a change I wish I could make

[Ofinn]

Thanks for being honest by not trying to pass off vacation like its some kind of university enrichment program. Which was my point.

The fact is anyone who can afford a vacation can afford to vacation during school season and still have "once in a lifetime experiences" just not as often or as long or maybe not in the cabin or hotel class they prefer.

Vacations can be more educational than sitting in a classroom. It really depends on the parent.

 

[Ofinn]

I'm going to start by saying that I don't think a cruise is going absolutely to be educational, but, these things are what you make of them. I am the product of home school, back in the day when people looked at you REALLY weird when they found out. I started home school in Kindergarten in the late 80s and from that day until the day I graduated from high school my mother strove to make everything we did, partly an "educational experience". Her favorite tag line. Did my trip to Myrtle Beach in October really educate me? Perhaps not, though I did learn about the tides, and beach erosion after a big storm came through one night.

However, I will say it depends on the trip. Did I learn a lot during the 5 days( Saturday and Sunday included mind you) we spent in Gettysburg? Heck yes! Far more than I ever could have in a class room and far more in depth than I would have from a one day field trip a lot of schools around here take.

So I guess my point is, it depends on the trip how educational you could make it. A 4 night on the Dream or the 7 night on the Fantasy to the Caribbean, you could make it educational, different cultures, poorer countries, etc. But imagine what you could do with the Mediterranean cruise? I think I would pull my non existent kid out of school in a heart beat (assuming they were doing well) to see Europe first hand. Experience is better than reading all about it.

End long winded post.

Totally agree. It's up to the parent and how much they want to teach their child. Most parents want the school to educate their child. They don't want to be bothered with the responsibility so therefore vacation is never educational.

 

[tanyam76]

Why doesn’t main stream schools see the value in travel? Much of the financial issues with travel is wrapped around the need for us to be a Slave to the school calendar. I think every child should be allowed and encouraged to travel in some educational way 1-2 weeks, during a time period of the family's choice. There is so much to be learned outside of the classroom and I think it is so unfortunate that so many can only travel during school breaks because of this attitude of the school systems. This has caused a supply and demand issue that makes travel out of reach during those time periods. Many of the recent discussions on these boards come down to this issue. Who do you email on this one?

I live in Ontario Canada and we do not need permission, advance notice or the okay to take the kids our for vacation. That said, I still write them a note.

When I was younger the kids in my class that were going on vacation would do some sort of journal, nothing hard at all. But then I never noticed anyone taking advantage of that or it getting out of hand. When I first took my Disney Cruise another DIS'er was mentioning that she could only take 3 days. I was shocked because as much as I believe school is extremely important and I always continue the learning at home with my daughter after school. I feel she needs the time as well to unwind and have a break. It's one week and even though she gets time away from school in the summer, Im not off so she goes to daycare.

What could really happen if you kept them out of school for 5 days?

 

[neg58]

What could really happen if you kept them out of school for 5 days?

It depends on your school district and state. What COULD happen?

-You could be expelled or, more likely, disenrolled.
-The absence could be unexcused, which would mean any work/tests required that week would receive a zero, which could make you fail the class
-In some states, like Texas, the parents can be charged with a crime
-At a private school, you could be asked to leave

Some kids go to schools outside their district, so if they are disenrolled, they might not get back into that school but have to go to the school they are zoned for. If the child is in a magnet or charter school, they could be returned to their zoned school.

I think most often things are not so formal but still have bad consequence. The child isn't favored by the teacher, the child isn't chosen for a sports team ora part in the play, the child loses out on some opportunities. For example, my daughter is trying out for her school play, and try outs are the day BEFORE return from holiday break. The teacher said she would allow 'some' people who can't be there that day to try out the next day, but if a student were to extend the holiday vacation 2-3 days in January, that student will not be in the play (unless it she is a teacher's favorite, then there are no rules). This teacher plays favorites, and when my daughter asks for special consideration, she does not get it. Last year she traveled on Spring Break and came back very very ill and couldn't go to school. The teacher said she couldn't be in the play that they had been practicing all spring.

Nancy

 

[natmom]

It depends on your school district and state. What COULD happen?

