Pulling kids out of school.

kohlby · Sep 23, 2016

[QUOTE="roseaster, post: 56507952, member: 469686"']

DON'T ask for work ahead of time. It makes extra work for the teacher. If the teacher gives you work ahead of time, or an assignment to while you are there he/she expects it to be done while you are there and handed in upon your return.

[/QUOTE]

I disagree with not asking for work as a former teacher. Don't expect the teachers to provide the work, but there is no harm in asking for what they can give you. It was much harder for me to help students get caught up the more days they had to make up. If they asked for work ahead of time, then that meant they tried to learn those lessons before returning. This allowed them to be able to catch up to what we were doing much faster. It's highly unlikely I could have given a student over a week's worth of work, but I could have told them what we were working on and given then a couple assignments to do. Doing ANYTHING is better than nothing. That student will be sitting in class completely confused upon returning. The faster the student can catch up the better - and giving some work allowed them to catch up faster. The school's policy was 2 days given for 1 day missed for excused absences, but when there were a lot, it was better to try to get caught up faster so they had less time sitting in class confused. The school's policy for unexcused absences was 0 days given to make up work. Meaning, it was not required and teachers were free to give the students zeros for all they missed. I never did because I cared about the learning, not the policy. But the school would have fully supported me had I decided to give students zeros for all the time they missed when not excused as that was the official policy.

roseaster · Sep 23, 2016

Okay, I worded that badly. I meant more don't demand or expect the teacher supply you with work ahead of time.

I get that it may not be feasible, I'm not a teacher, but I see how lesson plans could change. Like you expected t spend a certain number of days on a topic and the class with had difficulty with it and you had to work on it longer, or picked it up more easily and you were able to move on more quickly. Like you could plan to teach say, fractions on Wednesday, but the kids had so much trouble learning division that you weren't able to get to fractions until Thursday.

FTR our schools do the same. Vacations are unexcused and teachers don't have t offer make up work. I'm too chicken to test them on that, and I am no teacher so I don't want to spend the week after my vacation trying to teach my kids the concepts they missed.

magic458 · Sep 26, 2016

Absolutely I yank the kids out of school for this. While school is extremely important family is far much more so.

Also when it comes to work ask the teacher what they prefer to do.
As a former secondary teacher it is much harder to get a weeks worth of work ready in time because there is so much adjustment and what you were covering from day to day.

Disneywishes2018 · Sep 27, 2016

We haven't been to disneyworld (will be in 2018), but we will have to pull 2 kids out. My son will be in 5th and my daughter will be in 2nd. My younges will be 3 so no svhool for him. At their school, if you are going to miss more than 5 days you can sign up for the travel study program. Basically you inform the school and teachers at least 2 weeks in advance and they have to give you all class work and all homework that will be missed. Students have to turn it all in the day they go back to school to receive credit for it. The absences are unexcused, but you get credit for all the work missed so long as it's completed and turned in. We live in California, so to get to Florida is a long flight. I plan on having them do work on the plane there and back and our no park day. We also plan on doing one day at the Kennedy space center, so that's educational right? Lol

This really will be our once in a lifetime trip, so I'm not caring too much what the school thinks about it.

MammaMoe48 · Sep 27, 2016

roseaster said:
We don't. Our schools don't allow it. It is an unexcused absence and the kids have to take zeros for the work missed.

Check with your schools about their attendance policies.

That's how our school district is. Even if we offered to do the work while on vacation the school wouldn't allow it. If I went to the school and said I want to take my 6th grader out for a vacation, they'd mark it as an unexcused absence. Unexcused absences of more than 3 days can be grounds for expulsion. If I lied and said he was sick, I'd need a doctor's note for any illness lasting more than a couple of days so again we'd be screwed. It's just not worth it to me.

ammama · Sep 27, 2016

We have two girls and we have taken them out of school the week of Labor Day when they were in 2nd/5th and 4th/7th grades. They each missed 5 days of school each time. We took a couple of textbooks with us on their carry-ons and assignments were posted online. They worked on homework twice that week for about an hour each time. It took about 3 days to get everything caught up, but their teachers were fine with it. Giving plenty of notice is key for us. We plan on doing the same thing next year when they are in 7th/10th grades.

DisneyPrincess_79 · Sep 27, 2016

My school district is very understanding. We can pre-arrange an absence and ask that it be counted as an educational, and thus excused, absence. We just have to identify the concepts our children will be learning while away from school.

North of Mouse · Sep 28, 2016

Our school districts policies had nothing to do with what our schools did, depending on each individual situation. We always maintained a very good working relationship with teachers and principals and never had any issues taking our children out of schools for vacations - even through high school. All three were honor students. Our family times together were extremely important.

roseaster · Sep 29, 2016

North of Mouse said:
Our school districts policies had nothing to do with what our schools did, depending on each individual situation. We always maintained a very good working relationship with teachers and principals and never had any issues taking our children out of schools for vacations - even through high school. All three were honor students. Our family times together were extremely important.

I never understood why people say this. Is it suggesting that if you won't take your kids out of school then you don't think "family time" is important?

North of Mouse · Sep 30, 2016

roseaster said:
I never understood why people say this. Is it suggesting that if you won't take your kids out of school then you don't think "family time" is important?

Nope, sure doesn't!! Just means we love taking vacations together at different times and really enjoy 'all' being together. We go several times a year, and didn't want to limit our times to summers and holidays (no way).

