Start with something to do ?

Hi~ How do you understand the structure of this sentence below?

Start with students’ experiences and interests / (in order) to create connections ~?

OR

start / with students’ experiences and interests to create connections ~ ?

In other words, “start by connecting students’ experiences and interests to the content of the material being taught”?

Thanks for your help~!

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John Dewey argued that teachers must start with students’ experiences and interests to create connections to the content of the material being taught.