Would you pull your kids out of school for WDW trip?

[humboldthny]

I also don't think that people realize that the educational system is becoming more and more rigorous. With the roll out of the Common Core State Standards, which are coming to all states except Alaska and Texas by 2015, you are going to see children expected to do much more.

Have to say I'm not impressed....evidently our state adopted the Core State Standards a year ago. We pulled our dd7 out of public school last fall because the curriculum was a joke (as I discovered it was in the 2nd grade as well while I was subbing for a maternity leave) - and we were at a "very good" school in a "top" district. Families are leaving, or trying to leave, our district schools in droves in favor of charters and private schools (one charter had 300-500 applicants per grade level, my dd's private school is in it's 2nd year now and will triple in size next year and the other branch schools are full with wait lists). Franky, I'm never impressed by the current curriculum fad...my mom taught for 35 years and I taught for 5 before I had dd...they come and go, and none stay around long enough to be proven.

Fortunately dd's school runs on a year-round calendar enabling us to travel every 9 weeks or so throughout the year...

 

[Cepbush106]

I have to say I'm pretty saddened by this thread.

I'm a grant director in a local middle/high school and in our district an "excused" absence is any absence a parents choose to excuse (within reason, if absences get extreme then we start requiring notes). A vacation is definitely an excused absence.

School is VERY important, but I'm tired of schools making it seem as the only importance. State tests, new stringent requirements, teachers having to cut time in science, art, social studies so they have time to teach 3rd grade students how to path the math and reading portions of a stupid test developed by legislatures. School should not come between a vacation with family. How do you feel after a vacation from work? Refreshed right? Why should it be any different for a child?

Reading other district's policies sickens me.

 

[Cepbush106]

Now, here's my question. Obviously, I'm a teacher as I've posted several times. For a while DH was on year round and I was on 9 month, which meant the only vacation time we had the same was Christmas and Spring Break. So, would you all not have a problem if DH or I had taken a week off and subjected your students to a substitute so we could take a vacation? I see this as much the same thing!

I would be happy that the teacher took some time off to get refreshed with their family!! That's what "vacation" time is for!

 

[Cepbush106]

More, how? Different knowledge, some fun facts, yes but it does not replace week of school. Want to learn about different places, watch travel and discovery channel, go online, but to learn school material go to school.

not true, research suggests students learn more AND retain more by doing hands on, and supplements to their normal schoolwork. Sitting hearing about a country in school is great, but SEEING that country in Epcot stimulates the brain more than a lecture or textbook could.

 

[DisneyNDecember]

In reply to the original post, YES !!!! I took my son out of school ever since he was in first grade, every December. This was easier when he was in elementary & middle school, but this last year, he was a freshman in high school & it was much more difficult making up the exams he missed, but his teachers were GREAT !!!

The only reason we won't be doing it again this December is because of that very reason, it is just too hard on the teachers & the students when they are in high schol.

I would not trade those memories or photo albums of those Decembers since he was in first grade for anything, they are priceless !!!!!

 

[Brian Noble]

research suggests students learn more AND retain more by doing hands on, and supplements to their normal schoolwork.

Yes, "active learning" is useful. In fact, I'm a huge proponent of it and have adopted many active learning techniques into my own courses. But the activities need to actually be in the same general topic area, and dealing with closely related material. I doubt that spending time in the Germany and Japan pavilions, for example, will help my daughter much with her studies of mid-20th century world history and WWII.

I love Disney. Kids can have some wonderful experiences there, and *some* of those experiences can legitimately be described as "educational". But it is vacation, not a semester abroad.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

i would for sure.

 

[LilyWDW]

Each person has to look at their situation individually. No one else will be able to say that it is right or not right to take YOUR child out of school for a vacation. There are simply too many variables that have to be weighed. So, look at your situation and then decide what is best for YOU.

 

[Planogirl]

not true, research suggests students learn more AND retain more by doing hands on, and supplements to their normal schoolwork. Sitting hearing about a country in school is great, but SEEING that country in Epcot stimulates the brain more than a lecture or textbook could.