Actually, guess I should have worded it that we enjoy our children all the time, but 'special' memories are sometimes the ones remembered when we vacation together more than just limited times/seasons a year. Better for you?? :confused3

MomTo3PrincessesInNJ · Sep 30, 2016

roseaster said:
I never understood why people say this. Is it suggesting that if you won't take your kids out of school then you don't think "family time" is important?

I think what the poster really means is "Our family times together at Disney World during off-peak times were extremely important."

Stating "family time" as an "excuse" for taking kids out of school is annoying. The real reason is usually something else. Cheaper hotel/flights, less crowds, better weather, better for mom & dad's schedule, etc. There are plenty of times during the year families can vacation together and have all kids of memory making without kids missing school. I know why I preferred to take my kids out of school for our Disney trips, but I won't pretend that it's because "family time" was more important than book learnin' -- it's because it was cheaper for us to travel during the week during school year, and also easier for me to take off from my job. And the great thing about being parents is that we don't have to justify our decisions to anyone! Vacation how and when you want.

DrunkJam · Sep 30, 2016

It really is a shame. There are some people (in certain occupations, and with particular circumstances) who can ONLY take their vacation at very specific times, outside of school holidays, or, now or never.

These people DO need family time and holiday time.

Obviously, supply and demand mean school holiday time is more expensive. This is a problem that could be solved. Thus reducing the burden on both children and teachers.

However, as I say, the issues are slightly different over here, as it is less possible.

North of Mouse · Sep 30, 2016

MomTo3PrincessesInNJ said:
Stating "family time" as an "excuse" for taking kids out of school is annoying.

I know why I preferred to take my kids out of school for our Disney trips, but I won't pretend that it's because "family time" was more important than book learnin' --

And the great thing about being parents is that we don't have to justify our decisions to anyone! Vacation how and when you want.

Even though I was not quoted, it's obvious this was directed at me! You are totally entitled to your opinion, and so am I.

Actually, citing 'family' time is not an excuse or a 'pretend', it is a reason we do what we do with our own children, not for the reasons you posted. And, yes, to us, those times were very much more important than 'book learnin'!! As I said, our children knew their responsibilities and were all honor students. We aren't 'slackers' in education.

And, you are also correct, we, as parents, do not have to justify our reasons to anyone, and we didn't/don't.

MammaMoe48 · Oct 3, 2016

I personally wouldn't take my son out of school for vacations but that's because of the way the school system works here in NYC. Without getting into too many details, acceptance into the better middle and high schools in the city are tied to academics and attendance. So missing school for vacation would not work for us. However, if you think about it, when families go to WDW in the "off season" they aren't there during "peak season" which means less crowds when we are there in the summer so I'm all for taking kids out of school if that's what works for other families.

here757 · Oct 6, 2016

Another point to ponder.. I just got letter from school sayin..
20 or more absences ( excused or unexcused) reguardless of grades will repeat the entire year.

eeyoreandtink · Oct 7, 2016

North of Mouse said:
Nope, sure doesn't!! Just means we love taking vacations together at different times and really enjoy 'all' being together. We go several times a year, and didn't want to limit our times to summers and holidays (no way).

Actually, guess I should have worded it that we enjoy our children all the time, but 'special' memories are sometimes the ones remembered when we vacation together more than just limited times/seasons a year. Better for you??

So what you really mean is that going when its not crowded is more important. I don't have a problem with that. Family time is important, but there are lots of school breaks where it can happen. I don't see what the date has to do with family time. Unless there is a family member who is never off during a school break, I think using family time as a reason for going during school just isn't valid, but then again I don't think anyone needs a reason or justification for doing it. I say ,do what you want and own that it is the choice you are making.

roseaster · Oct 9, 2016

North of Mouse said:
Nope, sure doesn't!! Just means we love taking vacations together at different times and really enjoy 'all' being together. We go several times a year, and didn't want to limit our times to summers and holidays (no way).

Actually, guess I should have worded it that we enjoy our children all the time, but 'special' memories are sometimes the ones remembered when we vacation together more than just limited times/seasons a year. Better for you??

My point was that I think that almost all families will tell you that "family time" is important, but when people make statements like this it makes it sound like people who don't take their kids out of school don't value "family time."

I think if your school allows it and your kids can handle the make-up work then it would just sit better if people admitted they liked the better weather/cheaper prices/less crowds. I am sure that people who can't afford vacations at all still value family time and I am sure that people who can't or won't take their kids out of school also value it.

Today was miserable and rainy. We made cookies and watched Netflix. It was still family time.

North of Mouse · Oct 9, 2016

roseaster said:
My point was that I think that almost all families will tell you that "family time" is important, but when people make statements like this it makes it sound like people who don't take their kids out of school don't value "family time."
Today was miserable and rainy. We made cookies and watched Netflix. It was still family time.

You still missed my point - never even hinted that family time can not be had in lots of situations - but whatever - school (for us) was 'never' more important than anything we decided to do as a family (was never abused).
We all have different thoughts on school attendance.

Over and out -

SuperPreparo · Oct 11, 2016

My kids are grown now, but when they were younger we had no problem pulling them out of school for a week every fall. We were fortunate that they went to a small school, and the teachers were very supportive. They would always give us the work ahead of time, and more often than not the kids were ahead when they got back.

Charade67 · Oct 12, 2016

I've done it when she was in elementary school and a couple of days in middle school, but now that she is in high school I won't. I'm not sure she would be comfortable with missing school now for vacation. Last year she got mad at me because I kept her home for 2 days during midterms. She was sick and had a fever, but still wanted to take her exams.

Pulling kids out of school.

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