The Rudolf Steiner Archive

Seventh Seminar Discussion

[ 1 ] Rudolf Steiner: Today we want to try an exercise designed to make our breath a little longer.

[ 2 ] Speaking exercise:

Fulfillment comes
Through hope
Comes through longing
Through desire
Desire blows
In the weaving
Blows in the trembling
Weaves, trembling
Weaving, binding
In finding
Finding, winding
Proclaiming

[ 3 ] You will achieve what you set out to do only by dividing the lines correctly. Then you will establish the right rhythm for your breath. This exercise involves using your voice to regulate your breathing.

[ 4 ] In words like “Erfüllung” and “Wollen,” both “l”s must be pronounced. You must not pronounce an “h” before the first “l”; instead, you must pronounce both “l”s side by side. You must also try not to speak in a tinny, clanging way, but rather to add resonance to your voice, draw the sound deeper from your chest, and pronounce vowels as fully as possible to eliminate that tinny quality. — All Austrians have that tinny quality in their voices. More ball air.

[ 5 ] Before each of the lines separated above, one should consciously regulate one's breathing. The words that appear together must also be read as a unit.

[ 6 ] As you know, people usually do speech exercises like the following:

Barbara sat right on the slope

Or:

Barbara was sitting close to the slope

Or:

Abraham a Sancta Klara arrived

A fable will now be read aloud.

The Horse and the Bull

A bold boy rode proudly along on a fiery steed. Then a wild bull shouted at the steed, “Shame on you! I won’t let a boy boss me around!” “But I will,” replied the steed, “for what honor could it possibly bring me to throw a boy off my back?”

Rudolf Steiner (after everyone has read the fable aloud):

[ 7 ] Having heard this so many times, you probably get the feeling that it’s written in the same style as fables and many other works from the 18th century. One gets the sense that they weren’t quite finished, just as some things back then weren’t quite finished.

Rudolf Steiner reads the fable aloud once more and then says:

[ 8 ] Now, in the 20th century, one could continue the fable something like this:

[ 9 ] The honor of a bull! And if I sought honor by stubbornly standing my ground, that would not be the honor of a horse, but the honor of a donkey.

[ 10 ] That’s how it would be done these days. Then the children would immediately realize that there are three kinds of honor: the honor of the bull, the honor of the horse, and the honor of the donkey. The bull throws the boy off, the horse calmly carries him on because it is chivalrous, and the donkey stubbornly stands its ground because it sees that as its honor.

A question from Rudolf Treichler: Aren't there also three temperaments at play here?

[ 11 ] Rudolf Steiner: Today I would first like to prepare material for tomorrow’s didactic lesson, since tomorrow we intend to focus in particular on the life stages between the ages of seven and fourteen or fifteen. Today we will discuss various points that can serve as guidance for you. And then, regarding what I am giving you today as guidance, you need add nothing more than to pick up a standard handbook and supplement the individual facts that pertain to what we are discussing today. Today’s focus will be less on always having our factual knowledge at hand and more on nurturing and cultivating within ourselves the spirit of a forward-looking education. You will see that what we discuss today applies to the oldest group of schoolchildren.

[ 12 ] I would therefore like to discuss with you matters related to the cultural development of Europe from the 11th to the 17th century. You must not lose sight of the fact that exploring historical topics with children—and, ultimately, to a greater or lesser extent, with adults as well—must always involve a subjective element. It is easy to say that one should not inject opinions and subjective ideas into historical narratives. One can demand it, but it cannot be achieved. For take any period of history in any field; you will at least have to organize the facts—either yourself, or, if the events occurred further back in time, they are already organized, in which case others have organized them.

[ 13 ] Suppose you are describing the spirit of the ancient Germanic peoples; in that case, you will draw on Tacitus’s *Germania*. But Tacitus was a very subjective thinker; he certainly organized the material he presented in a highly selective manner. You cannot hope to do any better than to engage in a subjective organization: either by compiling facts yourself or by adopting them from others.

[ 14 ] You just need to look at some examples to understand this. Take a look at a few examples from the literature:

[ 15 ] Treitschke wrote a multi-volume “German History of the 19th Century.” It delighted Herman Grimm, who was, after all, also a keen observer; it horrified many members of the Entente. But if you read through Treitschke, you will immediately get the sense that his strengths lie precisely in his highly subjective slant in the way he organizes the facts. After all, what matters in history is having a judgment about the driving forces and powers at work in history. The point is that one person’s judgment may be more mature, while another’s is less so—and the latter should therefore refrain from passing judgment altogether, because he understands nothing of the driving forces. The former, precisely because he possesses sound subjective judgments, will be able to describe the course of history very well.

