Q: "Do we explain mathematics, or do we encourage students to think for themselves and form their own mental images, out of which they then generate mathematics?"​

A: "Rudolf Steiner proposed that mathematics should begin from the whole that then gets analysed into parts (e.g. 12 = ?), as opposed to starting from parts that then get assembled into a whole (e.g. 5+7=?). By taking the whole as a starting point, mathematical questions or problems become open questions. Rather than directing students to one specific answer, this approach creates an opening to many possible answers and solutions."  http://ow.ly/Cjcj30mKSJq