Science Teaching Ð Part II

Methods and Approaches

Roberto Trostli

Editor’s note: This article is taken from a lecture character. And the rhythm of the night is the
delivered to teachers in Hungary in June 2013. rhythm of the ego. This rhythm is captured by
Some of the examples refer to the physical presence the phrase that we considered: ÒIn today the
of the speaker in front of the audience. They have tomorrow.Ó Like a little death, the night is a
been retained along with the informal spoken-word time when our soul and spirit excarnate from
style of the presentation. our body. That process plays a profound part in
the process of digesting our earthly experiences
To educate youth and uniting them with our spiritual essence.
Means to foster and tend
In matter the spirit, Methods of science teaching
In today the tomorrow, Waldorf education does not provide
In earthly life, formulas for teachers to follow; rather, it
The spiritÕs existence. demands that teachers develop pedagogical

I
Ð Rudolf Steiner practices out of an anthroposophical
understanding of the human being. The
foundations for this understanding were laid by
n the previous article (Research Bulletin, Vol. Rudolf Steiner, but teachers must work to make
XVIII No. 2), we looked at science teaching in them their own. Through study, practice, and
terms of the grand rhythms reflection upon our experiences,
of child development. In this Waldorf education we can derive a method that
article we will look at the same truly addresses the whole
subject in terms of the rhythm does not provide human being.
of day and night. formulas for teachers Because in this article
Our teaching can utilize we are going to examine
to follow; rather, it the topic of science teaching
four rhythms that correspond
to the four members of the demands that teachers in depth and detail, it may
human being. The rhythm of develop pedagogical feel denseÑperhaps even
the year is the rhythm of the indigestibleÑto those who are
physical body. As the year
practices out of an unfamiliar with these ideas.
cycles through the seasons, anthroposophical It is important, however, to
so does our body slowly grow understanding of the penetrate these ideas if we
and respond to the world want to understand the process
around us. The rhythm of
human being. of thinking. For thinking is the
the month is the rhythm of means by which we penetrate
the etheric body. That is why it works so well and grasp the world of matter with our
to have main lessons blocks of fourÑrather spiritual forces. Heaven is brought down to
than threeÑweeks, for it takes a month truly earth whenever we think. For this reason we
to integrate oneÕs experience. The rhythm of need to understand how to teach the children
the week is the rhythm of the astral body. to think in a living way.
We utilize it to give each day of the week its

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40Science Teaching – Part II: Methods and Approaches

The philosophical background You are aware of my bodyÑits size and form;
Of all the subjects in the Waldorf you are aware of my features and my clothes,
curriculum, science and math most directly and you may take note of other details of
address the studentsÕ thinking. They give us the my appearance. At the same time you may
opportunity to help students become logical be having impressions of which you are not
and flexible in their thinking and to develop conscious.
confidence in their own powers of thought. While you are straining to understand
Today we will examine in detail how we can my words, you may not catch the expression
approach this task, so that we can help our on my face, or if you start taking note of my
students come to recognize that Òthe world is expressions, you may miss some of my words.
true.Ó We often have impressions of which we are
Rudolf Steiner stressed the importance not aware, because the world is full of possible
of teaching students to learn to think, and percepts. For instance, we might hear, but not
he gave specific instruction for how to school listen to, a sound. Hearing consists of receiving
their thinking in Lecture VIII of The Foundations the sensations of the sounds around us, while
of Human Experience, and in listening requires the active
Lectures II and III of Education Rudolf Steiner stressed involvement of the person. We
for Adolescents. According to have all experienced being in
Steiner, thinking occurs in
the importance of a crowded room and hearing
three stages. These stages teaching students to many conversations, but if
are interwoven and occur, to someone mentions our name,
learn to think, and he we hear that word emerge
some extent, simultaneously.
He called these three stages gave specific instruction from the cacophony of sound.
drawing conclusions, forming for how to school their In order to draw conclusions
judgments, and arriving at we must, so to speak, listen to
thinking. what we hear. It is possible to
concepts. The first two of
these stages can happen draw conclusions about only
almost simultaneously, or they can be more some of our perceptions.
widely separated. The third is a lifelong LetÕs try this: Hold a pencil vertically at
endeavor. armÕs length in front of your face. Focus your
In my work through the years, I have found gaze on the pencil and notice what happens to
that the clearer I am about such basic ideas, everything in the distance. Now focus your gaze
the better I am able to penetrate my teaching at something in the distance and notice what
so that it becomes more effective. So, if this happens to the pencil.
is a review for you, I hope that you will enjoy While you are drawing conclusions about
juxtaposing your understanding with mine and the pencil, you are not really taking in the
seeing whether we agree or not. And if this is scene in the distance; while you are drawing
new to you, then I welcome you to the years- conclusions about the distance, you are not
long task of penetrating this important set of really able to take in the pencil. This is not
anthroposophical ideas. just a matter of focus; itÕs also a matter of
attention.
Conclusions: Conclusions are perceptions We live in the realm of continual
brought to consciousness. Any sense impression conclusions. When we speak, we express
can become a conclusion, but only if we become conclusions; when we listen, we draw
aware of the impression. When you look at conclusions; when we read, we draw
me, for instance, you are forming conclusions. conclusions; when we use any of our senses