[ 16 ] Herman Grimm portrayed Frederick the Great; Macaulay also portrayed Frederick the Great. But Macaulay presents a completely different picture of Frederick the Great. Herman Grimm even wrote his article as a kind of review of Macaulay’s piece and, from his own perspective, remarked: Macaulay’s Frederick the Great “is a dandyish English lord with snuff on his nose.” The only difference is that Herman Grimm is a 19th-century German, and Macaulay is a 19th-century Englishman. And anyone who, as a third party, judges both would actually be very narrow-minded if they found one to be right and the other to be wrong.

[ 17 ] One could cite even more striking examples. Many of you are familiar with the portrayal of Martin Luther found in standard history textbooks. Just try this experiment: read the same account in Catholic history textbooks, and you’ll discover a Martin Luther you’ve never known before! Once you’ve read through it, you’ll find it difficult to claim that the difference is anything other than that which arises from differing perspectives. Now, such perspectives—whether rooted in nationalism or denominationalism—must be overcome by the teachers of the future. That is why we must strive so hard to foster open-mindedness among teachers, to encourage them to adopt a broad-minded worldview. From this perspective, a clear view of historical facts will emerge, and they will be organized in such a way as to convey to students the mysteries of humanity’s development.

[ 18 ] If you were to teach your students about the culture from the 11th to the 17th century, you would first and foremost describe what led to the Crusades. You would describe the course of the First, Second, and Third Crusades. How the Crusades gradually got bogged down and failed to achieve what they were meant to accomplish. You would describe the spirit of asceticism that swept through much of Europe at that time; how, everywhere—as a result of the secularization of the Church, or at least in connection with this secularization—figures such as Bernard of Clairvaux emerged, who were filled with deep piety—a piety so profound that they appeared to those around them as miracle-workers. You would attempt to get to know such figures biographically through a handbook and to bring them vividly to life before your students, and you would try to stir up that living spirit from which the powerful movements toward the East of that time developed. You would have to describe how these movements came about at that time through Peter of Amiens and Walter of Habenicht; then the movement led by Godfrey of Bouillon and several others.

[ 19 ] They will then describe how these caravans set out for the Orient and how vast numbers of people perished, often before they even reached the Orient. They will certainly be able to describe to thirteen- to fourteen-year-old boys and girls how these convoys were formed, how they set out and moved chaotically toward the Orient, and how many people perished due to adverse conditions, but also as a result of being overrun by foreign peoples.

[ 20 ] You will then also have to describe how those who arrived in the East initially achieved very little. You will describe the successes of Godfrey of Bouillon, but will then show how a conflict arose between the crusaders of the subsequent crusades and Greek policy. How the Greek peoples became jealous of the Crusaders’ deeds and sensed the conflict between what the Crusaders wanted and what the Greeks intended for the East; how the Greeks, in essence, wanted to incorporate Eastern interests into their sphere of influence just as the Crusaders did into theirs. I would ask you to describe quite vividly how the Greeks’ opposition to the Crusaders’ intentions is provoked.

[ 21 ] Then I would suggest that you describe how, in the Orient, the warring Crusaders—instead of fighting the peoples of the East in Western Asia—fight among themselves; how the European peoples themselves turn against one another; and how, in particular, the Franks and their neighboring peoples, due to the claims they make on what had been conquered, fall behind one another and fight among themselves. The Crusades arose out of fiery enthusiasm, but the spirit of discord took hold of the participants, and then the conflict between the Greeks and the Crusaders also arose.

[ 22 ] Added to all this was the conflict—which became increasingly pronounced—between the Church and the secular powers, particularly during the era of the Crusades. And it is perhaps not unnecessary to make even children aware of what is true, but which has been obscured in all essential respects by biased historiography. Godfrey of Bouillon, the leader of the First Crusade, actually intended to conquer Jerusalem in order to establish a counterweight to Rome. He and his companions did not say this publicly to the others; but in their hearts they carried the battle cry: “Jerusalem against Rome!” They said to themselves: Let us raise Jerusalem to prominence so that it may become the center of Christianity, so that Rome may no longer be that center. — You will convey this underlying sentiment of the first leading Crusaders to the children in a tactful manner; that will be important.

