Parents Need Digital Literacy Training

My name is Angelica Moreno. I live in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood, and I am a mother of two students in CPS. My son attends Prosser Academy and my daughter goes to Lloyd Elementary.

I’m excited about yesterday’s news that every eligible student in CPS who does not already have the internet at home will be able to connect to the internet. I think this is a great and necessary thing for many families in Chicago. I, myself, have friends with children in CPS that will benefit from this.

However, I want to ask that the city consider and make it a priority to train parents on how to access and use the internet. E-Learning has not been easy for me and my children. We only have one device at home that my son uses for his school work. My daughter’s E-Learning experience has not been the best, which has affected her emotionally and meant that she's running the risk of being in summer school. I tried my best to manage the school programs, but due to my lack of knowledge on how to navigate the internet it was unsuccessful and my daughter was not able to participate in online classes. This is not fair for my daughter. I wonder how many students are also in the same situation as my daughter. I ask that teachers be kind and conscious that there is a learning curve tied to E-Learning for students and parents.

Again, I am thankful that broadband internet is now available for CPS students, but there is a lot more to do when it comes to making this a successful program.

— Angelica Moreno, Chicago

Learn more about the City's new program to close the digital divide, Chicago Connected, and sign up to get involved.