Parents and their children's education

[Mitsuki]

A topic that has been on my mind for some time. What's your take on parents and their involvement in their children's education? What was it like for you and your parents (if you're comfortable to share some stories) when it came to your education? Were they involved on a regular basis, even going as far as being involved in school activities and the likes? Were they strict or lax with you? Share your experiences and struggles, whether it's from a parent's point-of-view or something you've noticed while growing up, etc.

Growing up (since I could write/read - 7 years old) my mom was really the only one involved in our education. I'm sure my dad was too but I don't remember any vivid memory at the moment. She was strict as hell, even going as far as locking my brother and I in our rooms (with her there, of course) until we finished our studies and homework. That was her rule: work before play. Their closet doors were filled with presidents names and info, ABCs, 123s, and whatever else she could think of. She did make it fun for us though, setting up competitions between my brother and I, creating little games to hold our attention, etc. In return, anything below a 90 was not good enough for her. I remember for a reward for getting 100% in school, she gave me an abacus while my brother got a toy truck. xD I actually loved it though - I remember wanting one for some reason. She probably drilled it in my head.

When I came to the U.S at 7 years of age, I knew how to read English fluently. Comprehension was something I did have trouble with, however. Without my mom there (she was left behind back home) I struggled pretty hard with my studies even though I wrote and read faster than most of the kids in my class. From then on, I can honestly say that my brother and I were left to ourselves with very little support and guidance from my dad and grandparents. My aunts would occasionally help me when I asked for help, but for the most part we were on our own. My brother's grades suffered tremendously and while I felt bad, I didn't really know how to take initiative to get him to focus, as he was all play and no work. I didn't always have a hard time with school though. Even with little help and guidance in my elementary years, I managed well with grades. When my dad married, my stepmom played a huge role in our lives and our education. She wasn't as attentive as my mom, but she was the one who attended parent meetings and helped my brother and I with school projects and homework as necessary.

High school was a breeze for me. Due to teenage hormones and personal stuff though, I started talking less to my stepmom to the point that I'd only utter a few words to her, sometimes none. If I needed advice, had to suck it up since I was too stubborn to ask her questions. So I put a lot of focus in my studies to avoid my stepmom as much as possible. I think I started hating the idea of relying on her, among other things. That's kind of how it seems, looking back on it.

Now that I'm a parent myself, I've taken some of my mom's traits when it comes to my children's education. Posting posters in my room, study sessions, quiet readings, etc. I'm not as strict as my mom though. Well, I guess that depends on how my daughter sees it. I am strict to a point. For instance, if I can't read her writing or there's way too many erase marks, I'll have her start over with her paper, much to her frustration. My daughter is now in 5th grade so work is a lot tougher. Taking accountability for her actions is something she'll be learning quite a bit too, as she seems to have adapted ways of making excuses to get out of trouble and tight situations. For many this may sound familiar. Been down that road a few times.

While I am not involved in my daughter's school organizations (PTA - parent-teacher association), I do make it a point to attend parent meetings and award ceremonies if I'm able. Same with my husband. Actually for the most part, we both attend meetings together. I believe that parent involvement is important, though I understand that sometimes it's hard.

 

[Busta]

I feel that parents should have a very strong initial involvement in their children's education. However, as the child/student progresses through high school and into college, I feel it is the responsibility of the kid to start "tying their own shooes" and taking care of thier own responsibilities as they get older.

By taking own responsibilities, I'm talking about 10th-12th grade years mainly. Once you get in high school you shouldn't need mommy and daddy reminding you to do homework, study for tests, get up in time to catch the bus, etc...

My parents were very "directing" in teaching me the right way to go about making time first for studying or homework. There came a point though when I realized the importance of creating my own path for success and what I wanted to do with my life and career. I picked my own college, paid my own way, took the classes I wanted. Sure I agree that parents def need to monitor their child's progress, but they can't have their hands held past a certain age I believe. I still go to my dad and mom for advice and wisdom even at age 28 married with my own house and career, but as long as the student/child is maturing and growing in responsibilities and taking care of themselves, there's positive results.

Might have jumped around a bit in my reply, but it's a buncha throughts at once in my head.

PS: As for involvement in organizations, I think it's a good thing. A parent doesn't have to over-do it and be in every single thing, but attending PTO, maybe volunteering at events or coaching sports would be a good thing for sure.