[ 23 ] The Crusaders had set themselves great tasks, and the tasks that gradually emerged from the circumstances themselves were also great for the Crusaders. And little by little, the men proved too weak to shoulder these tasks without suffering harm. As a result, during the fiercest battles, licentiousness and immorality gradually broke out among the Crusaders.

[ 24 ] Pick up any textbook so that you can place the facts within this general course of events in an illustrative way. You will notice that today, by grouping these facts, I am truly not presenting them in a biased manner. And I will continue to attempt to describe, from a purely cultural-historical perspective, what took place in Europe from the 11th to the 17th century.

[ 25 ] Look, let’s suppose—and this is, of course, a hypothesis, but sometimes hypotheses are precisely what help us understand the course of history—that the Franks had conquered Syria and established Frankish rule there, had come to an understanding with the Greeks, had given the Greeks space, and had largely left them in control of the northern part of Asia Minor. Then the ancient traditions of the Greeks would have been fulfilled, and North Africa would have become Greek. A counterbalance would have been created against what subsequently happened. The Greeks would have exercised rule over North Africa, and the Franks over Syria. Thus, they would not have all fallen into conflict with one another and thereby lost that rule. Then the worst Asian peoples—the Mongols, the Mamluks, and the Turkish Ottomans—would have been prevented from breaking through. Due to immorality and the fact that, in the end, the Crusaders were not up to the task, the Mongols, Mamluks, and Ottomans spread precisely into the territories that the Crusaders were attempting to Europeanize. And so we see how the great enthusiasm—encompassing vast swaths of territory—that led to the Crusades was met with a counterattack from the other side: the Muslim-Mongol advance, which established military despotisms and remained for a long time the terror of Europe and the dark shadow of the Crusades.

[ 26 ] You see, as you describe such things—drawing on the manuals to provide the images you need—you awaken in the children themselves lasting mental images of cultural development. And the fact that the children form these mental images is what matters most. They will initially receive these images through vivid descriptions. If you can then manage to present, in some way, significant paintings from that era as works of art, you will be able to effectively supplement your spoken words with such material.

[ 27 ] Now you have first explained to the children what happened during the Crusades. And you have helped the children to form mental images of these events. Now it would be good for you to add to the shadow image of the Mongol-Muslim horror its counterimage—the good that has developed.

[ 28 ] Describe vividly how the pilgrims who traveled to the Orient encountered things that were completely different and very new to them. In Europe at that time, agriculture was still very underdeveloped. In the Orient, they were able to learn about much better methods of farming the land. The pilgrims who traveled to the East and later returned to Europe—and many did return—brought back a thorough understanding of agricultural management, and this truly led to a boom in agricultural production. Europe owes this to the experiences the pilgrims brought back with them.

[ 29 ] Describe so vividly—so that the child can literally picture it—how the wheat and grain grew less well before the Crusades, how they were shorter, how they were sparser and less full, and how they were fuller after the Crusades—all of this through imagery! Then you describe how the pilgrims truly came to understand what the East had to offer in terms of industry at that time—things that Europe did not yet possess. The West lagged far behind the East in many respects. The flourishing industrial activity that later emerged in the cities of Italy—including those further north—was due to the Crusades. And artistic achievements, too, are owed to the Crusades. So here you can evoke images of the intellectual and cultural progress of that era.

[ 30 ] But you can also explain it to the children and say: “You see, children, that’s where the Europeans first encountered the Greeks; they broke away from Rome as early as the first millennium, but remained Christians. Throughout the West, it was believed that one could not be a Christian at all without looking up to the Pope as the supreme head of the Church.” Now explain to the children how the Crusaders discovered, to their great surprise and enlightenment, that there are also Christians who do not recognize the Roman Pope. This separation of the spiritual side of Christianity from the secular church structure was something entirely new at that time. Make this clear to the children.

[ 31 ] Then, that among the Muslims—who were, admittedly, not the most pleasant of people—there were nonetheless noble, generous, and brave individuals. And through this, the pilgrims came to know people who could be brave and generous even without being Christians. So it was possible to be a good, brave person even without being a Christian. That was a great lesson brought back to Europe by the Crusaders for the people of Europe at that time.

