Although I know there is some merit in direct instruction, this is an interesting piece that Larry Cuban shared. Mary Burns is very right when she states: “The single greatest factor in a student’s academic success is the presence of an effective (good) teacher. This is true in wealthy countries—and it is especially true in low-income countries (3). It is true whether the student is 8 or 18 or 28. And it is true whether the teacher is teaching face-to-face or online.”