 

[Mitsuki]

Definitely agreed there @Busta Akula (BustaMo!)

Especially with college, none of my parents were involved. (With high school, I still needed those pesky parent signatures lol). I know some will receive financial help from their parents (my friends did anyway) and while there's really nothing wrong with that in my book - if the parents are willing, why not - I never went out of my way to ask my dad for help. This was something that my family criticized me for because my dad had the money to support some of my college funds, but I've always hated the idea of asking anyone for money. It was all financial aid and eventually my own money after I started working, until I can finally no longer support my own education. Sucks but hey, college is expensive. I wish I could experience more of college and get a degree, but realistically, it's just not happening anytime soon, probably never will and that's something I've come to accept.

 

[Harlequin]

I think parents are the most important influences on their child's education. That said, the more I live the less I believe academic education should precede life education. My mother always placed a strong emphasis on academic education and for a long time I believed it until some time in my teenage years when I realised the hardest worker isn't always the primary beneficiary.

The absence of a father figure is probably the biggest handicap a young man can have starting out in life and that was certainly my biggest one. Every male needs someone in their life to teach them what it means to be a man but luckily all my cousins were male. We would play rough all the time, play sports and video games and sometimes we would gang up on my uncle (who would win most times until we hit our teenage years). That was probably where I got such a strong competitive spirit and I became accustomed to looking for the most effective means to tackle challenges - falsehoods always lead to failure. I learned the importance of maximising my strengths and making my weaknesses irrelevant.

That all brings me back to the point I was making before; that the hardest worker isn't always the primary beneficiary. My mother would speak of the ant who hoarded food during the bountiful months for the barren ones whilst the grasshopper failed to do so, the moral of course being that the ant would benefit from his prudence and foresight - no one talks about how the grasshopper was a hell of a lot bigger than the ant and could easily muscle him out of his hard work. Did my mother warn me of the threat of bullies or the dangers of allowing myself to be taken advantage of? She taught me a lot but that certainly wasn't one of them. Imparting masculinity onto her sons was never going to be one of her strongest points, she hated it when I took up boxing.

Luckily I learned about these things but I learned slower and a lot later than I could have. A sad fact of life in our society is that people don't grow out of bullying others, some even become bullies. If you don't know how to deal with it the problem will follow you forever. Similarly, if you don't have a certain edge about you in life you'll always be the willing tool in someone else's machinations, the engine that propels their success. Being academically smart is undoubtedly a great start, but for far too many people it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy of constantly appealing to the validation of an inhibiting system. That's something my mother and I never fully agreed on.

I think one of societies biggest problems is that the parent is becoming less of an influence and role model in their childrens' lives. These days we're told celebrities are the younger generation's role models but these are people who cannot possible bear the same level of responsibility as those who have raised these youngsters to be the people they are.

A good education is sound guidance and parents play the most crucial, indispensable role in that regard.

 

[Busta]

...probably never will and that's something I've come to accept.

Never give up on it though! Maybe the timing may not be right, or your goals will change, but never is a long time away!

I am planning on starting a college fund for my kids when they are born. It is going to consist of about $25 a week in a savings account from when they are born and save it until my last kid (however many I have) hits college. I will evenly distribute the money to the kids and tell them it is to be used for that only to help pay a bit. I figure $25 a pay can't be too bad to put back a week or even a paycheck. That's my plan now. If I do have sons I may give them advice on how joining the military can nab him a free education that way he can work full-time, do college part-time, and have more $$ in the bank in the long-run.

I'll def help them find fun and useful summer jobs once they hit the teeneage years to help learning about the importance of saving themselves for a big event like graduate education.

 

[Galadín]

My Mammy (and I think my Daddy too but I cannot remember) played a big role in my early education. Every night from the age of two, Mammy would sit down with me with Peter & Jane and teach me how to read and spell. She guided me religiously from 1A all the way to 12C, so by the age of five, when I was already one year through Primary School, I was reading material for children twice my age. I am very proud of her for teaching me and showing me a love of books and words, without it I wouldn't have half the joy I do in life.

