Never underestimate the effect of the unknown or half known. The effect of such on feeling is extremely important. If toward the end of a lesson we say, “and tomorrow we shall do this…”—the children need not know anything about “this”; their expectation and curiosity will still be aroused. If, for example, I have taught the properties of the square before those
of the triangle and I conclude the lesson by saying, “Tomorrow we shall learn about the triangle”—the children do not yet know anything about the triangle, but it is exactly this fact that causes a certain tension, an expectation of what is to come, a looking forward to the next day’s lesson. The effect will carry the day. We ought to make use of the unknown or half known in order to facilitate the children’s effort at fitting the details into a totality. We really must not ignore such matters.”
Rudolf Steiner, Education for Adolescents
Lecture One, June 12 1921, GA 302
These last two weeks I have continually come upon Steiner passages that focus on questions and the unknown. I guess I should heed the advice, ha!
There is so much power in leaving things unknown, unsaid or unsolved. In the example above, it can create excitement, like the cliffhanger at the end of a chapter. Sometimes to leave something unsolved can create determination. To leave something unsaid makes time for original thought to surface.
Using the prefix ‘un’ is misleading. It isn’t the absence of something. It is the creation of something more. It leaves space for the children to digest, ponder and wonder.
Children don’t always need to know things. In fact, I think they could stand to know a lot less than they do. When we use this tool in our teaching, it can really help children process, try things out, and build excitement for a topic.
Sometimes, leaving a math problem unsolved, a chapter unread, a history lesson held off, or a question unanswered can be the most powerful tool in the box! What a beautiful way to ignite a love and interest in learning!
Until next time,
Marina
(This post is part of a weekly serial started on Michaelmas 2023. To see the other entries, please see the post linked HERE and scroll down to the bottom for individual links)
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