This is the kind of discussion I'd love to have irl with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. smile

I like the ideas of constructivism, but I also agree that sometimes children can feel like we are holding all these answers and we just won't give those answers to them. I also remember too many teacher trainings where we had to do an exercise as if we were students when I could already 'see' how it worked in my head, and I imagine children could easily feel the same way.

In my home education program, I try to introduce new concepts concretely, but try to be willing to let go of the concrete pretty quickly if it becomes necessary. I sometimes think my oldest DS was just sent to 'break me' so I wouldn't cling to any particular method too tightly. Sometimes it would be lovely to have that certainty back.