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 Roberto Trostli41

consciously, we draw conclusions. One of the fully. While conclusions live more in our sense
main tasks of the teacher is to present the impressions, our judgments allow us to Òmake
students with conclusions that are rich and sense ofÓ our impressions.
varied, and that engage the studentsÕ interest. We do this by bringing our percept into
According to Rudolf Steiner, conclusions relationship with our prior percepts from the
can live only in the fully waking soul. They past. We are continually forming judgments,
are a result of the working and itÕs rare that we become
of the ego, which is why the The way our students aware of them. When we see or
act of drawing conclusions learn to draw hear or taste or feel something
works so powerfully on the
students. This is why we have
conclusions affects the weÕve never sensed before, there
is a moment when we are fully
to be careful not to stuff our way they will think for in the judgment realm as we try
students so full of conclusions the rest of their lives. to understand what weÕre
that they suffer sensing.
a form of soul or spiritual indigestion. For instance, as you listen to me speaking
The way our students learn to draw in English, you are aware of the sounds and
conclusions affects the way they will think for perhaps some of the meanings of the words.
the rest of their lives. What does this mean? On But what if I said:
the most foundational level, it means that the
very environment in which our students learn 
   

and work forms their thinking. Our colleagues murnon,
in early childhood know this well. They know wicinga werod, west ofer Pantan,
that the order and beauty of the classroom  
 
work powerfully on their childrenÕs growth and 

engender well-being. In our classrooms, order
and beauty foster clear thinking. On the etheric I imagine that almost no one understood any
level it means that rhythmical and hygienic of that but you tried to make sense of the
lessons will support the development of living sounds. That is the stage of forming judgments.
thinking, while working in a more disorganized It happens more quickly when we are familiar
or capricious manner will make it harder with whatever we encounter and much more
for studentsÕ thoughts to grow and thrive. slowly when we encounter the unfamiliar.
Although we may not always According to Steiner, judgments
recognize it or accept it, we We form judgments by live in the dreaming soul, so we
have a great responsibility are not fully aware of them.
towards our students, because bringing our percept They are a result of the working
what we do will affect them into relationship with of the astral body.
for the rest of their lives. our prior percepts from While the manner in
which our students learn to

When we the past. draw conclusions affects their
become conscious of our thinking, the way they learn to
perceptions, we begin to form judgments. form judgments affects their life of habits, their
This process arises out of the human beingÕs very character. Thus the teacher has a special
desire to transform the process of perception responsibility to help students form judgments
into knowledge. A conclusion consists of the in a way that supports healthy soul and moral
awareness of our perceptions, but a judgment development. What does this mean? It means
allows us to know those perceptions more that if we present students with rich and varied

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42Science Teaching – Part II: Methods and Approaches

