On how to choose books for children, our previous article "Choosing books for children is not a simple buy, buy and buy!" (Personal experience sharing)", analyzed from specific aspects.
Mr. Tao Xingzhi, a famous Chinese educator, once wrote an article called "Children's Book Selection Criteria", which mentions several criteria for selecting books, which is very instructive and shares it for everyone's reference.
Wen | Tao Xingzhi
There are two kinds of books: one is the book to eat; the other is the book to use.
Among the books that are eaten, some are like white rice, some are like snacks, some are like snacks, some are like medicine, and some are like opium.
China eats more books and uses fewer books.
There are more books of opium eaten and fewer books of white rice.
I used to write four three-character verses to warn people who don't get something for nothing: "Don't do things, you have to eat." What a man, is an asshole! ”
Eating without doing things is not yet possible, let alone eating opium without doing things!
Since the main purpose of children's books is to guide children in their work, then the quality of a book can be judged by the following three criteria:
1. We have to see whether this book has the power to guide people's actions, and whether it has the power to guide people to do one action and do another action.
2. We have to see whether this book has the power to guide people's thoughts, and whether it has the power to guide people to think and think.
3. We must see whether this book has the power to guide people to generate new values, and whether there is a force to guide people to generate new benefits and seek new values.
What is it called generating new value?
Robinson needed a tank to hold water on the Island of Disappointment, and he was worried that he would not be able to build it. One day, he saw a piece of broken earth in front of the pot stove, and it felt as solid as a stone when he picked it up. He thought that perhaps it had been made of earth by fire, and then he thought that the broken earth could be burned into stone, if it were to be made into a jar, or it could be burned into a water tank as solid as stone. So he made three small tanks, set up a fire and burned them for dozens of hours, gradually making them cool down, breaking one, and the other two were actually watertight. There is action, there is thought, there is the generation of new value - the value of the soil becomes the value of the water tank.
Let me give you another example of a material thing that has not changed but whose value has changed.
Jia Mu invited guests to take a boat trip in the Grand View Garden. She and Grandma Liu and the elders took a boat and walked forward, followed by Baoyu, Baochao, and Daiyu sisters. Bao Yu said, "These broken lotus leaves are abominable!" Call someone to cut him off. Dai Yu said, "I don't like to read Li Yishan's books, but I only like him: 'Leave the lotus to listen to the sound of the rain'." Baoyu said, "Sure enough, don't ask anyone to cut off the lotus leaf in the future." Baoyu wanted to cut the lotus leaf is the beginning of the action, Dai Yu thought for a moment, and told Bao Yu the result of her thoughts, Bao Yu thought about causing a fundamental change in attitude, the broken lotus leaf did not change and its value changed - the hateful broken lotus leaf became a natural musical instrument. This is called the generation of new values.
The three criteria mentioned above are the criteria for selecting books.
This can be chosen by you in a society with many books, and in China, where there are fewer books to eat, these standards are nothing more than nothing. But compiling usable books according to this standard is also a major event for those who aspire to benefit children.
For the time being, if there are few books to choose from, you may wish to choose the available materials in each book, pan for gold in the sand, and then get it later. These standards also seem to have their usefulness.
After reading this selection standard written by the old man, I thought of many classic picture books.
For example, "Little House", from spring to winter, from the past to the present, the small house silently watches the changes of the four seasons and the changes of the times.
The beautiful story presented by such a breathing and emotional little house allows children to experience the beauty of nature and understand urban construction.
After reading "Little House", you can also guide children to think about "The Adventures of the Mole into the City" and both talk about urban construction, what is the difference between them?
What do you think of urban construction? Think about your city, what do you think about urban construction?
The child will answer, repair the subway, etc., then we can add garbage classification is not urban construction and so on.
From large urban construction to small family life, they can all be discussed through picture books.
For example, "The Story of the Zhu Family", after reading it, you can also discuss with your children about the division of labor and mutual respect in the family.
It turns out that the happiness of the family is created by a reasonable division of labor, common sharing and mutual respect.
Watching "Vole Aver" can also discuss with children about self-affirmation, know how to be the best of yourself, and build self-awareness.
These picture books meet the old man's "useful" standard, but it is by no means utilitarian and useful, but a book that enlightens the mind and enlightens life contained in the seemingly useless book.
The usefulness here is in contrast to what the old gentleman said about opium and other books.
I think the reason why the classic is passed down from generation to generation is precisely because it can unconsciously nourish children, not fast food culture.