I think that actually seeing the true country would do more than seeing Disney's homogenized mini-version but otherwise I get your point. We chose to allow DS to see "real" things but supplemental to school not instead of school.

I say whatever works for each family is the best approach.

 

[volfamof4]

Yes

 

[fleeflicker]

We have done it and will do it again. Two things we consider is cost factor and our different times off. If we can save 500 or more then there is not question.

 

[GiJohnsGirl]

I also don't think that people realize that the educational system is becoming more and more rigorous. With the roll out of the Common Core State Standards, which are coming to all states except Alaska and Texas by 2015, you are going to see children expected to do much more. I am going to have to teach things in fifth grade that have only been taught in middle school. I will be doing some learning, too! My point of this is that when we were in school, and heck when I started teaching 11 years ago, school wasn't as rigorous. Leave for a week in elementary and nothing major was missed. But, now, with the emphasis on discussion and explaining your answers and justifying and persuading, school is going to go in a completely different format. I see worksheets as a thing of the past and school being about discussing and justifying answers. In our state, we now have two diplomas for high school: one with extra math and science courses, and one without the math and science courses. It is going to be harder and harder to get into college. It's hard to look at this from a historical perspective and say that I was taken out, no problem. School is becoming what it always should have been!

Well thank God. It's about time. I graduated from HS in 2004 (and recently finished my masters), but I was bored in my public school education from the third grade on. In high school I had to pack my back pack for the day with magazines, books, music, art etc because I was so bored in advanced/honors classes. My family could not afford private school or I would(should) have been in one. It really depends on the child imo. My son can miss school and not have any problems adjusting when he returns. I missed the most I could my junior year with out getting into trouble with the school or district and graduated with a 4.0. I think you have to look into what works best for your child.

 

[loperella]

This year will be a first for us, as we usually go in October. We've already talked with their school principals & they said as long as our boys aren't trouble-makers and do well in school, it won't be a problem. Good luck on whatever you decide

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Each person has to look at their situation individually. No one else will be able to say that it is right or not right to take YOUR child out of school for a vacation. There are simply too many variables that have to be weighed. So, look at your situation and then decide what is best for YOU.

Agreed! DH and I both teach. We are DVC members and have taken our son out of school for a fall trip or two.... Most of the time it isn't necessary though because we have enough breaks in our calendar.

 

[YodaGirl]

I thought that this thread finally died...

I would be happy that the teacher took some time off to get refreshed with their family!! That's what "vacation" time is for!

Most districts do not give teachers "vacation" time. Yes, the have sick and personal time, but it's not necessarily meant to be used for an annual trip to Disney.

not true, research suggests students learn more AND retain more by doing hands on, and supplements to their normal schoolwork. Sitting hearing about a country in school is great, but SEEING that country in Epcot stimulates the brain more than a lecture or textbook could.

You were very blunt, so I will be, as well.

This line of thinking is one of the issues with today's education system. While active/hands-on learning is highly important in education, it also has to be relevant to what students should be learning. I'm not saying to teach to the test, but I do believe that there should be different learning standards for each grade. Any good educator can tell the difference in everyday, active learning (which is what happens daily in the classroom of a good teacher) and a vacation where occasional educational moments occur.

Yes, there are educational aspects to Epcot, but there is NO WAY that a trip to Epcot can be a substitute for the classroom. If that's the case in your district, then you need better teachers. If a trip to Disney could actually replace time in the classroom, you would be seeing higher test scores and grades in students who visit Disney World.

Yes, "active learning" is useful. In fact, I'm a huge proponent of it and have adopted many active learning techniques into my own courses. But the activities need to actually be in the same general topic area, and dealing with closely related material. I doubt that spending time in the Germany and Japan pavilions, for example, will help my daughter much with her studies of mid-20th century world history and WWII.

I love Disney. Kids can have some wonderful experiences there, and *some* of those experiences can legitimately be described as "educational". But it is vacation, not a semester abroad.

