What's the purpose of my self education?

I found myself asking this question this week as I was slugging through Song of Roland. I had no idea what this poem was about or the history behind it. I found the verse to be beautiful, but I wasn't understanding it. I was having a hard time following the storyline because I had no pegs of information to mark it with. The good thing is that I'm starting to see firsthand the reasons for the plan that is laid out in The Well Trained Mind. The bad thing is that I didn't have this type of education and although I consider myself well educated and well read, there's still some work to be done.

So back to answering the question, the purpose of my self education is to learn so that I am prepared to teach her. It's not to finish books on a checklist. With that in mind I am switching to Stories of Roland by HE Marshall. This is an easier version of the Song of Roland poem that I am considering using with princess in the logic stage. So I'll kill two birds with one stone; I'll preview the book for her and I'll actually learn who Roland was and the storyline behind the Song of Roland poem. Although I'm a bit embarrassed to post this, I'm hoping that it will help others as the pursue thier own self-education :)!