The Experience Before the Explanation

I'm Jean , your host , and today we're diving into an idea that can truly transform your homeschooling journey . I remember when I grasped this idea and it really felt freeing and enlightening at the same time . So here it is the experience before the explanation .

This is a mantra that I started sharing years ago at the Teproot teacher training , and I love hearing homeschooling parents and teachers repeat it often when describing Waldorf education . I really believe that this idea stemmed from Rudolf Steiner wanting to create a more hands-on and engaging approach .

When he started the very first Waldorf School , his main inspiration was to combat the abstract type of learning and teaching that he observed in schools over 100 years ago , but he really wanted to make learning more engaging and inspiring

for children . Today's episode builds on a previous one episode , number 173 , there's no Substitute for Experience , where we explored the power of experiential learning as an educational philosophy . Today we'll take that idea a step further by looking at how we can apply this concept across different subjects , for example math , language arts , science and history .

If you want a brief overview and a link to anything that we mentioned in this episode today , go have a look at the show notes , which you'll find at artofhomeschoolingcom , slash episode 221 . So you might be wondering , why does this even matter ?

Well , because when children experience something firsthand , before we get into explanations or theory or principles , they engage more deeply , they make lasting connections and it helps them develop a love of learning because their curiosity is sparked first and they can begin to wonder and make their own guesses and connections before we , kind of like , cut off their

curious and wondering minds . Okay , let's dig in with lots of examples . The first subject I'm going to go into is math learning through patterns and movement . That's really the Waldorf approach . Math is often taught in mainstream settings in a very abstract way right Numbers on a worksheet , memorized facts and formulas .

But in a Waldorf-inspired homeschool in particular , we can start with experiences . Here are just a few examples . We start with using stories and

manipulatives when we introduce the four processes of addition , subtraction , multiplication and division , which happens very early on in the early grades , like right away in first grade .

Perhaps it's a story about a family of squirrels who gather acorns and then share them with each other , or maybe it's an ongoing story about a princess who gathers gemstones and then gives some away . Another example for the subject of math is that before explaining multiplication or

memorizing the times tables , we can engage children in rhythmic movement , clapping games , stepping patterns , skip counting or beanbag tossing . That introduces multiples . Naturally we count by twos and fives and tens as a movement activity before writing out equations .

By experiencing these patterns with their bodies , children internalize the relationships between numbers before we ever define or explain them . Another example when introducing fractions , which comes a little bit later on . Say in fourth grade , we might bake a pie or cut up fruit into halves , thirds , quarters , before moving to written equations .

Then we can show these relationships with cut up pieces of colored construction paper , for example . These tangible experiences make fractions easier to grasp . All right , our second subject language arts . Storytelling as an experience . I just love this idea . So Waldorf Education emphasizes that stories provide an experience for our children .

Right , we introduce almost all new content with some sort of story . Now , we don't have to always tell the stories .

Well-written stories we can read , but the experience of a story before engaging in literacy skills explicitly right , or before teaching literacy skills explicitly when learning letter formation , for example , instead of just copying the letters , we first draw images , pictures from stories we read or tell , like , as an example , for a mountain , for the letter M , or a

snake for the letter S . The experience of hearing the story and then drawing a picture and seeing how the letter emerges from the image helps children have a sense of ownership

of the alphabet , forming a connection with these letters and making writing an artistic and meaningful act .

Here's another example Instead of starting with abstract grammar rules , we read or tell a lively fable or myth and then , as children retell or act out the story , we can naturally introduce parts of speech pointing out how adjectives add color and how verbs bring action . Now our third subject today is science Observation before explanation .

In Waldorf-inspired science we practice an approach called phenomenology , guiding children to observe nature or a scientific demonstration of a principle before offering explanations . Rather than starting with those abstract explanations , children are encouraged to observe the phenomenon directly .

Here's an example Instead of starting with a diagram of the water cycle , we might watch steam rise from a pot , observe dew on the grass in the morning or feel rain on our faces . Through these experiences observation , reflection and discussion children begin to understand evaporation , condensation and precipitation before we introduce the terminology .

They experience it with their whole body . Another example when studying physics , rather

than stating objects fall at the same rate regardless of weight , we drop different objects from a height and observe what happens . Children see and experience and observe the principle before we put it into words .

This way of studying science is quite different than most mainstream approaches , where students are introduced to the theory or formula and then shown how to conduct an experiment to prove that theory . The experience comes first , all right . And our final subject is history , where we're stepping into the past and again embracing stories .

Now for the study of history , rather than memorizing dates and events as a starting point , we invite children into the time period first .

For example , when studying ancient Rome , instead of listing emperors and wars right away , we might start by hearing a story of Romulus and Remus drawing a map of the seven hills of Rome , after hearing a story about them or acting out a market scene .

Through these experiences , children begin to feel what life was like before we then introduce historical analysis of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire , for example . Another example here if we're studying westward expansion in America , we might begin by reading a historical novel or setting up a pretend pioneer camp .

By stepping into the shoes of those who lived in that era , children develop an emotional connection to history

before we explain the broader context and cause and effect . Now , in conclusion , I just want to say that the beauty of the experience before the explanation is that it aligns with how children naturally learn . Children are doers , feelers , explorers , and they're constantly wondering how or why things happen the way that they do .

Our goal is to get our children engaged in the learning , to spark their curiosity and encourage them to want to know more . When we honor their need to experience the world before defining it for them , we help them build this lifelong love of learning . As Aristotle said , for the things we have to learn before we can do them , we learn by doing them .

So as you plan your homeschooling days , ask yourself these questions how can I create an experience before introducing a concept ? How can I make learning feel alive and meaningful for my children ? And if you want to experience firsthand how experiential learning works , join me and the team for the Tapper Teacher Training for Waldorf-inspired homeschoolers .

That happens every August . It's an

in-person , hands-on , immersive weekend where you'll not just learn about this method , but you'll get to experience it for yourself as if you were the child . You can check out the show notes for this episode at artofhomeschoolingcom slash , episode 221 , the experience before the explanation . Thanks for joining me today .

Keep creating beautiful experiences for your learners , and I'll see you next time on the Art of Homeschooling podcast . That's all for today , my friend , but here's what I want you to remember Rather than perfection , let's focus on connection . Thanks so much for listening and I'll see you on the next episode of the Art of Homeschooling podcast .