Response to Edutopia article "8 Myths That Undermine Educational Effectiveness"

I count myself lucky that I had a chance to review these concepts and develop my own opinions during my graduate courses on education and the years I spent working for a leading test prep company.  I do not wish to be divisive but I wonder if some of these "myths" are based on differences between teacher-centered rote-memorization based principles and student-centered holistic multiple intelligence based principles.  The Edutopia article is available online at http://www.edutopia.org/blog/myths-that-undermine-educational-effectiveness-mark-phillips.

"Myth #1: Teachers Are the Most Important Influence on a Child’s Education"

Teachers are an amazing source of instruction, guidance, and advice.  However, there are additional factors that can affect a student's ability or even determination to make an effort and excel.  I remember several high school students who inconsistently came to the ESL after-school homework help program, because they were maintaining a part-time customer service job to add to their family's income.  I've worked with elementary students who told me they had a hard time reading at home because they shared the apartment with other families per room, yet there was no one to listen to them read.  Teachers cannot reach students once they exit the building, but we can do our best to offer them the tools and warm guidance to change their circumstance in the future.

"Myth #3: Class Size Does Not Matter"

I am not sure if I have ever met anyone who would argue in favor of larger class sizes.  In graduate class and in conversation with my family members who are public school teachers, we agreed that a great teacher is able to provide individualized instruction, assess each student, and provide additional support, yet managing all these ideals for several classrooms of 30+ students can feel like an insurmountable feat!  Smaller class size not only benefits the students but also the teacher to prevent burn out.  

"Myth #7: College Admissions Are Based on Academic Achievement and Test Scores"

I am thankful that I've had the opportunity to dispel this myth for the high school students I've worked with, in New York City and New Jersey, who have their eyes set on schools ranging from the more challenging public colleges to the more selective private colleges.  They know and understand that it takes more than good grades to make it out in the world and that colleges and universities believe that, too.  Schools want to know about hobbies and interests, that's why they look at community service hours, involvement and leadership in student clubs, internships, and ask to hear students voices through personal essays.  I tell my straight A students and more kinetically or artistically inclined students to show their multiple intelligences and personalities by committing to an activity for at least a year and take upon a leadership role if they can. This practice leads to a wider perspective and prospects.

In the big picture, I believe we would all agree to make resources accessible to students and to encourage our young people to find what makes them feel fulfilled and actualized.

Have you heard of these 8 myths before? Which concepts do you uphold or disagree with?