I think that actually seeing the true country would do more than seeing Disney's homogenized mini-version but otherwise I get your point. We chose to allow DS to see "real" things but supplemental to school not instead of school.

I say whatever works for each family is the best approach.

I agree that educational moments during vacation can be supplemental to school. The key word, however, is supplemental.



As has been said, if you want to take your child out of school, fine. The excuse that it replaces a week at school, however, just doesn't hold water. Honestly, I don't think any parent is really sitting at home thinking, "How can I help my child in school? I know! I can take them to Disney World for a week and immerse them in educational aspects (but it has to be done during school time). They'll learn more in that week than they would at school!".

 

[tx2tn]

YES Take them out of school
YES Take them out of school
YES Take them out of school

Just think back to your own education/schooling. Is it possible for a missed week or two to have a negative impact on anyones education? No, of course not! Especially when MOST teachers will offer to give the child the necessary work to keep them up to speed.

 

[tx2tn]

I have to say I'm pretty saddened by this thread.

I'm a grant director in a local middle/high school and in our district an "excused" absence is any absence a parents choose to excuse (within reason, if absences get extreme then we start requiring notes). A vacation is definitely an excused absence.

School is VERY important, but I'm tired of schools making it seem as the only importance. State tests, new stringent requirements, teachers having to cut time in science, art, social studies so they have time to teach 3rd grade students how to path the math and reading portions of a stupid test developed by legislatures. School should not come between a vacation with family. How do you feel after a vacation from work? Refreshed right? Why should it be any different for a child?

Reading other district's policies sickens me.

Amen!

 

[Bnearing]

We are pulling our children out of school for a week in October this fall. This is our first trip to Disney and due to finances we will not be going back to Disney for probably 5 years. For this reason we want to make the trip the very best we can and that includes going at a time when crowds and heat are lower (not LOW but lower, and yes I realize it can still be brutally hot in October).

Also, my husband owns his own business and the in the summer his men take their vacations so he is needed around the mill more than ever. The fall is actually the best time for him to leave.

My children are both very good students, top readers, finish their homework every night, etc. type of kids. They will make up the work.

Missing 5 days of first grade and fifth grade is not the end of the world. My daughter reads about the Revolutionary War for fun. My son is most excited to see The Hall of Presidents at MK. I'm not worried about these kids at all. We're not going to Disney to have an educational experience, we are going to spend time as a family and enjoy a hard-earned vacation!

 

[YodaGirl]

YES Take them out of school
YES Take them out of school
YES Take them out of school

Just think back to your own education/schooling. Is it possible for a missed week or two to have a negative impact on anyones education? No, of course not! Especially when MOST teachers will offer to give the child the necessary work to keep them up to speed.

"Is it possible for a missed week or two to have a negative impact on anyone's education?" Yes, which is what has been stated several times in this thread - even by people who say take your child out of school.

While "MOST teachers will offer to give the child the necessary work to keep them up to speed," you will never be able to replace the actual lessons taught in the classroom with that time. As previously stated, lessons involving active learning are more effective than worksheets/bookwork.

 

[YodaGirl]

We are pulling our children out of school for a week in October this fall. This is our first trip to Disney and due to finances we will not be going back to Disney for probably 5 years. For this reason we want to make the trip the very best we can and that includes going at a time when crowds and heat are lower (not LOW but lower, and yes I realize it can still be brutally hot in October).

Also, my husband owns his own business and the in the summer his men take their vacations so he is needed around the mill more than ever. The fall is actually the best time for him to leave.

My children are both very good students, top readers, finish their homework every night, etc. type of kids. They will make up the work.

Missing 5 days of first grade and fifth grade is not the end of the world. My daughter reads about the Revolutionary War for fun. My son is most excited to see The Hall of Presidents at MK. I'm not worried about these kids at all. We're not going to Disney to have an educational experience, we are going to spend time as a family and enjoy a hard-earned vacation!

And I hope that you have an absolute blast!