experiences, especially with opportunities that eating breakfast. That chair was different from
awaken interest and awe, they will develop a this chair, but it was still a chair. Think of a
love of life, which can express itself in a sense stool. Think of a bench. Are they chairs?
of optimism. An example of this that bears Your concept of chair embraces all the
reflection is SteinerÕs suggestion that the chairs youÕve experienced, seen, read, or heard
best way to help students develop a healthy about. That concept expresses itself in all the
relationship to their bodies and their sexuality chairs that have ever or will ever be created.
is to make sure that they experience the And each chair, no matter how different it is
majesty of nature and the beauty of art. from other chairs, contains some of the essence
Try explaining that to parents! of that concept.
Conclusions and judgments are inextricably Because concepts are large and varied,
linked. There is a constant interplay between they grow gradually in the human being, and
our awareness of a percept and the process so they should. Ideally they should never be
of comparing it with our prior experience. A fixed or finished but should always remain
conclusion is complete as soon as we become capable of growing, of becoming. It is our
aware of it. The finality of a conclusion is task as teachers to help students cultivate the
well expressed by the German word for it: process of forming concepts in such a way that
Schluss. Schluss means ÒfinishedÓ or Òdone,Ó the concepts can grow and become increasingly
or Òthe end.Ó While the process of drawing developed and refined. If that happens, the
conclusions is finished quickly, the process of concepts can serve the students for the rest
forming judgments is not over so quickly. One of their lives and even their lives beyond the
can continue to dwell on oneÕs impressions for threshold of death.
a while, but at some point this process also While conclusions develop awareness, and
comes to an end. judgments result in knowledge
I like to think of a formed by relationship, concepts
Concepts: The process concept as a seed, for form the basis for wisdom,
of drawing conclusions and
forming judgments sets
a seed expresses the allowing us to understand
ourselves and the world
the stage for concepts to essence of a plant, around us. Concepts live in the
germinate, grow, and develop. but I also think of it sleeping soul and are a result
Concept development is more
complicated, for it involves
as being like the fruit of the working of the etheric
body. According to Steiner, the
not only the thinker but the that contains the concepts that we form have
thought, not only the thought, seed, for a concept an effect on the physical body.
but the archetype of the Our very features and bearing
thought. both embraces and reveal the types of concepts
What is a concept? I like to expresses a thought. that we formed in our early
think of it as a seed, for a seed lives. This places a very special
expresses the essence of a plant, the potential responsibility on the teacher to strive always to
of all that the plant will become. But I also engender living concepts in her students.
think of it as being like a fruit that contains While fixed or dead concepts result in the
the seed, for a concept both embraces and hardening of the soul, living concepts allow
expresses a thought. a person to remain mobile and flexible in
For instance, you are all sitting on his thinking, and they provide the basis for
chairs, but the chair you are sitting on is not inner freedom. Just in case all this sounds too
synonymous with your concept of chair. This abstract, letÕs examine how a concept might be
morning you might have sat in a chair while developed throughout the grades.

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 Roberto Trostli43

LetÕs take one of the most important of dayÓ will always evoke a hint of the Òclouds
concepts in a human beingÕs life: the concept of of gloryÓ1 that we trail as we come to our lives
light. In the earliest school years, children just on earth.
experience the light and the darkness. Their LetÕs summarize what we have covered so
experiences are not brought to consciousness, far in this table:
but we know that these experiences have a
deep impact on the childÕs soul. In the early Logical Process Aspect of Person What it affects
grades children will recite poems and sing Conclusion ego thinking
songs that describe or express the light. They Judgment astral body habits/character
Concept etheric body physical body
will say the morning verse that begins, ÒThe
sun with loving lightÉ .Ó They will hear stories
and legends involving light and darkness. They The structure of a main lesson
may begin to associate light with goodness All this sounds so theoretical, and so it is.
and truth, beauty and love, and darkness with But just as Waldorf education is the application
evil and falsehood, ugliness and hatred. These of anthroposophy to the task of education,
associations remain rooted deep in the soul. so too the way we structure our lessons and
In the third, fourth, and fifth grades, the methods we use are the application of
students will hear about the creation of light anthroposophy to the task of teaching. So how
in the stories from the Old Testament and do we put all this theoretical knowledge into
various mythologies. They will also hear about practice?
light in their studies of the animals and plants. In Lecture III of Education for Adolescents,
In their studies of farming and in geography Steiner indicated how physics lessons can be
classes, they will come to understand the effect scheduled on a two-day rhythm to engage
of light on crops, animals, and the whole human being.
people. In the sixth, seventh, The two-day Such a schedule consists
and eighth grade study of of a demonstration and a
physics, students will now rhythm harnesses recapitulation on the first day
begin to study light in all of the power of the and a review on the second
its manifestations. They will night, expressing the day. This process allows
learn the characteristics of students to draw conclusions,
light, its behavior, its laws. phrase Òin today the form judgments, and arrive
Now the concepts they form tomorrowÓ in our at concepts in a living way.
can be expressed in concise and Although there is much talk
concrete terms.
pedagogical work. in North America about the
Throughout the high Òthree-day rhythm,Ó I know
school years, students will return again and of no indications by Steiner concerning such
again to the study of light. In astronomy and a rhythm. While one is welcome to extend
meteorology, in physics and chemistry, in the two-day rhythm so that it encompasses
economics and philosophy, they will come more than two days, I think it is important to
to understand and express the many aspects recognize that we are essentially working with
of light. Through these years the concept of a two-day rhythm in our teaching.
light grows ever more complex and also ever The two-day rhythm consists of presenting
more refined. Let us hope that this process will a topic to the students on the first day and
continue for many years and that the light following the presentation by a recapitulation
will serve as an inspiration and a consolation on the same day, then reviewing the topic on
throughout their lives, that the Òcommon light the following day. This rhythm harnesses the

