Chicago children logged onto their e-learning classrooms Tuesday, kicking off a school year where Chromebooks and iPads are as essential as pencils, and a new learning lexicon includes the phrases “chat box” and “Google Meets.” District leaders have promised a better remote learning experience this fall, and educators have sent a flurry of communications to families about what to expect as the school year starts.
But given the stress of the pandemic, the limited time to plan, the city’s persistent issues with technology and internet access and the six-hour school day that families must now largely oversee, uncertainty abounds. Many big questions remain, including: How will schools address trauma and stress? Will efforts to bridge the digital divide pay off?
