Saying “I don’t know” feels like a flaw. It’s one of the smartest moves a person can make.
In education, there is an unwritten expectation that to be in the profession is to know things, know them well, and at the drop of a hat.
For a teacher it’s daunting to stand in front of 30+ students, each staring expectantly at you, waiting for your words of wisdom on a tough question. But what if in the face of your years of education, hard work, and experience, you find that the only nugget of anti-wisdom you can come up with is “I don’t know”?
Fear not. Even though there is always at least one student in the class willing to heckle the teacher for a misstep, we the adults are always much harsher critics to ourselves than most students (right??) and the biases working against us are sharper in our own minds than in others’.
A Different Kind of Bias
In this case, “bias” doesn’t necessarily refer to conscious prejudice, but rather errors in thinking from oversimplifying complex situations.
Curse of Knowledge Bias
When faced with “I don’t know,” The Curse of Knowledge Bias makes us balk when other people don’t know the same things we know. Since the information is so ingrained, it feels like it should be common knowledge.
In this case, the problem isn’t that the students know something the teacher doesn’t, but that the teacher may be hyper self-critical about not knowing the answer to a question that they feel like they should know already.
Self-Serving Bias
The Self-Serving Bias is a faulty thought process wherein a person will chalk up another person’s mistakes to personal failings, but will judge their own mistakes on external influences. For example, when another driver cuts you off in traffic, you may assume that they are a terrible driver. When you are the one cutting someone off, however, you probably wouldn’t call yourself a bad driver, but would blame a short stoplight or poorly-marked turn lane.
The self-serving bias in this classroom scenario can be daunting because it can feel like the judgment is coming from the students: they feel fine not knowing a piece of information because that’s why they’re in school in the first place, but the teacher not knowing?! What kind of hack is the school hiring these days?? (Okay, I’m dramatizing, but even a little doubt can be discouraging.)
Fortunately, there is a way to approach “I don’t know” that reclaims momentum and acts as an invitation to ask further questions.
Exploring the Lines of Inquiry
One thing “I don’t know” does is throw a wrench in the flow of a lesson, creating an uncomfortable gap between the expectations of the room and the self-doubt at the front of it.
The best defense against the biases that crop up, these classroom standstills, and being out of the loop in general, is curiosity and communication from both sides.
Ask Another Question
“I don’t know. Can you explain what isn’t clicking for you?”
Sometimes we know more than we realize, but there’s just a key piece of information missing. Asking for expansion or clarification may unlock a hidden piece of prior knowledge or experience that can give the current situation the context it needs. If the picture’s still fuzzy after follow up, that’s not a failure—it’s just a sign to keep asking, keep listening, and keep searching for new knowledge.
Provide Reassurance
“I don’t know the answer, but I’m going to find out.”
An unknown answer should never be a dead end! Restore trust and continue exploration with a commitment to problem solving. By going a step further and providing details about how you will find out, your commitment won’t just sound like empty words and will leave room for a little excitement for the students as they await your response.
A caveat, however: this solution absolutely requires you to follow up, and in a timely manner. Leaving a commitment like this on the shelf is a sure way to make the students doubt your sense of follow-through and the value you place in their own curiosity.
Foster Inclusion and Collaboration
“I don’t know. What are your thoughts? What would you do in this situation?”
Take it from Socrates—making your students come up with an answer is infinitely more educational than handing them one. Instead of pretending to have every answer, you’re opening the door for collaboration. Be aware, however, that the goal isn’t to make the students carry the problem on their own, but to carry it with them as a mentor.
If they feel like you’re passing the buck or making more unnecessary work, you run the risk of them holding their questions in to avoid the trouble. Making a fact-finding mission an equal effort will make everyone involved feel heard, respected, and supported.
A Broad Approach to “I Don’t Know”
The fastest way toward destigmatizing and alleviating the fear of having to say “I don’t know” is to model how no-big-deal it really can be. A simple way to start is by taking a personal inventory of the areas where you may feel less confident in your knowledge, or where you yourself feel the curiosity to learn more.
Sharing these reflections within the classroom (“I’ve realized I haven’t had much experience with this, so I’m diving into it”) can help normalize the idea that learning is ongoing and that not knowing something doesn’t equate to being unqualified. Similarly, when the class shares their own misunderstandings or knowledge gaps, celebrate their honesty and support their curiosity in their own learning journeys.
Authenticity Over Ego
Creating a culture of authenticity is always more desirable than maintaining a façade of perfection. It demonstrates prioritizing a learning environment where uncertainty isn’t punished, where questions are allowed, and where growth is the goal. Students don’t need their teachers to be flawless; they need them to be honest, approachable, and willing to learn. By demonstrating all of these qualities out in the open, it fosters the psychological safety needed for everyone to flourish.
Let’s face it: none of us have it all figured out, so let’s make admitting it a show of strength.
Cassidy Downs is the public relations specialist at Skyward, where she promotes a positive image in the education software landscape through success stories and news monitoring. She also enjoys dabbling in writing, researching, and collaborating with her team of writers to explore and share edtech trends.
Lindsey Canny is a former teacher and a former writer for Skyward, a job which allowed her to flex her grammarian and wordsmithing skills. Outside of work she enjoys staying up late to read books, and spending time with her husband and cat.
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