Although my spelling was deplorable (and still is) Mammy taught me that "The half of knowledge is to know where to find it" (she always has lovely little sayings like that on hand) so this has encouraged me to look words up rather than just assume, which is something that has stood to me in later years. Correct grammar and syntax was also a big thing to my Mammy. She would set me short stories to write or badly written paragraphs to edit to help teach me the ins and outs, which was something I didn't always enjoy or appreciate since it didn't come naturally to me. I'm still learning correct grammar and syntax today so, in the end, Mammy probably taught me, if not the proper use of grammar, then definitely the importance of continual learning and seeking your own knowledge.

My Mammy also taught me art, maths, science, geography, history and even business and economics! She stayed very involved with teaching me until after I dropped out of school, which is where things get messy.

Although my parents were always teaching me new and exciting things (Daddy taught me wood work and practical things like that), they weren't all that involved with my schooling. They would go to the Parent-Teacher meetings and maybe to the odd play here and there, but mostly they didn't show much interest in what I did in school or how I was getting on (they rarely even checked my homework when I was little!). To tell the truth, I detested school. It was more about popularity, possessions and social standing rather than actual learning. In Primary School, the learning bit was boring since there was nothing there I hadn't already been taught at home (except Irish which I loved) and in Secondary School it was all about exams which completely killed the joy of education. I would have loved more support from my parents in this regard since I found school hard to deal with and there were times in which I almost had a complete meltdown.

I dropped out of school in the end which is something I do regret to this day. Although I was able to go to college and get a certificate, I think the choice to leave made life very difficult for me. Maybe more support from my parents would have made the difference, maybe it wouldn't have. To tell the truth, despite all I had to go through in school, if I could do it all again, I would still prefer to have those special moments with my Mammy learning how to read Peter & Jane.

--------

I wish you the best of luck Mitsuki. By the sounds of it there will be plenty of precious moments for you both to cherish in the future, even if it is just to laugh at all the times you insisted on a prose being rewritten!

 

[Mitsuki]

@Busta Akula - You have a point there, but I don't think it's really about giving up. I think it's realizing that I've got this ten year old who's right behind me, and soon she'll be in high school. I'd like to focus on her education as I think I did my best for my own education there. Not to say that I'm giving up on learning! There's plenty of free resources out there without attending a college/university. I started saving up for her college funds (my son also, but only putting $5-$10 a paycheck for his savings envelope) to help her out. We don't want her to be in the same position as us, dealing with loans and debt. But we do expect shared responsibilities on her part.

@Galadín - I'm sorry to hear that. I appreciate hearing stories like this because education has an interesting way of touching our lives. It can be fun and boring, it can be painful and frustrating, it can be beautiful and ugly, but I appreciate hearing people's daily struggles and triumphs with this, whether you're a parent, student, or even a teacher. Now that I get to experience education from a parent's point-of-view, I realized there's so much fear and other emotions that come with it.

I think parents are the most important influences on their child's education. That said, the more I live the less I believe academic education should precede life education.

Actually I'm glad you touched on this subject here, Tom. I'd like to reflect a bit. Academic education and life education. This to me, goes hand in hand, but I wholehearted agree that life education is more meaningful, because a school setting is a child's secondary home. Besides the academic influence that they receive from parents and teachers, they also learn a lot from other peers and self-discovery that probably parents could never teach their child.

When it comes to academic education, I'm pretty hard on my daughter. With the rise of technology and the ease of access for information, I personally think that some kids lose the ability to think for themselves. Not to look down on technology because I love technology and little gadgets myself, but to a degree. When it comes to my daughter, I expect her to work hard and not simply look things up on Google because it's easy. Can't spell a word? Get that dictionary book and find the word. If the word isn't there, try spelling it. I taught her how to properly use a dictionary at a young age, but lately I've seen her on dictionary.com because it's convenient for her. I don't mind her using dictionary.com but let's not overuse it and try to think first. I've caught her crying over her homework a few times before when she was younger (though these days she tries to hide tears from me). The tears won't stop there, and I've talked to her about it, even sharing my own experiences about how I cried out of frustration over the more difficult homework and projects in school too. It happens.

When it comes to bullying, she's had her share of struggles with other kids. Obviously as a parent, that really pisses you off. But all you can really do is give proper advice and teach your kids how to throw a punch - both physically and mentally.

With my three year old son, he recently started going to church school. Second day of his 'school' and what did I hear from my in-laws? "He was hugging other girls way too much that the teacher had to pull us from church to talk." That's a whole different ball game. I'm gonna have such a field day with this one...

