Literature  
     If you have read Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, you probably remember the sun-drenched summer play days of Scout, Jem, and Dill.  Charlotte Mason would have been delighted to see the Finch children acting out their "list of dramas based on the works of Oliver Optic, Victor Appleton, and Edgar Rice Burroughs" between the giant twin chinaberry trees in the backyard. 

     Charlotte Mason recognized the powerful influence literature has over the imagination and stressed the importance of selecting the finest pieces for childhood consumption.  No watered- down stories, dry outlines, or "twaddle" should be presented.  So, how does one discern whether or not a book meets the standard? Charlotte Mason set forth a four point test to help determine a book's worth:
     1.  Does it provide material for the child's mental growth?
     2.  Does it exercise the several powers of his mind?
     3.  Does it furnish him with fruitful ideas?
     4.  Does it afford him knowledge, really valuable for its own sake, accurate and interesting, of the kind that the child may recall as a man with profit and pleasure?

     Along with this test, Charlotte Mason advocated reading "whole" books rather than selected portions of books as is commonly found in readers. She also promoted the use of "living" books, usually fiction,  which let the reader "live" vicariously through the main character, becoming intimate with the time and realm represented in the book.  She believed that a child, having read well-written literature containing noble ideas would remember his lessons for a lifetime.

     We heartily agree with Charlotte Mason's assessment of the importance of literature and have taken great care to select only the finest works available, using her guidelines as a basis.  As you browse through Tanglewood's literature selections for each grade we hope you will discover many treasured books from your childhood and notice our quality choices.  We have striven to provide age appropriate yet challenging books.  If some of your old favorites are not listed, be assured that you can easily fit them into your child's schedule with the aid of our one-of-a-kind plan book, the teacher's Corebook.  

     The Tanglewood literature programs contain age-old classics which have been beloved by generations.  While some of the books in each program may be at the reading level of your child, they are intended primarily as read-aloud books.  We know that children can understand material at a much higher level than their own reading ability allows and we want them to have the benefits of enjoying literature and the nuances of words by hearing an expressive reading with proper enunciation, pronunciation, and timing

     The Tanglewood School Curriculum is also known for utilizing fine literature throughout its entirety. Each history program includes many "living" books which are anchored into a well-written textbook covering a certain time period.  Our science programs, while based on nature study in the early years, also entice young learners into other scientific venues through  fascinating books. Be sure to check them out!

    Charlotte Mason put forth the importance of developing the imagination through the use of fine literature.  It is our desire that our literary choices, whether purely for fun like Pippi Longstocking or for more educational purposes like An Island Story, will capture the imagination of each child and become a part of him or her for a lifetime. 

Reading
     Tanglewood offers a no-frills phonics-based reading program. Your child will learn to read real books quickly and easily without drudgery while learning and reinforcing phonetic skills everyday.  Although we know that the age of reading readiness and ability varies widely from child to child we believe that each child needs a firm foundation and a lot of review in certain phonetic skills.  Therefore, each grade has a basic program which can be easily tailored to an individual's need.

     *Those of you who are familiar with Charlotte Mason's method of teaching reading will notice that Tanglewood's method is different.  Charlotte Mason advocated a much more natural process which is somewhat similar to the sight-word method which is fairly popular in public schools today.  Our programs reflect our belief that almost all children will benefit from instruction in phonics and that it is a necessary "grammar" of reading.

*You can find more information on Charlotte Mason's views on literature on the Charlotte Mason page!

*Note: Only grades 1-4 are available at this time.