Dear college professors,
While I admire you for taking on such a heavy duty of teaching students at such a high level of academics, I want to stress the constant issue arising with college textbooks. Here is the issue: you ask students to spend hundreds of dollars on textbooks that you never use. The process of college education is supposed to enrich student’s lives and make them eligible for the career of their choices, yet the learning objectives are severely scattered.
At the beginning of the semester, all students look up their classes, find the required textbooks and purchase them, assuming they will be using them frequently. However, as time persists, most undergraduate college students hardly use their textbooks at all. In some cases, teacher’s do not even ask students to open the textbook once for any type of assignment. It is beginning to be a problem in the quality of education. Now, I am not suggesting that all teacher’s begin using textbooks every day, because that is unrealistic and honestly, a waste of time in some classes, however I am proposing that a change be made. If teacher’s do not feel that the textbook is useful to their course content, then students should not have to buy it. I have noticed as time goes on, that textbooks are required more by state law than the benefit of education. The problem is, that the state or school boards are forcing teachers to use books that they do not want to use. In some cases, teachers are being forced to use books that they do not know how to teach appropriately. Because of this, students are not gaining as impactful of an education as they could be.
If the point of college is to gain a broader understanding of the career students want, then why are the courses based on the entire schools decisions? Why are lessons not being based specifically by major, and what is most impactful for the students enrichment of learning? There are many substantial issues in the way teachers are being forced to teach to their students and it is making a negative impact on student’s futures. Learning does not always come from a textbook, it comes from experience and hands on learning in the desired field of choice. If teachers do not feel the textbook is beneficial, than they should not be required to use them. Now with that being said, teacher’s should take a deep hard look at the textbook they require and ask themselves one question: is this book effective? The point of college is to be impactful and effective towards all students and our teachers need to decide if their textbook will help them attain this goal. If not, then say goodbye to the textbook and hello to alternative teaching styles.
It is time for teachers to stand up to what is most important: the end goal. STOP making students buy textbooks that they do not need and START teaching them by using practical experiences. A piece of paper will not create a successful future, but a realistic teacher will. Do what is right for the growth of education.
