By Betsy Hill and Roger Stark
The COVID-19 pandemic forced educators and schools to confront long-standing assumptions and outdated practices. In a very short time many of us learned to question the “That’s the way we’ve always done it” mindset that has governed education for more than a century. As we rebuild and reimagine schooling, it’s a good moment to let go of several widely held ideas that research has shown to be ineffective or misleading.
Below are common educational myths worth retiring, along with the evidence-based perspectives that should replace them.
Learning Styles. The popular belief that every student has a single fixed learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.) and that instruction must be tailored to that style has not held up under scientific scrutiny. Designing teaching around assumed learning styles can divert attention from proven instructional methods. That said, assessing and supporting students’ underlying cognitive strengths and weaknesses remains important for effective teaching.
Unguided Discovery. Hands-on learning and inquiry are valuable, but asking students—especially those who are struggling—to discover complex concepts with minimal guidance usually hinders rather than helps learning. Structured, guided instruction that scaffolds problem solving produces better outcomes, particularly for learners who lack prior knowledge or skills.
Teaching Reading without Phonics. Decades of evidence indicate that systematic instruction in the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics) is essential for most children to learn to read efficiently. Phonics-based approaches do not exclude comprehension instruction; rather, they provide the decoding foundation that supports fluent reading and deeper understanding.
Content Knowledge. The assumption that teaching generic critical thinking skills is enough—because students can always look facts up—ignores how critical thinking depends on substantive background knowledge. Subject-matter expertise provides the raw material that enables meaningful analysis, problem solving, and sophisticated reasoning.
Grade Everything. Not every worthwhile learning activity needs to be formally graded. When everything is assessed, feedback can lose its formative power and students may focus on points rather than progress. Thoughtful use of grading—balanced with low-stakes practice and descriptive feedback—supports learning more effectively.
Smaller Class Size Is the Single Answer. Smaller classes can help in certain contexts, but teacher quality, curriculum, and students’ cognitive skills often have a larger influence on learning. Research shows that multiple factors interact to determine academic outcomes; investing in effective instruction and tools that strengthen students’ cognitive capacities can yield substantial gains.
Rethinking education for a changing world
Advances in brain science and a rapidly evolving economy are calling for a different kind of education. The industrial-era model—designed to prepare students for predictable jobs and routines—is no longer sufficient. As commentators have noted, we are moving into an era in which the ability to absorb, process, and apply information is becoming central to success. That shift means schools must prepare students to learn continuously and adapt to an unknowable future.
The late educator Peter Kline warned that school systems often lag behind the needs of the workforce: students were being taught largely the same content their grandparents learned, even as the skills required for decent jobs changed rapidly. Kline argued that modern life requires strong cognitive skills—working memory, attention control, reasoning and processing speed—and that students must be given opportunities to strengthen those capacities.
Importantly, cognitive skills are not fixed. Emerging research shows that targeted training and classroom-ready technologies can improve the brain processes that underlie learning. When students gain stronger cognitive skills, they learn more effectively, retain information better, and demonstrate improved attention—outcomes that translate into higher academic achievement and greater confidence.
Anne Budicin, principal at Glenwood Academy, describes cognitive training as a practical tool to close learning gaps: it strengthens short-term, long-term and working memory, increases attentiveness, and enhances information recall. Teachers report that these improvements make instruction more rewarding and help address student disengagement and attrition—issues that have grown more acute in recent years.
When we focus on teaching practices and supports that are grounded in evidence—combining solid content knowledge, explicit instruction, cognitive skill development, and meaningful feedback—we create a system that helps all students thrive in uncertain times. Stopping the spread of outdated myths and adopting approaches backed by science is a win for students, teachers, and communities.
About the authors
BETSY HILL is an award-winning educator and the mother of three boys. She studied the neuroscience of learning with leading researchers and helped popularize the term “neuroeducator.” Betsy has served as chair of the board of trustees at Chicago State University and teaches strategic thinking at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, where she received a Contribution to Learning Excellence Award. She also received a Nepris Trailblazer Award for sharing neuroscience-informed practices widely. Betsy holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and an MBA from Northwestern University.
ROGER STARK is CEO of BrainWare Learning Company. Roger’s work began with the question, “What do you know about the brain?” He pursued the integration of clinical cognitive training with interactive technology and helped lead development of BrainWare SAFARI, a comprehensive cognitive training system delivered online. Over more than a decade, he has advocated for making cognitive skills training and assessment accessible to educators and policymakers, and he has briefed lawmakers on neuroscience in the classroom.
This article was originally published by The Learning Counsel, a research institute and news organization focused on the shift toward digital curriculum and the evolving landscape of education.