The teaching approach (and, more broadly, the philosophical tradition) that begins with careful observation of the phenomenon itself before moving to explanation or theory. In Waldorf science lessons students watch and record what actually happens before the underlying law is stated; the concept is earned from observation.
Phenomenological teaching is slower than textbook delivery. It builds the cognitive discipline that external science examinations claim to want and rarely have time to develop: sustained observation, patience with a subject, and the capacity to reason from evidence. The Riviersonderend catchment supplies a standing field laboratory for phenomenological Life Sciences and Geography in the proposed Silverwood and Learning Campus curricula.
See also
This page is part of the Valley of Grace High School Decision Tool Glossary.