[ 32 ] So the Crusaders conquered quite a lot in the East, which they brought back to Europe as part of its intellectual culture.

[ 33 ] They explain to the children: “Look, the Europeans didn’t even have calico—in fact, they didn’t even have a word for it. They didn’t have muslin either; that, too, is an Oriental word. They couldn’t lie down or recline on a sofa, because the Crusaders were the ones who first brought the sofa—along with the term ‘sofa’—to Europe. They also didn’t have a mattress; ‘mattress’ is also an Oriental word. The bazaar also belongs here, which immediately points to an entire mindset toward the public display of goods—one that produces large-scale exhibitions. The Orientals established bazaars on a vast scale in accordance with their mindset. In Europe, there was nothing similar before the Europeans undertook the Crusades. Even the word “magazin” is not European, despite its close connection to trade and so on. This practice of using warehouses—necessitated by the vast scale of trade—was something the Europeans first learned from the Orientals. “You can create a mental image,” people say to children, “of how limited life in Europe was that they didn’t even need warehouses.” The word “arsenal” also belongs here. But look, the Europeans also learned something else from the people of the East; they brought that back with them in the word “tariff.” Until the 13th century, the European peoples knew very little about paying taxes. But paying taxes according to a tariff, paying all kinds of levies—that was only introduced in Europe when the Crusaders learned of it from the people of the East.”

[ 34 ] So, as you can see, many, many things have changed in Europe as a result of the Crusades. Not much of what the Crusaders had hoped for came to pass. However, many other changes took place in Europe as a result of what they had learned in the East. All of this was then combined with the concept of Eastern political systems, for such systems had developed much earlier in the East than in Europe. In Europe, administrative structures were much more loosely organized before the Crusades than they were afterward. The practice of uniting vast territories under a single state—that, too, ultimately came about only through the Crusades.

[ 35 ] But one can also—assuming, as I always do, that the children are of the age I mentioned—introduce them to the following: “Look, children, you’ve learned from history lessons that the Romans once expanded their rule. Back then, when the Romans expanded their rule at the beginning of the Christian era, Europe became very poor—poorer and poorer. What caused this impoverishment? People had to give their money away to others. Central Europe will now become poor again because it must give its money away to others. Back then, Europeans had to give their money to the Asians. The masses of money flowed to the borders of the Roman Empire. As a result, a subsistence economy increasingly took hold. This is something that could happen again—as sad as it would be—if people do not rise to the spiritual level. However, it was in this poverty that the ascetic, self-sacrificing spirit of the Crusades developed.

[ 36 ] But now, through the Crusades, Europeans were introduced to all sorts of new things in Asia—industrial production, agriculture. This, in turn, enabled them to produce goods that Asians could buy from them. The money flowed back again. Europe grew ever richer, particularly during the Crusades. This enrichment of Europe came about because it increased its own production. That is another consequence. The Crusades were veritable migrations of peoples to Asia. A certain skill returned to Europe. It was only through this skill that Florence was possible and became what it later was. It was only through this that figures like Dante and others could emerge.”

[ 37 ] You see, it would be necessary to let the historical account be permeated by such impulses. When people say today that we should focus more on cultural history, they think they have to describe, in a rather dry manner, how one thing follows from another. But even at these early school levels, history should be presented in such a way that students are drawn into the subjectivity of it, that they develop mental images, and that the era truly comes to life. That poor Europe, covered only by sparsely populated fields, where there were no cities, where people practiced agriculture—though it was meager—comes to life. Yet it is precisely from this impoverished Europe that the enthusiasm for the Crusades emerges. How the people prove unable to rise to the challenge, how they fall into conflict, how immorality spreads, and how they eventually turn against one another within Europe itself. How the very goal sought by the Crusades is not achieved, but rather, on the contrary, how ground is prepared for the Muslims. Yet how much the Europeans learned in the East; how cities—flourishing cities—arose, and within them a rich intellectual culture. But also how agriculture improved, how the fields became more fertile, how industry flourished, and how intellectual culture also advanced.

[ 38 ] Try to present all of this to the children in vivid images and make it clear to them that, before the Crusades, people did not lounge around on sofas, and that petty-bourgeois attitudes had not yet taken hold in families sitting on sofas in their parlor rooms. Try to describe this history vividly, and you will present a more accurate account. Show how Europe became so poor that it reverted to a subsistence economy, and how it became wealthy again through what it had learned. That will bring history to life!