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44Science Teaching – Part II: Methods and Approaches

power of the night, expressing the phrase Òin came steel wool, which burned like a sparkler,
today the tomorrowÓ in our pedagogical work. shedding bright sparks. Finally I burned a
Since we are speaking about science teaching, strip of magnesium in a jar of oxygen, and it
let us see how this rhythm applies to the parts was even brighter (if that is possible) than the
of the science main lesson, but we could just magnesium we had burned in the air.
as easily apply it to a subject such as history, When we reviewed all of this during the
geography, or literature. next main lesson, the students remembered
almost nothing of what we had done. Almost

 The first part of the nothing! ÒHow is that possible?Ó I thought.
lesson I will describe is the demonstration, even ÒWerenÕt the experiences dramatic and
though it does not come first in the lesson. It memorable?Ó
can occur after the review of the previous dayÕs This is what can happen when we perform
work, or it may come at the end of the lesson too many demonstrations and tax the studentsÕ
after the students have completed their main souls too strongly. The students must have
lesson book-work. been overwhelmed and overloaded with
When the demonstration is performed, impressions. As a result, they were not able to
students draw a series of conclusions from lift their perceptions into their imaginations
their observations and impressions. The during the recapitulation. They were not able
demonstration acts powerfully, affecting the to take them healthfully into sleep and retrieve
whole being of the student, and it requires them again upon waking. While the oxygen
the strength of the ego to bring perceptions demonstrations may have been entertaining,
to consciousness. According to Steiner, the they did not educate the students. The students
ego has its basis in the legs and feet. It is no did not learn from them. We have to work to
surprise that when we reach maturity, we are avoid this kind of experience.
ready to Òstand on our own two feet.Ó
Just as we try to organize our school day   Rudolf Steiner said
so that we donÕt tire the students by excessive that right after the demonstration, the teacher
physical activity, we also need to limit the should verbally recapitulate it for the students,
amount of time that they spend drawing briefly stating what was done and what
conclusions because they work so powerfully occurred. Here is a typical recapitulation:
on the students. Here is an example that
happened recently in my class. Today we observed what happens when
During our chemistry block, I presented a a candle burns in a closed jar. When
series of demonstrations with oxygen. I showed the jar was first put over the candle,
the students how oxygen can be generated with the candle continued to burn brightly.
hydrogen peroxide and bakerÕs yeast, and then In a few moments, the inside of the jar
I had them generate some oxygen in their own became a little bit murky, and we saw
test tubes and test for it with a glowing splint. very fine droplets forming on the inside of
Next I showed them how to gather a larger the glass. Then the candle began to burn
amount of oxygen in jars through the water less brightly, and its flame diminished
displacement method and demonstrated how in size and brightness. After about half
various substances burn in oxygen. We started a minute, the flame became very small
out with a candle burning in a jar of oxygen. and eventually went out. A long wisp of
It took almost two minutes for the candle to grey smoke rose from the wick, which
burn out. Then we burned sulfur in oxygen, continued to glow red for a little while
and it burned with an intense blue flame. Next longer. Tomorrow we will explore some of

