Many kids do their computerhomework at the library

College mentor David Paez (left), 21, a student at the Art Institute of Miami, works with Lavingston Humes,

17, on a laptop that is provided for students in the North Dade Library branch's You Media program, Oct. 8,

2014, in Miami Gardens, Florida. Photo: Jon Durr/Miami Herald/MCT

MIAMI — Christina Morua sat in the children’s section of her local library. She

was waiting for her fourth-grader to get on a library computer and start her

homework.

“We don’t have any Internet at home,” Morua said. Her 11-year-old son was

working on a laptop. Her 9-year-old daughter, Alina, asked for a desktop. She

had to wait over an hour to use it.

More and more schools are giving homework online. Yet many kids, like

Morua's, cannot get on the Internet at home. They go to the library to use the

Internet. However, they find that many libraries do not have enough computers

for everyone.

“The laptops we do have, the batteries aren’t working,” said Patricia Readon.

She is a children's librarian. "The sad part is, if you don’t have a computer, you

can’t do your homework.”

By Miami Herald, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.27.14

Word Count 557

Pauline Theobolds has a computer at home. It does not work properly with her

12-year-old son's school Internet connection. They need to leave the library by

6:30 p.m. so she can go to her job as a nurse. “The other night was tight

because they didn’t have any computers,” she said.

Lots Of Money, But Not For Computers

Miami-Dade’s libraries have an extra $4 million to spend this year. The money is

needed to pay workers, buy new children’s books and do online tutoring. There

is no money left over to buy more computers, said Gia Arbogast. She is in

charge of the library system.

There is a bright side, Arbogast said. Older laptops have been replaced with

new tablets.

Still, more computers are needed, Arbogast said.

Silvia Diaz is an official in the Miami-Dade school system. Diaz said eventually

every student will have a tablet or computer and Internet access at home.

“Unfortunately, so many of our kids are poor," she said. The school system is

trying to find ways for students to have free or cheap home Internet. For now,

teachers should give online homework only if the whole class can use the

Internet at home, she said.

“We really shouldn’t be requiring kids to go to the library to complete

assignments,” Diaz said. “A project or something special is OK." Daily online

homework is not OK, she said.

Many Homes Do Not Have Computers

Isaiah Goulbourne is a junior at Miami Norland Senior High School. Most of his

school books are online. But he uses a real book for English. It never leaves the

classroom. “We’re not allowed to take them home because there aren’t enough

for everyone,” he said.

Goulbourne said he needs the library to do schoolwork. His family does not

have Internet use at home. Internet is especially popular at the library in Miami

Gardens. One in 5 people who live there are poor.

In 2011, young people at libraries were asked about the Internet. Nearly half of

them said they did not have the Internet at home. In the whole country, 1 out of 5

children live in a home without Internet access.

Leaving the house to do homework every night makes it harder to succeed in

school, experts say.

Michele Stiles runs the South Dade Library. She said there are long waits for

computers at many libraries. Some students do not finish their homework

because they cannot get on a computer.

When that happens, Stiles said, librarians give "excuse notes" for teachers.

Quiz

1 What problems do students face at libraries to finish their homework?

(A) many computers do not work

(B) there are not enough computers

(C) most computers do not have Internet connection

(D) students don't get access to systems for a long duration

2 According to Silvia Diaz, online homework should be given only if:

(A) all students are given free Internet at home

(B) all students in the class have Internet at home

(C) teachers help the students with their homework

(D) teachers restrict online homework to higher grade students

3 What is the main idea of the article?

(A) Libraries do not have enough computers for students.

(B) Many students do not have Internet connections at home.

(C) Miami-Dade schools are making a shift to digital learning.

(D) More and more students are visiting libraries to finish their

homework.

4 Select the paragraph from the section "Lots Of Money, But Not For Computers" that

describes why libraries are not able to buy more computers.

Answer Key

1 What problems do students face at libraries to finish their homework?

(A) many computers do not work

(B) there are not enough computers

(C) most computers do not have Internet connection

(D) students don't get access to systems for a long duration

2 According to Silvia Diaz, online homework should be given only if:

(A) all students are given free Internet at home

(B) all students in the class have Internet at home

(C) teachers help the students with their homework

(D) teachers restrict online homework to higher grade students

3 What is the main idea of the article?

(A) Libraries do not have enough computers for students.

(B) Many students do not have Internet connections at home.

(C) Miami-Dade schools are making a shift to digital learning.

(D) More and more students are visiting libraries to finish their

homework.

4 Select the paragraph from the section "Lots Of Money, But Not For Computers" that

describes why libraries are not able to buy more computers.

Paragraph 5:

Miami-Dade’s libraries have an extra $4 million to spend this year. The

money is needed to pay workers, buy new children’s books and do

online tutoring. There is no money left over to buy more computers,

said Gia Arbogast. She is in charge of the library system.