I can def agree that they working harder and not getting paid enough. But I'm not asking them to create additional work or assignments special for my kids. It's mostly just "hey, can I get the handouts you already are making for the class on Friday instead of Monday?" Or " If there is a project that is due that week, can we turn it in early?" With COVID and virtual learning, even in class most everything is on their Ipads so that part is already being done.
Maybe.
I'm not currently a teacher, but our area is back to fully in person. What a teacher expects to do each day and what they actually are able to cover is not the same. (Do your WDW days always go as planned?)
Teachers never know when a disruption will occur that derails the best laid plans. A fire drill or weather delay, for example. Our area recently lost half a day due a water main break. Other times lessons go more quickly than expected. It nobody talks/asks questions, then a discussion goes nowhere.
Prepping work ahead can be a big challenge, and very time consuming. It depends somewhat on the class. Math homework is easier to prep than project work, for example. (Research, science labs) Some things can't be replicated, even if the assignments are done on a laptop/Chromebook. It is rather variable.
Also elementary, MS, and HS are all very different. Hands-on classes are also very different prep.
Many students find it very frustrating to try to work without classroom help. Some love it, but many just stop working once they get frustrated, or have a question.
In my experience, if I was asked to prep work, most students never completed it. Even GT/Honor students. At BEST, they maybe did half of it. You know your children, maybe they are diligent. The pandemic has helped many students learn to be independent, but I also heard the opposite from many parents.
On the other hand, in our area, many students know how to cheat electronically, and use the cheats all the time. It is easy to translate languages, solve math problems, get fake essays, summaries of books, etc. In the real world, people now use electronics to get information, so it is understandable students do it. sometimes they can be a help now, sometimes they lead to bad habits. Having to do lots of work while on vacation might be a tempting time to take shortcuts. Maybe not. Hard to say.
Where I worked, vacation absence = unexcused, and could =a zero. Teachers were not allowed to prep lessons for mere vacations, only sanctioned activities. More than 2 days out required a doctor's note to get make-up work, but many districts are more lax.
If you are allowed, then probably a week or two is enough notice. ALWAYS though, students ALSO have to check back when they return (unepcted assignments), and only have a few days to turn in all the work. They might be excused from some assignments.