Like Dorothy in Oz, educators are often trapped in a colorful but bewildering world where what everyone thinks is true about education bears little resemblance to the reality behind the curtain.
As much as I love Wicked, Oz is a pretty bothersome place on many levels. I won’t go into the details here, but IFKYK. Our enduring ideas about what is wrong in education are like those flying monkeys. Whose idea was that? Does anyone even know what they are supposed to be doing?
And let’s talk about the fact that Dorothy has a great pair of shoes that fix pretty much everything once she realizes how to wear them. No, they aren’t going to take us back to the way things used to be, like in the movie. A great pair of shoes should change our perspective and give us confidence to move toward growth.
In 2025, it’s time to pull back the curtain and expose the not-so-wonderful wizard of educational myths. Because when it comes to actually helping teachers create meaningful change in classrooms, there’s truly no place like the real world—messy, complex, and far more interesting than any emerald-tinted fantasy.
Everybody Thinks X, but the Truth is Y
Jeff Goins, an author who writes about creativity, will play the part of Dorothy as we travel down the yellow brick road of hard knocks in our story today. He is the perfect person for the part, because he is willing to pick a fight with the status quo (the wizard, the way things are…)
In his book, Real Artists Don’t Starve, Goins shows us how sometimes our collective beliefs about something so easily become accepted that they live on forever in our minds, although we might even suspect they are not true.
myths about creative success
- Everybody thinks: Creative success requires struggling in poverty.
- But the truth is: Thriving artists throughout history have been savvy about the business side of creativity
- Everybody thinks: You must choose between creative fulfillment and financial stability.
- But the truth is: The most successful artists integrate both artistic excellence and entrepreneurial thinking.
- Everybody thinks: Creative genius comes from isolation.
- But the truth is: Most breakthrough work happens through apprenticeship and community.
Goins ideas about what everyone thinks is true is generalizing, but basically brings awareness to our assumptions and asks us to think at a deeper level. In my work in education, I find that I am constantly catching myself making generalizations about what is true, only to find out later just how wrong I was. So, I decided to apply Goin’s formula, everybody thinks x, but the truth is y to what I think are the most common myths in education right now. I narrowed it down to three that might be keeping us trapped in a weirdly uncomfortable place like Oz when we could be building something far better right here in quite comfortable Kansas.
Three Comfortable Lies
1. Resistance to change
X- Everybody thinks: Teachers resist change because they’re set in their ways. This belief is a dangerous one, because it creates an us against them situation. The ‘us’ is all of us who are enlightened with the new and improved ways of doing things, and the ‘them’ is all of those who are just too comfortable to try anything new.
Y- The truth is: Most teachers hunger for meaningful innovation but are exhausted by perpetual reform cycles that don’t address fundamental needs or provide adequate support. They have seen things come and go and come back again. Teachers are learners at heart, and most would love to do whatever they can to not only make their jobs easier, but a little more fun! The keyword here is meaningful. With a classroom full of personality, each and every day, they know that consistency is key, and although change is a constant, their number one goal is safety. And the way we do that is to create predictable routines and procedures where every student knows what to expect on a daily basis. In our efforts to create consistency, it is sometimes necessary to “close our doors” to a new idea or curriculum. This often looks like resistance, because it is. Resistance is often mistaken for protection and sometimes we have to protect what we are being held responsible for.
2. More is Better
X-Everybody thinks: Educational innovation requires expensive new programs or resources. Did you know the amount of money the U.S. spends on education is in the billions, if not trillions? Teachers and schools are bombarded year after year with marketing, research, and “what’s best for kids.” We are constantly looking for the right program, the right system, and the right protocols that are going to be the magical formula that gets all our kids in the green.
Y-But the truth is: The most powerful innovations often come from rethinking existing structures and empowering teachers to experiment within their own classrooms. Here are some things that I have seen work: prioritizing effective and engaging resources, getting to know students as real people, using classroom time to talk about real life, trusting students to be teachers and leaders, and getting curious about solving problems in a variety of ways.
3. Literacy is Innate
X-Everybody thinks: Students today are digitally literate and fluent because they grew up with technology. Yikes. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Just because everyone has a tool, it certainly doesn’t mean they know how to use it, why they should use it, and when they shouldn’t.
Y-But the truth is: Many students are merely digitally familiar but lack the critical evaluation skills and digital citizenship needed for true digital literacy (see previous blog post on digital literacy). We can never assume that our kids know how to use technology, simply because its all around them. Remember to be literate includes not only reading and writing words but understanding them as well. As fast as technology is moving right now, I truly can’t say I know anyone who has mastered digital literacy. How can you master anything that will be different as soon as tomorrow?
Traveling Companions
Here’s the thing about myths—they’re comfortable. They let us avoid the hard work of looking at what’s really happening in classrooms. But if we’re serious about coaching teachers to create meaningful change in the next school year, we need to get comfortable with uncomfortable truths.
The teachers you’re working with aren’t resistant—they’re protective. They don’t need more programs—they need permission to innovate with what they have. And they don’t need us to assume their students are digitally fluent—they need help teaching real digital literacy skills.
But here’s what I know about educators: we’re incredibly good at finding each other, especially when we’re ready to question the status quo. We’re like Dorothy’s companions on the yellow brick road—we each bring something different to the journey, and we’re all looking for the same thing: a way to make education better for the people we serve.
Your Challenge (and Ours)
This week, have one conversation with a teacher where you don’t try to solve anything. Just listen. Ask what’s working, what’s not, and what would make their job more joyful. I guarantee you’ll learn more about effective coaching in that one conversation than in any professional development session.
Then try a small experiment: What would happen if you coached with the assumption that teachers are protective rather than resistant? What would change if you encouraged innovation with existing resources instead of shopping for new programs?
Try it. See what happens. Then come back and tell us about it.
Join the Rebellion
Because that’s what this really is—a gentle rebellion against the myths that keep us stuck. We’re not trying to tear down education; we’re trying to build something better by working with reality instead of against it.
Are you ready to click your heels together and step into the real world of teaching? The one where mess is normal and relationships matter more than programs. The best innovations happen when we stop trying to be magical and start being human.
Want to take this myth-busting journey with you into your next coaching conversation?
I’ve created something special for you – a Myth-Busting Educator’s Toolkit that puts all three myths, diagnostic questions, and conversation starters right at your fingertips. It’s designed to be your yellow brick road companion as you navigate those tricky assumptions we all make.
Get your free toolkit and join our rebellion against educational myths:
Because the best coaches know there’s no place like the real world – messy, complex, and beautifully human.
Drop a comment below and let me know which myth resonates most with your experience. What will you discover when you pull back your own curtain? Let’s form our own merry band and take this journey together.