Sunday, May 21, 2006

Tania's Latest Obsession: Roald Dahl

Tania has become totally obsessed with Roald Dahl. This makes me happier than words can describe. Roald Dahl's books were my favorite ones to read as a child. Tania has read The Twits, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, George's Marvelous Medicine, and The Magic Finger. Right now, she's reading a personal favorite of mine: The Witches.

I really think that Roald Dahl's books might be the greatest children's literature of contemporary times, and quite possibly of all time. His books have everything a kid needs: They're humorous, non-patronizing, and well-written, and they have hilarious and memorable characters.

I have yet to learn how these books would be viewed under the Classical Education Method, which is what we will mainly be using. If these books are considered unacceptable, that will have to be an area in which we defect.

There are several websites dedicated to Roald Dahl. Some of them have tips for teachers and lesson plans, like the "official site." Some have online games and trivia. You can read about the life and works of Roald Dahl here. There's even The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Buckinghamshire, UK, and The Roald Dahl Children's Gallery in Aylesbury, UK. We will go to these places one day. (If I say it forcefully enough, I think it makes likelier the chances of its happening.) I'm shooting for the summer of 2009. If we stick to the Classical method, Tania will be studying contemporary literature, so naturally we should take a United Kingdom vacation to further her educational experience... I'm going to develop that argument more thoroughly and present it to Joey when the time is right.

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