Already I've had to tell him, "Do not hug girls in school. Do you understand me?" He's doing a lot better now it seems. Let's hope it continues that way.

 

[Harlequin]

Actually I'm glad you touched on this subject here, Tom. I'd like to reflect a bit. Academic education and life education. This to me, goes hand in hand, but I wholehearted agree that life education is more meaningful, because a school setting is a child's secondary home. Besides the academic influence that they receive from parents and teachers, they also learn a lot from other peers and self-discovery that probably parents could never teach their child.

When it comes to academic education, I'm pretty hard on my daughter. With the rise of technology and the ease of access for information, I personally think that kids lose the ability to think for themselves. Not to look down on technology because I love technology and little gadgets myself, but to a degree. When it comes to my daughter, I expect her to work hard and not simply look things up on Google. Can't spell a word? Get that dictionary book and find the word. If the word isn't there, try spelling it. I taught her how to properly use a dictionary at a young age, but lately I've seen her on dictionary.com because it's convenient for her. That to me is a no-no, especially at this age. I've caught her crying over her homework a few times before when she was younger (though these days she tries to hide tears from me). The tears won't stop there, and I've talked to her about it, even sharing my own experiences about how I cried out of frustration over the more difficult homework and projects in school too. It happens.

When it comes to bullying, she's had her share of struggles with other kids. Obviously as a parent, that really pisses you off. But all you can really do is give proper advice and teach your kids how to throw a punch - both physically and mentally.

With my three year old son, he recently started going to church school. Second day of his 'school' and what did I hear from my in-laws? "He was hugging other girls way too much that the teacher had to pull us from church to talk." That's a whole different ball game. I'm gonna have such a field day with this one...

Already I've had to tell him, "Do not hug girls in school. Do you understand me?" He's doing a lot better now it seems. Let's hope it continues that way.

I think you're right about technology. I'd take it a step further and say technology has created a bubble in which we become overly complacent in our reliance to it. The more we implement technology into our lives the less we can combine intellectual academia with more practical life skills. Decades ago if one wanted to do background research they would likely have to find out how a library works, how to compile information in an efficient way and ultimately how to be an effective problem solver in the context of the wider world. These days all you need is a basic understanding of how an internet search engine works on the world wide web. I'm not going to pretend that I don't use technology in that way but there are a lot of problems and circumstances that can't be fixed by a quick Google search.

Technology won't help you with the introspection you need to fix the problems in your relationships or how to guide your children in the most effective way. If you don't use it sparingly it will come to shape your lifestyle, it'll make any challenge that can't be solved by a 0.13 second internet search that much harder.

As for the bullying, I can say telling someone in "authority" about it is one of the least effective ways of dealing with it. I went to an all boys school and you would sometimes see the bigger kids picking on smaller ones under the teachers' noses and they would turn a blind eye. The most effective way of dealing with it is being difficult to bully. Bullies are cowards who follow the path of weakest resistance, you have to learn to be the master of your own space and how to deal with transgressors.

 

[Galadín]

Another thing about the over reliance on the internet for information is the fact that there is a lot of misleading information online. Nonetheless people will take it as gospel truth for the virtue that it is on the internet and in some cases this even hampers their basic common sense. No one is culpable for what's released online and no one has to take responsibility for incorrect information. Anyone is allowed to edit a Wiki page, anyone can release content without worrying about being held accountable for their words. This isn't the case with books as everything has to be cross referenced before publishing and there is some recourse which can be taken if the information proves false.

Despite this, schools still encourage children to now use the internet rather than libraries to do research and projects. In Ireland (and I'm sure the rest of the western world too) the government is even sanctioning the use of tablets rather than books and plans to have every child using technology rather than books at school. Personally, if I was a parent, I would rather have my child home schooled by a tutor rather than have them educated by a tablet. I would be worried that my child would get all soft headed.

 

[CassinoChips]

Another thing about the over reliance on the internet for information is the fact that there is a lot of misleading information online. Nonetheless people will take it as gospel truth for the virtue that it is on the internet and in some cases this even hampers their basic common sense. No one is culpable for what's released online and no one has to take responsibility for incorrect information. Anyone is allowed to edit a Wiki page, anyone can release content without worrying about being held accountable for their words. This isn't the case with books as everything has to be cross referenced before publishing and there is some recourse which can be taken if the information proves false.

