In this controversial new book, Daisy Christodoulou offers a thought-provoking critique of educational orthodoxy. Drawing on her recent experience of teaching in challenging schools, she shows through a wide range of examples and case studies just how much classroom practice contradicts basic scientific principles. She examines seven widely-held beliefs which are holding back pupils and teachers: Facts prevent understanding Teacher-led instruction is passive The 21st century fundamentally changes everything You can always just look it up We should teach transferable skills Projects and activities are the best way to learn Teaching knowledge is indoctrination In each accessible and engaging chapter, Christodoulou sets out the theory of each myth, considers its practical implications and shows the worrying prevalence of such practice. Then, she explains exactly why it is a myth, with reference to the principles of modern cognitive science. She builds a powerful case explaining how governments and educational organisations around the world have let down teachers and pupils by promoting and even mandating evidence-less theory and bad practice. This blisteringly incisive and urgent text is essential reading for all teachers, teacher training students, policy makers, head teachers, researchers and academics around the world.

This book presents seven typical myths which are popularly conceived by many employees as reality. This special feature of this book is that all sub-topics in each chapter are in the form of questions, but the content does not provide a direct "answer" to each question. The reader would need to think over each section in the relevant context to look for "answers" by oneself.

"Seven Myths of Native American History will provide undergraduates and general readers with a very useful introduction to Native America past and present. Jentz identifies the origins and remarkable staying power of these myths at the same time he exposes and dismantles them." —Colin G. Calloway, Dartmouth College

researchED is an educator-led organisation with the goal of bridging the gap between research and practice. This accessible and punchy series, overseen by founder Tom Bennett, tackles the most important topics in education, with a range of experienced contributors exploring the latest evidence and research and how it can apply in a variety of classroom settings.In this edition, Craig Barton busts the most damaging myths in education, editing contributions from writers including: Doug Lemov; Bob and Elizabeth Bjork; Mark Enser; and Claire Sealy.

There is a fundamental gap in education. While we focus on building knowledge and securing good grades there is something missing. All of us, whatever we do, need a core set of skills which go beyond the academic - to work with others, to manage ourselves, to communicate effectively, and to creatively solve problems. We might call them different things but we draw on them as much as numeracy or literacy. Tom Ravenscroft knows them as the enterprise skills. If we need them, our students need them even more. They underpin effective learning in the classroom. They stop students dropping out at university. They are more highly valued than academic grades by employers. They are a foundation for successful entrepreneurship. They are the enablers of civic engagement and social mobility. When we look to the next decades, in a world of increased automation, fragmented jobs and the need for constant learning it is these skills that will really set our children and young people up for future success. Yet as an education system, we behave as if they cannot or should not be taught. But they can be, and they must be. Tom Ravenscroft has writen this book almost a decade after he set up Enabling Enterprise as a social enterprise. He was a secondary school teacher and the Enabling Enterprise programme was for the students in his inner-city classroom. They were not learning enough in school, and were in no sense set up for the rest of their lives. Over the last ten years, he has had the enormous privilege of leading a growing team of teachers and has worked with hundreds of classroom teachers, thousands of employer volunteers and over 200,000 students. He has seen these students build those skills with the same rigour and focus as any other academic learning. And he has seen that when they are mastered, we truly allow our students to achieve their potential.

"Northrup's highly accessible book breaks through the most common barriers that readers encounter in studying African history. Each chapter takes on a common myth about Africa and explains both the sources of the myth and the research that debunks it. These provocative chapters will promote lively discussions among readers while deepening their understanding of African and world history. The book is strengthened by its incorporation of actors and issues representing the African diaspora and African Americans in particular." —Rebecca Shumway, College of Charleston

“Gretchen Starr-LeBeau’s Seven Myths of the Spanish Inquisition provides an excellent introduction to Habsburg Spain’s most reviled and misunderstood institution. Drawn from archival sources and modern scholarship, this concise study presents the long and tortured history of the Spanish Inquisition in an accessible format for readers interested in the intersection of religion and jurisprudence. Addressing common misconceptions about the procedures, effectiveness, and reach of the Inquisition, this work argues convincingly for an updated assessment encompassing change over time and variations across Spain and its empire. Students of the early modern period will benefit from the volume’s logical organization, glossary of terms, and suggestions for further reading.” —Benjamin Ehlers, University of Georgia

“In fast-paced, crystal-clear prose, these four veteran historians quash not just seven myths about the American Revolution but dozens. If you think that slavery was inevitable, that British commanders were lazy nincompoops, or that Indigenous warriors were nothing more than British pawns, you will savor the challenge of Seven Myths of the American Revolution just as much as I did.” —Woody Holton, University of South Carolina, author of Liberty Is Sweet: The Hidden History of the American Revolution (Simon & Schuster, 2021)

Here is an intriguing exploration of the ways in which the history of the Spanish Conquest has been misread and passed down to become popular knowledge of these events. The book offers a fresh account of the activities of the best-known conquistadors and explorers, including Columbus, Cortés, and Pizarro. Using a wide array of sources, historian Matthew Restall highlights seven key myths, uncovering the source of the inaccuracies and exploding the fallacies and misconceptions behind each myth. This vividly written and authoritative book shows, for instance, that native Americans did not take the conquistadors for gods and that small numbers of vastly outnumbered Spaniards did not bring down great empires with stunning rapidity. We discover that Columbus was correctly seen in his lifetime--and for decades after--as a briefly fortunate but unexceptional participant in efforts involving many southern Europeans. It was only much later that Columbus was portrayed as a great man who fought against the ignorance of his age to discover the new world. Another popular misconception--that the Conquistadors worked alone--is shattered by the revelation that vast numbers of black and native allies joined them in a conflict that pitted native Americans against each other. This and other factors, not the supposed superiority of the Spaniards, made conquests possible. The Conquest, Restall shows, was more complex--and more fascinating--than conventional histories have portrayed it. Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest offers a richer and more nuanced account of a key event in the history of the Americas.

What do you really know about how children learn? How helpful are different types of assessment and what do the results mean? Is homework necessary and how you can you encourage your child at home? Will ability groups and setting help your child achieve more? How do you choose the right school to suit your child? The government and the media have a lot to say about education, but what is the evidence behind these debates? This book walks you through all the most important issues in education, comparing commonly-held beliefs with simple summaries of the evidence, providing you with clear, jargon-free information. It covers topics including school choice, testing and assessment, homework and revision, primary- and secondary-specific topics, stress and mental health, and special needs. Most importantly it ensures you will be able to ask schools the right questions, interact positively with teachers and effectively support your child throughout their education. "Chris & Stuart have written a parent's guide that is jam packed with practical advice, research and informative summaries that any parent can use to support their child to succeed at school. It's organised so you can easily dip in and out when looking for information and guidance, and gives answers to questions that parents may have about their child's education. I recommend this book to all parents & guardians that want to work alongside their child's school to get the best out of their time there." Dawn Cox, Teacher and Blogger