When it comes to how students learn, there’s no shortage of “common knowledge” floating around, but not all of it is actually true. Over the years, research on the brain and learning has challenged many of the myths we’ve come to believe about what helps kids focus, retain information, and succeed in the classroom. Understanding what actually supports learning can make a big difference in how we teach and how students thrive.

MYTH: Students learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style (visual, auditory, or kinesthetic). 

FACT: Students learn best through multisensory learning. When they have input coming through multiple different ways, they can take it in and remember it more effectively. 

MYTH: People learn better while listening to classical music. 

FACT: The truth is, that people learn best and retain the most information when they are studying in silence. We recommend using music to focus if/when there is another distracting element that is more bothersome than music would be. But, the reality is that if we look at how people learn and retain information most effectively, it is in silence. 

MYTH: People are either left-brained (creative and free-spirited) or right-brained (logical and analytical).

FACT: It’s so much more complex than that! Sure, some people are more creative, while others are more analytical. But, the two sides of the brain are in constant communication, and are required to communicate in order to perform most tasks. 

MYTH: Students’ attention is harder to keep after they’ve consumed sugar.

FACT: Studies actually show that a little bit of sugar can improve focus for kids. We’ve all experienced the after-lunch energy boost! But, that isn’t coming from sugar consumption. It’s worth looking at other factors - like loud environments, talking with friends, crowded lunchrooms - to explain why kids tend to come back from lunch dysregulated and struggling to pay attention.

MYTH: People diagnosed with ADHD struggle to pay attention. 

FACT: The reality is that people diagnosed with ADHD pay too much attention, struggling to discern what element requires their attention at a given moment. So, if the teacher is lecturing, and students are to take notes, a student with ADHD may be paying attention to the lecture, but also the notes, and also the sound in the hallway, and the sound of the pen scratching on the desk next to them, and the beam of sunlight streaming in the window – all at the same time. So, while this may look like a student is struggling to pay attention, the reality is that the student is struggling with paying attention to too many things at the same time. 

The more we learn about the brain, the more we realize that teaching and learning aren’t one-size-fits-all. Simply put, the brain is far more complex than many of these myths suggest. When we base our classroom strategies on research rather than misconceptions, we can create environments where all students have the opportunity to engage deeply and learn effectively. Staying curious, questioning what we’ve “always heard” (especially when it isn’t working!), and leaning on evidence-based practices helps us give students the best possible chance to succeed.