What do great teachers do differently? It is obvious that some teachers simply have better student achievement than others. Some teachers have stellar results year after year with all students. The age old question then becomes, how do these teachers have this level of success? This research started with an examination of teachers who had strong learning results for all students in reading and mathematics, and then sought to find what those teachers did differently. The purpose of this study is to determine common characteristics in teacher practice that positively impact student learning in reading and mathematics. The research attempts to determine how highly successful teachers maximize learning for students. The academic achievement of students in reading and math as measured on a growth model was reviewed for three elementary and one middle school. The schools are in a suburban school district that is well-funded and considered to be outstanding. Findings indicate that teachers who maximize learning for all students have much in common. The common thread from this qualitative research provides five very specific behaviors that all of the "high flying" teachers claim consistently.