newsletter. We'll see you on Friday with the next edition. I'm just sending one last invitation for our upcoming teacher workshop, Effectively Supervising the New Extended Essay in Any Subject Area this Saturday, February 7th from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM EST (NYC) via Zoom. We are excited to announce that over 50 IB Educators from...

If you've been reading these newsletters every week for the past two years, as I have shared ideas on the IB Diploma Program, IB Economics, the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, or whatever else happened to be on my mind that week, you may have noticed something different recently. For the past two Fridays, I did not send a newsletter. That is the first time that has happened in two years. There are plenty of explanations as to why... An incredible opportunity to fly to Hong Kong to work...