Maybe I am just being a dinosaur here, but I think it is a tad presumptuous that a middle school teacher in a large city assume that all of her students have access to Internet each night.

What made me consider this is that my son's pre-Algebra teacher is putting her lessons on a web page for the kids to watch at night to make the next day in the class for them to work on the lesson, with her guidance.

I love the concept and see it working great. But for those kids who do not have Internet at home, I wonder how that would go? Granted this math is optional for 7th graders. It is the higher of the two math classes with the other being an advanced basic math. But when we were told that our kids qualified for pre-algebra, we were not told that they had to have Internet access. I am feeling like the set up may screw over kids who are advanced but do not have Internet at home.

This is a large reason why libraries should not be closed in lieu of other businesses that people don't need, a lot of families still do NOT have internet access and the free library is the only way they can get it.

Well even with library access, not all kids can get there in one night. But I agree that extended assignments that require Internet research make kids having Internet at the local library branch important.

Should today's urban middle school teachers assume that all kids have Internet access?

I'd hope not, a lot of my nieces/nephews don't have internet access from home.

They shouldn't assume. It does sound like a good idea but I hope they've planned alternatives for the kids who can't get on-line.

Yes and cell phones too!

No, I don't think they should; which is why school libraries should always be up to date on technology and have an attendant there to allow access to students after school hours who need to do their homework.

Nhaiyel wrote:

No, I don't think they should; which is why school libraries should always be up to date on technology and have an attendant there to allow access to students after school hours who need to do their homework.