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 Roberto Trostli45

the gases involved in combustion.Ó (Note that these archetypes are the beings that
how one can lay the seeds of anticipation embody these forces and that are expressed
for what is to come by mentioning it at the by earthly phenomena. So if students have
very end of the recapitulation.) been studying the relationship between the
length of the strings and the consonance of
Such a recapitulation allows the students a musical interval, they might experience the
to re-experience in their imagination the events archetype of consonance when they enter the
they have observed with their senses. The spiritual world. They might sit at the knee of
experiences that took hold of the whole body Euterpe, the muse of music, and learn from her.
are now lifted into the rhythmic system, and When the students wake up the next morning,
as the students form imaginative pictures, the impressions and pictures they formed
the astral body becomes involved. The the previous day live in their etheric body as
recapitulation allows the students to continue memory pictures and as the germs of living
to form the judgments that were engendered by concepts. Steiner referred to these memory
their sense impressions. This process of hearing pictures as spiritual photographs. I wonder
the recapitulation and forming what simile he would have used
imaginative pictures will aid the I think that as the if he were surrounded by todayÕs
students during sleep to begin technology.
the process of arriving at living
students spend
concepts. time in the spiritual When the
After the recapitulation, no world during sleep, students return to school, the
further conscious work is done first part of the lesson includes
that day with these phenomena.
they encounter the a review and discussion of
That part of our teaching is archetypes of the the previous dayÕs work. Now
done for the day, but perhaps forces that they have the students are asked to
the most important part of summarize their observations
the studentsÕ learning occurs experienced in the and articulate their judgments.
during the night. Although material world. New judgments may be formed
this part may be invisible to at this time as students listen
those of us who are not clairvoyant, that to each otherÕs experiences and hear about
doesnÕt mean that we shouldnÕt take it into aspects of the demonstration that they may
account. Sometimes what lies just beyond our not have observed or remembered. During the
consciousness is what is most important. review students will consider questions and
During sleep, the ego and astral body grapple with aspects of the phenomenon that
leave the physical and etheric bodies and enter they didnÕt fully grasp. Ideally, the review in
the spirit realm. By this process, the sense the upper gradesÑand certainly in the high
impressions of the demonstration and the schoolÑwill contain three kinds of questions:
imaginative pictures that the students formed questions to which the students know the
during the recapitulation are lifted into higher answers; questions to which they donÕt know
realms. What happens there? What might the the answers; and questions that the students
students encounter in the spiritual world? never thought to ask.
I think that as the students spend time During the discussion, as students begin
in the spiritual world during sleep, they to come to a deeper understanding of what
encounter the archetypes of the forces that they have experienced, the concept begins to
they have experienced in the material world. emerge. Because the concept is usually still in a
I donÕt know this to be true, but I suspect germinal form, we should not be concerned if it

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46Science Teaching – Part II: Methods and Approaches

is phrased in general terms. If we are too quick I think that it is important to understand
to settle on the wording for a concept, we fix it the process of thought and the process by
in the studentsÕ minds and deprive the concept which we teach children to think. Even if you
of the opportunity to grow and develop. donÕt remember the details, I hope that you
Once the concept has been stated, perhaps recognize how important it is to structure our
tentatively or provisionally, the teaching so that we engage the
students will be able to build This approach will whole human being and that
upon or develop the concept you realize that it is possible
further by new demonstrations give students the to use the rhythms of learning
or activities. They also have confidence that to help the students develop
opportunities to express the through their thinking concepts that can continue to
concept in their written and grow throughout their lives.
artistic work, and through they can address the If we use this form of
further work they will begin many problems and applied anthroposophy, we will
to recognize the conceptÕs circumstances that life give our students a foundation
manifestations and applications that will allow them to think
in their daily lives. Although will present them. true thoughts. They will be able
I wonÕt spend any time today to reach the spirit through their
describing what the students might do during thinking. This will give them the confidence
this work time, I want to stress that the time that through their thinking they can address
they spend working individually is one of the the many problems and circumstances that life
most important activities in the main lesson. will present them.
The three parts of the main lesson
correspond to the three processes of thought Roberto Trostli has been active in Waldorf education
and address the threefold human being. for over thirty years as a class teacher, high school
During the demonstration students primarily teacher, adult educator, and lecturer. He is the author
draw conclusions about the phenomena. The of Physics Is Fun: A Sourcebook for Teachers,
process of drawing conclusions takes hold of numerous articles on Waldorf education, and many
the whole human being and calls strongly upon plays for children. He edited and introduced Rhythms
the studentÕs ego and strengthens the will. of Learning and compiled Teaching Language Arts
During the recapitulation, students primarily in the Waldorf School. Roberto is currently a class
form judgments. The recapitulation helps the teacher at the Richmond Waldorf School.
students take the content of the demonstration
into their sleep life. The recapitulation lifts
the experience of the demonstration into the Endnotes
rhythmic system and engages the astral body, 1. William Wordsworth, ÒOde on Intimations of
Immortality.Ó A section of this poem formed the basis
nourishing the studentsÕ feelings. During the
for the description of the science curriculum in the
review on the next day students begin to previous lecture.
arrive at the concept. Calling on the forces of
memory, the review engages the etheric body,
developing the studentsÕ thinking. This can be
summarized in the following table:
Part of the lesson Thought process Aspect of person Soul faculty
Demonstration Conclusion Ego Will
Recapitulation Judgment Astral body Feeling
Review Concept Etheric body Thinking

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