The SLOW process of discovery ...

Within arm's reach is my Mac, Droid (smartphone) and Nook (ebook reader) - each of which is prepared to launch me onto the internet. The internet - that vast multi-dimensional universe offering a zillion bytes of information/communication at my fingertips. Relying on the web for research and unlimited contact with whomever choose, I have come to expect it to be there at the click of a mouse or a flick of my finger. Panic hits when I see an error message on the screen of one of my gadgets telling me that it can't connect. That yellow warning triangle or spinning rainbow wheel sends me into spasms of withdrawal. It's just crazy.

And the insanity has been ingrained worldwide into  our children's and grandchildren's  cultures.  Citing just one online (of course) article entitled Does Technology Stunt Children's Social Development?: "A recent study found that heavy Internet use may increase violent and aggressive behavior. The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, documented the Internet use patterns of 9,405 Taiwanese teenagers. Researchers labeled 25 percent of males and 13 percent of females as Internet addicts. Among these, 37 percent reported aggressive behavior within the last year, compared to less than 23 percent for all teens. The researchers’ criteria for Internet addiction included “withdrawal” symptoms—irritability and moodiness when not online, being preoccupied with Internet activities and foregoing physical activities for more time online. (http://www.realtruth.org/news/090303-008-society.html)"

Parents and teachers can testify to the accuracy of this statement, with  anecdotal evidence of kids and teens they live or work with.  Happily, there are many articles (also online) that applaud technology as the modern learning aid it has become - unrivaled for research and bringing the world to a screen near you. Homeschoolers probably use the benefits of technology more than the average student. According to a recent  finding: "More than 80% of Americans now have a computer in their homes, and of those, almost 92% have internet access, according to a detailed study on home internet access from The Nielsen Company, which reports that this number is up from 77.9%  one year earlier. 

Because homeschoolers spend more time at home, it stands to reason that if they have a computer with internet access, they are using it more often than average. Currently, I don't know a homeschooling family that does not use the internet regularly in a typical learning day. We use it daily for regular research. There's nothing as cool as having a child pose a question, the answer to which can be accessed within seconds on the web.  The dangers of the internet are also well documented and we never allow the children to be left unsupervised. We also have Net Nanny and try to use only 'kid-friendly' browsers like Kids Ask or Looksmart's Kids Directory.

But even though I enjoy and use technology, I get immense satisfaction from browsing the stacks at our local library and coming away with bags full of books.  Books offer something that instant internet access can't - the slow process of discovery. Recently, my young grandson began  using our big, heavy Illustrated Dictionary.  He was intimidated by its size but after a brief tutorial,  was eager to see what this big, fat book had to offer. I got a kick out of watching him carefully turn the pages and scan the photos and illustrations. He would stop at something interesting and then search for the corresponding words on the page. Lips moving silently, he was totally immersed in what the experts call "a teachable moment".  Books offer children that like no other tool.

The physical action of turning the pages in a book to search for information allows the child to slow down while the brain churns and digests information. Can anything replace a book for offering a child this kind of learning experience.  Curling up in a comfortable chair or sprawled across the floor, they can return to the pages of a book again and again to relive, review, peruse and add to their storehouse of knowledge or continue an adventure. Although it's often a quiet, independent experience, it provides plenty of  opportunity for sharing one-to-one with other humans. Human communication; human interaction; remember that? It's a good thing.


It's still the most thrilling of sights to see a child surrounded by piles of books with one open in his/her lap. I love it when a child runs to me waving an open book and asks me to look at something they've just discovered. So, although I do enjoy technology and I admit that I'm addicted to some of it, I hope and pray that books - real, paper, hard-cover books - will always remain.

Now, it's time for "Story-Stop" ... nothing better than reading to a child no matter how old they get.