Misinformation is put into books all the time. Hell, most textbooks have a political bent these days. And the vetting process for books isn't nearly as strict as you might think.

Despite this, schools still encourage children to now use the internet rather than libraries to do research and projects. In Ireland (and I'm sure the rest of the western world too) the government is even sanctioning the use of tablets rather than books and plans to have every child using technology rather than books at school. Personally, if I was a parent, I would rather have my child home schooled by a tutor rather than have them educated by a tablet. I would be worried that my child would get all soft headed.

Like anything, the tablet is a tool, and it's all in how the student uses it. It's simply another means of gathering information. I have my students use their devices all the time in class. It's a great method for accessing information to which we might not normally have easy (or any) access. It's allowed me to completely cut out the use of a textbook in any of my classes, which is fantastic considered how politicized history textbooks in the US have become. And assuming that just because a tablet is being used in class, the teacher isn't doing the bulk of the actual instruction is silly.

To Mits' original post, speaking as a high school teacher, parents can be a great asset, or a complete annoyance, or completely useless. If a kid's grades are slipping, or s/he's a discipline problem, the parent can get them back on the right track. Sometimes, in the parent's mind, their baby can do no wrong. Sometimes, unfortunately, they just don't care. We get all types where I am. It's challenging sometimes. But there's a balance that parents need to strike.

 

[Six]

I completely agree with you. Parents who bash technology just because it’s possible to “grab an essay” online seem really well, beyond my comprehension really. BESIDES the fact that using technology alongside textbooks (or even on its own) provides you more information than you could possibly think it also is a lot more Eco-friendly.

Becoming soft minded has nothing to do with where you pull the information from, it has to do with how much attention you pay, and how much effort you put in. For example, anyone can cheat on an exam, not everyone makes that same decision. The same goes for using technology, there’s people that can and will abuse it, and there’s those who use it to their knowledge to gain more knowledge.

Googling the definition of a word not only gives you (just like the dictionary) the right way to spell it, but also provides how words are used (IF you are looking for something like that) the textbook dictionary couldn’t possibly hold all that information for every single word, or how to use words in sentences which is something a lot of people struggle with. Nor is it up-to-actual-date at any time.

As a parent, I would not limit my child(ren) to just using textbooks, I wouldn’t limit them to only using the internet, but preventing your children from knowing their way around to find information on the internet only cripples them in the long run considering where our generation is going. Which is not something I plan on doing.

With that said, I support the use of both, I don't think limiting anyone who can gain knowledge is a good idea no matter where they pull it from. It's how they learn easiest and books aren't always easy for children.

Also, hello, e-books anyone?

 

[Galadín]

@CassinoChips

Misinformation is indeed found in books, however, my point was stating that someone is culpable for that and therefore responsible for its correction. Whatever vetting a book receives, whether it be adequate or not, is still over and above that which is applied to many online information banks. Also, there is a lot of very biased material on the internet too, books don't corner the market on that unfortunately.

The ease of access, although a valuable tool, can greatly hinder a person's need to take the initiative or solve their own problems. Mitsuki mentioned about dictionary.com earlier and I think this underpins the concept behind my previous post.

--EDIT--
To clarify, I'm not saying children shouldn't use the internet, it can be a powerful tool. Rather I question the replacement of textbooks in schools for children aged four and up. Technology has its place but in moderation.

 

[Mitsuki]

Internet + books = a good thing. Nothing to argue there.

I wouldn't prevent my child from knowing how to use the internet. But at an early age, I do expect my children to use the books as well rather than say 'oh just use the internet'. That's something they'll do later anyway. An example is a book report summary. My daughter read a book and obviously since I have no idea what the book is about (I have the general gist), I simply went online to get a better idea of what her book's about. From then on, without the use of internet on her part, I was able to guide her properly, correcting any mistakes on her part, and asked her to think it through and go back to read a few chapters. This is pretty much what I was getting to. It really isn't about a book vs internet debate.

 

[Ethics]

Use credible sources with citations on the internet. If your biggest argument is that no one is held accountable for their words, you have nothing to really stand on. There are thousands of completely credible resources online, that cite valid and very real people. Google even has a variation of it's typical search engine that only shows academic journals and the like.

You can't blame the internet for your own inability to find good information, and I certainly hope any children of these people don't share this dated outlook. Stop confusing the community at large (and their opinions) with real data of real groups. They are different, distinguishable and real. The latter is also responsible for their information.

