Education Misconceptions

The Most Popular Education Myths

There are certain ideas about what education should be like, which many people tend to support without questioning. In reality, they are incredibly far from being true. Here you can find several examples of common education misconceptions.

1. The bigger the workload, the more students learn

It has been scientifically proved that there is no connection between massive workload and students’ achieving greater results in studying. Vice versa, too much homework can be damaging to students’ academic performance. Especially when it comes to elementary and middle school students. Considering this information, the amount of homework has begun to decrease in many schools across the USA.

2. Increase in the state’s expenditure on schools contributes to better academic results

The fact that the financial support provided to schools has been on the rise for the past three decades showed no significant positive influence on a test score or graduation rates. Annual assessments that have been conducted since 1970 have shown that the increase in school spending was not followed by the expected boost of academic results.

3. Schools alone are responsible for closing the achievement gap

There are many people who are convinced that schools alone bear responsibility for the achievement gap and only schools can close it. However, these people do not take into consideration the fact that a child’s academic performance is affected by a wide range of factors. For instance, their nutrition and conditions of living, educational level of their parents and the parent’s willingness to guide their children through the education process, genetics and much more.

4. Private schools provide better level of education

Another common misconception is that children obtain better knowledge in private schools than in public schools. Again, researches have proved such a belief to be nothing more than a myth. The academic results of students of both types of schools are basically equal.

5. Teachers are incompetent

Among the other popular education myths is the one that claims that teachers are unqualified for teaching their subjects. However, most of the states nowadays require teachers to have a degree in the subject area they are willing to teach. Moreover, a teacher-to-be has to pass a content exam before they will be allowed to teach.

6. Teachers bear all the responsibility for the education process

There is quite a popular opinion that teachers alone are to blame if some students fall behind with their studies. However, learning is a process which requires students active participation. If a student shows completely passive attitude towards what is going on in the classroom, there might be certain problems with them which are out of teachers control. So it takes not only a teacher, but only a student and their parents to establish an efficient education process.