Welcome to our blog! We want to further the conversation and express the value and joy of reading.
Introduction: Classical education, with its focus on cultivating wisdom and virtue, has long been a popular choice for parents and educators seeking a well-rounded, rigorous curriculum. However, due to the academic demands of a classical private school, it can be challenging for students to undertake additional reading during the school year. Fortunately, summer vacation provides the perfect opportunity to supplement the classical curriculum with living books. In this blog post, we'll explore how living books can complement a classical education curriculum during the summer months, creating a more engaging and comprehensive learning experience for students.
Living books are works of literature written by authors who are passionate about their subjects and possess the ability to bring their content to life through engaging storytelling in a personal, narrative style. These books often present complex ideas in a way that is accessible and relatable, fostering a genuine love for learning and encouraging critical thinking. For more about living books see our previous blog “What Then Should our Children be Reading?”
There are four main benefits of supplementing a classical education with living books during your child’s summer vacation:
With the demanding academic schedule of a classical private school, students might find it difficult to engage in additional reading during the school year. However, summer vacation provides the ideal opportunity for students to immerse themselves in living books, embracing the joy of reading without the constraints of a rigorous academic schedule.
During summer vacation, students can lose some of the progress they made during the school year. By supplementing their classical education with living books from libraries, students can continue to engage with diverse, high-quality literature, ensuring that their learning momentum is maintained throughout the summer.
Summer vacation provides an opportunity for students to explore new subjects and interests independently. By borrowing living books from a living books library, students can delve into a variety of topics that may not be covered in their regular curriculum, broadening their horizons and developing a sense of intellectual independence.
Incorporating living books into their summer reading routine can help students build a consistent reading habit, which has numerous benefits for their cognitive development, language skills, and overall academic performance. By nurturing a love for reading during the summer months, students can cultivate a lifelong habit that will serve them well throughout their education and beyond.
Supplementing a classical education curriculum with living books during summer vacation can provide students with an engaging and comprehensive learning experience. By borrowing and reading living books, students can extend their learning, develop critical skills, and foster a love for learning that complements their formal education. Embracing the joy of reading during the summer months allows students to make the most of their time away from the academic demands of a classical private school, creating a holistic and enriching learning environment that prepares them for a lifetime of success.
In our last blog, "As long as they are reading, [something]"...that's good enough, we made the assertion that not all books, and especially books for children and young adults, are created equal. And that having your children read just anything that’s put in front of them is wrong (or worse – dangerous).
If that is indeed the case, which we believe it is, then what should you be reading to them or letting them read on their own?
When it comes to children's literature, there are two types of books: living books and twaddle. While both types of books are intended for children, they are vastly different in terms of their quality and value as educational tools.
Living books are books that are written by authors who have a passion for their subject matter and convey that passion to the reader. These books are full of rich imagery that inspires the imagination. Written in a narrative style, they engage the reader and make the information more memorable and meaningful. Living books are meant to be enjoyed and often become treasured favorites that children return to time and again.
On the other hand, twaddle is a term used to describe children's literature that is simplistic, dumbed down, and lacking in substance. These books are often written with a narrow focus on entertainment or instruction, rather than engaging children's minds and imaginations. Twaddle fails to challenge children's intellect and actually can be harmful to their educational development.
As a parent, it is important to choose the right type of literature for your child. Living books provide a valuable educational tool, as they help children develop a love of learning and a desire to know more about the world around them. By reading living books, children are exposed to new ideas, cultures, and experiences, which helps broaden their understanding and perspective.
In contrast, twaddle can be a waste of time and may even discourage children from reading altogether. While these books may provide temporary entertainment, they do not engage the mind and fail to inspire curiosity and imagination.
To incorporate living books into your child's education, it is important to seek out high-quality literature that is age-appropriate and engaging. Some examples of living books include classic works such as "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain, "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis, and "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
In conclusion, when it comes to choosing children's literature, it is important to consider the difference between living books and twaddle. While living books provide a valuable educational tool that inspires curiosity and fosters a love of learning, twaddle may actually discourage children from reading and inhibit their educational development. As parents, we should seek out high-quality literature that engages the mind and inspires a love of reading in our children.
I have heard this statement many times in my life: As long as they’re reading something – anything – it’s better than your child not reading. And whatever interests your child, let them read it. As long as they’re reading, all is good1.
A number of years ago, I started helping my daughter homeschool her children. She was concerned about the types of books she would let them read outside of the ones required for classes. She wanted her children to read extracurricular books to expand their interests, further their knowledge and help them develop a true joy for reading.
When I researched the best-selling children and young-adult books, it appeared to me that somehow TV sitcom dialog was now in printed-book form and was being recommended to parents as something worthwhile for their children to read. I then thought back to the books I had read as a child and young adult and compared them to these currently recommended ones. I realized that they are not at all the same. It turned out that books written before the mid-1960’s were different; they contained less drivel, usually had a point or moral to the story, and contained no profanity, no graphic violence and no sex.
And then my epiphany: Not all children’s books are created equal! And if all these books were not created equal, then the statement “as long as they are reading…” wasn’t true – what they were reading was in fact very important. I was shocked to discover that many books available in the public system had little-to-no literary, moral or educational value. They were total “twaddle” or even worse. No longer could you rely on the picture books, the chapter books or even the comics that I had read in my youth. Everything had changed. And although the librarian said, “As long as you’re, reading you’re fine,”2 it was no longer true. Gone were the books of my youth.
But how bad is it really? Very bad, and likely worse than you can imagine. At the time I did my research, the leading book recommendations (Amazon #1 Bestsellers) for middle schoolers were on flatulating. Yes, farting! Here are some of the titles:
“Ninja Farts: Silent But Deadly”
“The Fart Book: Whiff It, Sniff It, Lay It, Rip It!”
“Fart Wars: May the Farts Be With You”
“The Booger Book: Pick It, Lick It, Roll It, Flick It.”3
But what can we do? How do we find good books? Where are they? Many of them unfortunately are out of print – shocking but true. It seems the current library system has been weaponized against the classical Western values that have built our society.
No one would let their child eat just any food they wanted at any time (there’s just not enough sugar in the world to satisfy such a hunger!). Likewise, you would not let your child watch just any TV program or see just any movie. Search for just anything on the Internet? Of course not. Then why let them read just any book they wanted to?
1“As Long as They Are Reading” | Bright Classroom Ideas (https://brightclassroomideas.com/as-long-as-they-are-reading/)
2Ibid
3Deborah DeGroff, Between the Covers (2019 Revised Edition) p. 176.