[ 39 ] People are often asked today: What should one read? Which account of history is the best?—One can only say: ultimately, each is the best and each is the worst; it really doesn’t matter which historical author you pick up. Don’t read the lines; read between the lines. Seek to be inspired by your intuition to discover the true course of events. Try to develop a sense of what historical narrative is. By the style, you will recognize which historian has penetrated reality and which has not.

[ 40 ] You will read one thing or another in Ranke. If you combine your reading of Ranke’s history with what we are bringing to life here through the spirit of reality, you will say: Ranke is very diligent, but he portrays the characters in such a way that they are merely shadows. You can see right through them everywhere; they are not flesh and blood. And you may say: I do not want history to be merely a shadow play.

One of the course participants recommends Lamprecht.

[ 41 ] Rudolf Steiner: But one can’t help feeling that Lamprecht is depicting cultural history—not people, but painted cardboard cutouts that he simply paints with the richest possible colors. They are not people; they look like physical human beings, but they are merely painted cardboard cutouts. One really has to say: Treitschke may be biased, but Treitschke’s characters—they actually stand on their own two feet! He puts people on their feet, and they have flesh and blood. They are not cardboard cutouts like in Lamprecht’s work, and they are not merely shadow figures like in Ranke’s. Unfortunately, Treitschke has written only the history of the 19th century.

[ 42 ] If you want to get a feel for truly excellent historical writing and for the spirit of a historian, then read Tacitus. When you read Tacitus, everything comes alive, right down to the very words. Then time stands still, and the people and groups of people that Tacitus describes—if you let all of this sink into your sense of reality—stand there just like life itself! From there, try to figure out how to immerse yourself in another narrative. You can’t read something that’s completely outdated, after all; otherwise, the fiery Rotteck would still be something very good. But he is outdated, not only in terms of facts but also in terms of his outlook. For he regards the Baden state constitution of that time and liberalism as gospel; he even interprets them into Persian, Egyptian, and Greek life. But he does so with such passion that one might wish there were still many historians like Rotteck in our time.

[ 43 ] If you now try to read the standard accounts and make an effort to focus your attention on what is often left out there, you will be able to form vivid pictures of the course of history from the 11th to the 17th century. And for your part, you will set aside much of what is told there about Frederick Barbarossa, Richard the Lionheart, and Frederick II. While some of it is interesting, it is not particularly important for a true understanding of history. It is far more important to convey to children the major driving forces of history.

[ 44 ] Now let's move on to our task: how would we handle a class in which a number of students develop a “crush” on the teacher?

[ 45 ] The truly dangerous infatuations actually don’t begin until between the ages of twelve and fourteen. Anything beyond school age in this regard is already a serious case. Before that, it is particularly important not to take these things too seriously and to realize that much of it will pass.

A discussion follows, during which many participants share their views on this topic.

[ 46 ] Rudolf Steiner: The [truly] dangerous phases of enthusiasm actually don’t begin until between the ages of twelve and fourteen. [Anything beyond school age in this regard is already a serious case. Before that,] with these matters, it is particularly important not to take everything terribly seriously and to realize that much of it will pass.

In response to the various comments made by the individual participants, Rudolf Steiner occasionally replied as follows:

[ 47 ] Rudolf Steiner: I would consider publicly humiliating a student in front of the class to be a very double-edged sword, because it lasts too long and isolates the student from the rest of the class. It will be very difficult to restore the relationship between such children—who have been humiliated—and the rest of the class. Usually, this ultimately leads to the children being taken out of school.

Among other things, Elisabeth Dollfus mentions what teachers can do, including prayer.

[ 48 ] Rudolf Steiner: You won't accomplish much by talking with the children.

Elisabeth Dollfus: Prayer.

[ 49 ] Rudolf Steiner: Quite right!

Elisabeth Dollfus: In “Eurythmy: Forms of Worship.”

Caroline von Heydebrand suggests: Let sanguine students fizzle out by ignoring them. Melancholic students: engage them in structured activities focused on practical matters. Choleric students: work toward self-control in class through storytelling. Foster enthusiasm in gifted students and dedication in less gifted ones.