-You could be expelled or, more likely, disenrolled.
-The absence could be unexcused, which would mean any work/tests required that week would receive a zero, which could make you fail the class
-In some states, like Texas, the parents can be charged with a crime
-At a private school, you could be asked to leave

Some kids go to schools outside their district, so if they are disenrolled, they might not get back into that school but have to go to the school they are zoned for. If the child is in a magnet or charter school, they could be returned to their zoned school.

I think most often things are not so formal but still have bad consequence. The child isn't favored by the teacher, the child isn't chosen for a sports team ora part in the play, the child loses out on some opportunities. For example, my daughter is trying out for her school play, and try outs are the day BEFORE return from holiday break. The teacher said she would allow 'some' people who can't be there that day to try out the next day, but if a student were to extend the holiday vacation 2-3 days in January, that student will not be in the play (unless it she is a teacher's favorite, then there are no rules). This teacher plays favorites, and when my daughter asks for special consideration, she does not get it. Last year she traveled on Spring Break and came back very very ill and couldn't go to school. The teacher said she couldn't be in the play that they had been practicing all spring.

Nancy

Well, the OP said she is from Ontario Canada so there is no consequence to pull your children from school. I can vouch for this as well, I am from Ontario Canada too.

 

[neg58]

Well, the OP said she is from Ontario Canada so there is no consequence to pull your children from school. I can vouch for this as well, I am from Ontario Canada too.

The OP (who started this thread) never said that and I don't think she is from Canada. Since she said she wished schools would allow people to take their kids out of school, I assume she's in a district that does not allow it (or why wish for it?)

I was responding to tanyam who asked what could happen to people (and I inferred in the US) who just took their kids out for 5 days. It varies by state and school district.

Nancy

 

[natmom]

The OP (who started this thread) never said that and I don't think she is from Canada. Since she said she wished schools would allow people to take their kids out of school, I assume she's in a district that does not allow it (or why wish for it?)

I was responding to tanyam who asked what could happen to people (and I inferred in the US) who just took their kids out for 5 days. It varies by state and school district.

Nancy

Sorry, meant the person you were responding to, not the op.

 

[vabmama]

I have to be ready for my students to come in the room at 7:50. My last student leaves, on average, around 3:45. I get no scheduled breaks during the day. My lunch is a working lunch, and my planning period is usually filled with meetings. On an average day, I leave around 6pm. I'm not complaining. I understand that this is the job I signed up for, and I'm ok with that. I just want correct the poster that we have more than a 6 hour work day.

Yup. This is why I decided to just start my own preschool. I don't miss those 12 hour days and I shower my boys' teachers with praise and gifts and spontaneous Starbucks.

As for the OP. I believe in family time. I did when I taught in a public school and I do now. I believe that vacations can be educational, just not necessarily in a bookish, academia way. Children learn a lot about different cultures, animals, art, etc on vacations. They are exposed to a lot they would not be at home.

My boys are still very little but like to talk about Jamaican wood carvers - this isn't something they'd learn in school. It's just not.

As a teacher I had no problem with family vacations and usually didn't send packets, but I taught kindergarten. I'd just say "take lots of pictures and enjoy!"

As a mom, I do ask for packets and we do them on the plane and then don't look at them again until we are home. It sounds like we are blessed to have schools that are okay with this.

 

[Tashinwdw]

WOW! this thread has been rather interesting to read, I was not aware of all the issues relating to taking your child out of school. or how strongly some people feel about it.

I am not sure I am game to tell you I am taking my children out of school for 5 weeks for our holiday next year. Though our school years in Australia are very different from yours. All we have to do is complete a school exemption form. The teachers are happy to assist us in any way and think its a wonderful opportunity for the children to travel etc.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

WOW! this thread has been rather interesting to read, I was not aware of all the issues relating to taking your child out of school. or how strongly some people feel about it.

I am not sure I am game to tell you I am taking my children out of school for 5 weeks for our holiday next year. Though our school years in Australia are very different from yours. All we have to do is complete a school exemption form. The teachers are happy to assist us in any way and think its a wonderful opportunity for the children to travel etc.

I think it is a blessing that your schools recognize that family time is important

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