“Why do we need to learn this?”
Sep 02, 2025“Why do we need to learn this?”
It’s the question that can stop a lesson in its tracks.
As a math teacher, teaching from the book, I used to dread it.
Not because it was rude—but because I didn’t have a good answer.
Not one that mattered to them, anyway.
But everything changed when I stopped starting from the book…
…and started from experience.
Think about it:
No child ever asked, “Why should I learn to ride a bike?”
They felt the answer—
In the wobble.
In the fall.
In the moment balance clicked, and freedom began.
It’s the same in school.
If learners get to do, touch, build, test, or explore first,
The “why” isn’t something you have to explain.
They already know it—because they’ve lived it.
So next time you’re stuck in front of that dreaded “why”-question,
Don’t defend.
Don’t debate.
Take a breath—and ask yourself:
👉 What kind of experience could I add here?
Because when learners live it, they stop asking why.
They start showing you.
