If you ask a child what his favorite part of the school day is, he’s likely to blurt out, “Recess!” But if he stops and considers for a moment longer, he will likely add to that, “Storytime.” Almost universally children enjoy being told a good story. And of the different types of tales told to children, fairy tales have perhaps been shared the most throughout history and all around the world. The Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, and Hans Christian Andersen are just a few of the writers who curated fairy tales, editing or creating collections that have stood the test of time.
Why do people continue to tell fairy tales today? Should we continue to read them? What significance do they have in today’s modern society, if any? Can they still teach new generations of children? In his presentation “Fairy Tales and the Moral Imagination,” Andrew Pudewa presents his apologia for why fairy tales should continue to be enjoyed. We would like to share it with you today for free. During the presentation Andrew relates not only why these tales are important for students, but also describes the themes related in fairy tales that reveal truth, goodness, beauty, and more. Listen to the presentation, and when you’re finished, take that volume of fairy tales off the bookshelf and read one to your students. It will be time well spent and much enjoyed.
Additionally we are holding a drawing for a copy of the Teacher’s Manual and Student Book for Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales. This theme-based writing lesson book, written for students above or at Level A, will engage a whole new generation of learners to read, consider, and write about a variety of fairy tales. The drawing will be held Tuesday, October 1, at the end of the day. Click here to enter the drawing (the drawing has ended). Good luck!