[ 50 ] Rudolf Steiner: The matter itself is not important, but it is important because of its consequences for participation in class, since children learn less when they daydream.

Herbert Hahn: General Enthusiasm.

[ 51 ] Rudolf Steiner: That goes by very quickly.

Herbert Hahn, Hermann Heisler, Hannah Lang, Johannes Geyer, Karl Stockmeyer, Elfriede Hermann, and Rudolf Meyer also comment on this; Paul Baumann suggests showing compassion.]

Rudolf Steiner summarizes:

[ 52 ] The principles are sound: to divert their enthusiasm, to divert their devotion. However, you won’t achieve much in this regard if you spend a lot of time socializing with these children, because that would suit them quite well. Since this enthusiasm is based much more on feelings and passions than on a mental image, it will be extremely difficult to effectively counteract it by accommodating their passion through frequent gatherings.

[ 53 ] It is true that enthusiasm stems from excitement and devotion that have gone off track. In gifted children, the capacity for enthusiasm is more significant, while in weaker, less gifted children, the capacity for devotion is more significant.

[ 54 ] The issue itself isn't that important, but it becomes important because of its impact on classroom participation—because children learn less when they daydream.

[ 55 ] It’s not a big deal if the children get carried away—it doesn’t last long. It passes very quickly. Mental images arise in the classroom that aren’t met. This leads to disappointment, and then it resolves itself. Telling a humorous story to the whole class can also be quite effective. It only becomes dangerous when groups start to get carried away.

[ 56 ] It was necessary to think this whole matter through, because it can play a role in school practice. Enthusiasm in and of itself isn’t exactly the worst thing, but unhealthy enthusiasm makes one weak. It causes children to become careless and lethargic. In some cases, this may indicate concerning states of weakness in the children.

[ 57 ] The situation is hanging by a thread, because if certain measures are taken, things could take a turn for the worse and turn into hatred.

[ 58 ] It’s also very good to say: “You’re worked up; go outside for five minutes”—and so on. The point is that in such cases, one must take an individualized approach—not only with children, but also in treatment. One should make use of everything that, based on sound reasoning, one can expect to be helpful.

[ 59 ] The only thing that should be carefully ensured is that the enthusiastic children do not get the impression that anyone has noticed their enthusiasm. One should practically develop an art of making them believe that one doesn’t notice a thing. Even in the measures one takes, the child should be left with the impression that one is doing it anyway.

[ 60 ] Let’s suppose a group of children has a crush on a teacher who has four, five, or six children of his own at home. And he has the simplest solution: he invites the children who have a crush on him to go for a walk, for example, and takes his own children along. That will help a great deal. But the children shouldn’t realize that he’s the one who suggested it. One should take advantage of such concrete opportunities.

[ 61 ] What matters in such a case is simply to behave appropriately yourself and not to treat the children who are so infatuated any differently from the others. Take great care to behave appropriately. Don’t let yourself be swayed by such infatuation—it will pass in time! The only concern is that a certain antipathy may take the place of the infatuation. You can lessen it by not letting on that you’ve noticed anything. Don’t let them know that you’ve noticed; then the resentment won’t be as strong as if you admonish them, admonish them too much, or embarrass them in front of the class. Tell a short story that makes the whole thing seem ridiculous. But it must appear as though you’re telling it anyway. There’s no escaping the consequence that a certain antipathy will arise afterward. If you work with the children for years, you’ll be able to regain their normal affection.

[ 62 ] One cannot ignore the other consequence either: that when the group takes on a troubling form, the children become somewhat weakened. One must help them afterward in such a way that they can overcome this weakness. That will still be the best therapy one can apply. All other measures—such as going outside for five minutes, taking a walk, and so on—can be used; however, one must always adopt a stance of healthy indifference. The child will be somewhat weakened; then, lovingly helping the child afterward—that is what the teacher can do personally.

[ 63 ] If the situation were to become very serious, the teacher—because he himself is the object—would not be able to do much on his own; in that case, other counselors would have to be called in to help.

[ 64 ] A task with more didactic and less educational content: Imagine that you have observed, with a number of children in your class, that this group is struggling in some area—for example, in arithmetic, languages, natural history, physical education, or eurythmy. How would you try to address such a challenge by focusing specifically on the children’s individual abilities, if it arises during the early elementary school years? How would you also support them through the other subjects?