Seven Myths About Education (that some Homeschoolers believe)

I was homeschooled, I’ve attended high school (for a year), I have a Masters in Primary Teaching and have worked in NSW public schools and a (great!) Christian private school. There’s one trend I’ve noticed now I’m stepping into the homeschool space again. Sadly, it is worrying. When I browse social media, I get the impression that many (not all!) homeschoolers feel that their theory and approach to education is completely different to what schools and teachers believe. Perhaps they believe their ideas are new, revolutionary and unique. But ironically, their ideas could be taken straight out of university lecture from 20 years ago. Many of which, have now been debunked. Homeschoolers (rightfully) sense a problem within the education system, but without a knowledge of how learning works, they misdiagnose it. And the reality is, many homeschoolers fall directly into the traps and misconceptions that have been plaguing school education for years.

The Myths

In the world of education, certain phrases are repeated so often we assume they must be true. We hear that children should “discover knowledge for themselves,” that “facts don’t matter because understanding is what counts,” and that students today can simply “look everything up.”  These ideas appear as often on homeschool forums, as they did in my university degree. Most of it stems from a very popular (but now contested) idea called Constructivism. It’s been mainstream in Australian universities for years. But what if some of these widely accepted beliefs are actually wrong? In her influential book Seven Myths About Education, education writer and teacher Daisy Christodoulou examined some of the most common assumptions about learning and compared them with what research in cognitive science actually shows. Since she released her book in 2013, the ideas have been proven over and over again. Christodoulou argues that many modern teaching approaches unintentionally make learning harder rather than easier. For homeschoolers, this book is particularly valuable because it helps parents think carefully about how children really learn. Plus, sadly, a lot of these myths are ever present in homeschooling circles.

The Seven Myths

In her book, Christodoulou explores seven beliefs that have become deeply embedded in modern education. I believe these are essential for home educators to understand. Let’s go through them, chapter by chapter.

1. Facts Prevent Understanding

In this chapter, Christodoulou looks at the educational theory of Rousseau, Dewey and Freire.  All three were hostile to fact-learning, and all three set up a dichotomy between facts and true understanding. From them has stemmed the common claim is that memorising facts is “rote learning” and does not lead to true understanding. Christodoulou argues the opposite: facts are the foundation of understanding. Cognitive science shows that our working memory is limited. When students have strong background knowledge stored in long-term memory, they can think more deeply about a topic. Without that knowledge, comprehension becomes extremely difficult. Daisy states: “The facts we’ve committed to memory help us to understand the world and to solve problems.” (This is why we promote using a knowledge-rich curriculum).

2. Teacher (or Parent) Led Instruction Is Passive

In this chapter, Christodoulou looks at how Rousseau, Dewey and Freire’s opposition to facts works in practice. She shows how their approach rejected teacher-led learning, and instead encouraged pupils to discover knowledge for themselves. However, the book shows that clear explanation from a knowledgeable teacher (or parent using a great resource!) is often the most efficient way to introduce new material. She challenges the idea that direct instruction makes students passive, and instead shows how it can lead to a growth in curiosity, not a decline. She outlines that discovery learning can be useful once students have some knowledge to work with, but beginners often struggle if they are expected to figure everything out themselves. For homeschooling families, this is actually reassuring: reading aloud, explaining ideas, and guiding discussions are powerful. You have the opportunity to teach your child directly, and be responsive to their curiosity.

 3. The 21st Century Changes Everything

We often hear that because information is everywhere, schools should stop teaching knowledge and instead focus on skills. Ironically, this idea is not new. It’s a myth that started in the 20^th century, and has continued ever since. Christodoulou challenges this assumption. The human brain has not changed in the digital age. The same cognitive limits still apply, and knowledge remains essential for thinking and problem-solving.

 4. You Can Always Just Look It Up

Does google mean we don’t need to remember anything? No! The internet gives access to enormous amounts of information, but looking something up only works if you already have enough knowledge to understand what you find. Research shows that background knowledge strongly influences reading comprehension. Students who know more about a topic understand texts more easily, even if their general reading ability is similar. Christodoulou states that “the limitations of working memory mean that we have to have a store of facts in long-term memory in order to be able to think”.

 5. We Should Teach Transferable Skills

Have you ever heard someone say, “I just teach them critical thinking!” It sounds good, but it doesn’t work. Skills such as “critical thinking” or “analysis” are often presented as general abilities that apply everywhere. This is a misconception. Skills are tied to knowledge. In reality, thinking skills are highly dependent on subject knowledge. Without knowledge of the field, “skills” alone are not enough. To date, cognitive science has found that critical thinking is in no way a general skill that can be taught on its own. It must be developed through knowledge.

 6. Projects and Activities Are the Best Way to Learn

Christodoulou says: “The theory here is that in the real world, problems do not come neatly wrapped in boxes labelled ‘Maths’ or ‘English’. Thus, teaching pupils in these ‘subject silos’ is ineffective. Instead, we should teach pupils using projects or activities which more accurately reflect the problems they will face in the real world.” Hands-on activities and projects can be engaging, but they are not always the most effective way to learn new material. Emphasis on new. Christodoulou explains that complex projects can overload working memory if students lack the background knowledge needed to complete them successfully. She states: “Our aim should be for pupils to be able to tackle real-world problems by the end of their education; that does not mean that our method should involve endless practice of real-world problems.” This does not mean projects are useless. It means they work best after students have built a strong foundation of knowledge. Use them to enrich learning of a topic, not to introduce it.

 7. Teaching Knowledge Is Indoctrination

Some critics worry that emphasising knowledge means forcing students to accept a particular worldview. But, as Christodoulou argues, “We can’t teach pupils to sift opinions and weigh up evidence unless they have some knowledge to work with.” Christodoulou argues that shared knowledge actually empowers students, allowing them to access culture, literature, science, and public debate. Knowledge expands freedom rather than limiting it.

Why This Matters for Homeschoolers

Many homeschooling families already use approaches that align well with the book’s conclusions:

• Reading rich, knowledge-filled books.
• Discussing ideas through narration and conversation.
• Learning history, literature, science, and geography in depth and chronologically

The more children know, the more they can understand. For families considering what curriculum to buy, or designing their own curriculum, Seven Myths About Education offers a helpful reminder that education is not just about activities or engagement. It is about building a storehouse of knowledge that allows children to think clearly about the world. Understanding these myths helps homeschool parents avoid repeating the same mistakes that have troubled schools. For example, when parents realise that knowledge supports thinking rather than preventing it, they are more likely to prioritise reading, narration, and rich subject knowledge. When they understand that working memory is limited, they can see building knowledge step by step is so effective.