 

[Galadín]

I didn't state that there are no credible sources online. Misinformation is certainly an issue and I speculate that culpability plays a role in its continuation, this is not to say that all online information is false. This article from the UK's newspaper "The Guardian" outlines the issue: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/24/tackle-spread-misinformation-online

This is just in relation to the news and media industry which is problematic enough. Adults have a difficult enough time verifying the veracity of these online reports, so for children looking up current affairs for a school project they would be relying heavily on the vetting of parents and teachers in order to obtain the correct information. This isn't necessarily a problem perhaps, however, an actual printed newspaper would probably serve them better in that incident since they could do their own research for themselves.

 

[Ethics]

Let me be straightforward.

Are you saying that people are not responsible for the content they post online, as compared to books? It's sickeningly inaccurate if so, and that is the entirety of what I gathered from your previous posts.

 

[Six]

Internet + books = a good thing. Nothing to argue there.

I wouldn't prevent my child from knowing how to use the internet. But at an early age, I do expect my children to use the books as well rather than say 'oh just use the internet'. That's something they'll do later anyway. An example is a book report summary. My daughter read a book and obviously since I have no idea what the book is about (I have the general gist), I simply went online to get a better idea of what her book's about. From then on, without the use of internet on her part, I was able to guide her properly, correcting any mistakes on her part, and asked her to think it through and go back to read a few chapters. This is pretty much what I was getting to. It really isn't about a book vs internet debate.

Yeah, it's a major help that as a parent you can look up things online and gather more information about it yourself. Especially with certain classes, I know for a fact they have more classes and advanced classes now than they had when I was back in school, so if my children were to get that I'd have to update myself, too.

 

[CassinoChips]

@CassinoChips

Misinformation is indeed found in books, however, my point was stating that someone is culpable for that and therefore responsible for its correction. Whatever vetting a book receives, whether it be adequate or not, is still over and above that which is applied to many online information banks. Also, there is a lot of very biased material on the internet too, books don't corner the market on that unfortunately.

The ease of access, although a valuable tool, can greatly hinder a person's need to take the initiative or solve their own problems. Mitsuki mentioned about dictionary.com earlier and I think this underpins the concept behind my previous post.

--EDIT--
To clarify, I'm not saying children shouldn't use the internet, it can be a powerful tool. Rather I question the replacement of textbooks in schools for children aged four and up. Technology has its place but in moderation.

Textbooks are expensive and static. The Internet is cheap and dynamic, with the ability to update in seconds. Vetting sources is important, but it's reaaaallllly not hard.

Also, I fail to understand why being able to solve a problem in five minutes (Internet) is somehow worse than being able to solve the same problem in five hours (Library). Using the Internet to look up an answer is not failing to take initiative. It's applying the most readily available information at hand to solve the problem.

 

[Galadín]

Textbooks are expensive and static. The Internet is cheap and dynamic, with the ability to update in seconds. Vetting sources is important, but it's reaaaallllly not hard.

Also, I fail to understand why being able to solve a problem in five minutes (Internet) is somehow worse than being able to solve the same problem in five hours (Library). Using the Internet to look up an answer is not failing to take initiative. It's applying the most readily available information at hand to solve the problem.

So why learn sums when we have a calculator or phone? Why learn to spell when we have spell check? Why learn to draw with traditional tools when we can draw digitally?

This is certainly a perspective I'm familiar with and honestly I cannot fully give an answer that satisfies those who pose it. I see these concepts as a reliance which have knock-on and cumulative effects. I know that as a child, if my Mammy had always given me the answer to a questions immediately and hadn't encouraged me think on it to find one in my own way, there would have been aspects of my own capabilities I wouldn't have discovered. In a way I could liken the concept to a person who visits a foreign country to take photographs rather than just doing an online image search.

 

[Ethics]

...I literally cannot even.

You are completely missing his points. What does this have to do with teaching or not teaching them arithmetic? Jesse was referencing them as tools for education, not means for being lazy. There is a difference in being half assed and being efficient, and he was pointing the efficiency and ease of the internet.

You can maintain the same level of information in far less space on the internet, as well as find small bits far easier than you ever could in any textbook ever. Not to mention it is far easier to maintain an up-to-date copy of it, not one that was printed x number of years ago.

Please stop and consider what we ACTUALLY MEAN before you next post.