How do I tell teachers?

[MickeyMonstersMom]

I am a teacher - used to teach 9th-12th grades, now teach 7th - and I've come to hate hearing that students will be gone for vacation. Why? Many, many students ask for the work, but only once in 9 years has a student actually handed in the work that I assigned.

When a student or parent informs me of an upcoming vacation, I put in at least an hour of extra work, figuring out which days the student will miss (we're on a rotating schedule, so this is a pain), copying and compiling notes, handouts, and assignments, and then annotating them with explanations of which to complete first, which items should be kept and which handed in, etc. Except for that one case, everyone returns with blank (or lost) papers and NO idea what the class is currently doing. Then I have to help the student play catch-up and sometimes even deal with parents who claim that the low report card grade was a punishment because their child missed class (not, of course, because they did not complete the work and/or failed subsequent tests).

Last spring, a student told me she'd be gone for the entire month of May to visit a parent who'd been serving in the armed forces out-of-state. Understanding how important this trip would be for her, I forgave all her assignments except one research task that she would add to a group's project upon her return. I also reformatted (to be compatible with her dad's computer) the notes she'd need to study for our final exam and e-mailed them to her along with detailed instructions on the research task. Despite the fact that she had a month to do the work as well as computer access, she never bothered to print out the notes or even find out what topic she was to research. She returned 3 days before the Final completely unprepared and asked for an extension - how on earth could I grant it?? Her average nosedived at the end of the year, where she had no chance to bring it back up.

As a parent, I understand the value of family time, and understand that you can't always go during school breaks - however, if you do take time off from school, PLEASE make sure your children complete the work that their teachers went out of their way to prepare. It will help keep the kids on track academically - and maybe help us teachers be less curmudgeonly as well!

[/rant] (Thanks for listening!)

 

[Pinnie]

MickyMonstersMoom,

Well said and gives this discussion another view.

I, too, am a teacher that spends extra time getting materials ready for a student to take on vacation. Parents need to keep in mind that WE as teachers have a family at home, too. This extra work that I do is on my OWN time, since I have only a set amount of time to prepare materials for the whole class in general. I have sent packets of lessons home and it is a rare occasion that I get them back completed. The attitude, "We were on vacation" bothers me. If you have NO intention of having your child do the assigned work, do NOT ask your teacher to spend the time getting materials ready.

Another incident bothers me. Parents are so quick to call a distict in non-compliance of an IEP. I have had parents that take their child out of school for vacations and miss speech therapy, OT or PT. Then when they come back and our speech therapist, OT or PT are absent, they are the first ones to complain that their child is NOT getting proper services. You can't have it both ways!!!

I always say to parents that it is their decision to go on vacation. But, keep in mind that their grades may reflect missed work!

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[Danauk]

I am also a teacher but in the UK. I teach children aged 7-9 and they are allowed to miss 10 days per year for holiday time etc and we authorise the absence. I do not mind my children missing a few weeks of school, they will catch up but I do mind being asked to set them work to do when they are away as this has to be done in my time. Also this work rarely gets done. I usually suggest they keep a diary of what they do each day and then at the end of the holiday write a report of the favourite things they did. They can then share it with the class when they come back, showing pictures as well etc. I do however keep a copy of homework that has been set in their absence as ask them to complete it upon their return this way they have some idea of what they have missed in class. As usual though I will be willing to go through the work with them. I also give them copies of spellings and multiplication tables we will be learning whilst they are away so they can learn these as well.
I forgot to say that I love WDW too and have just returned from 2 weeks there which I will deffinately be sharing with the kids when we go back next week and share what we did in the holidays!! I even bought a toy tigger for them to keep in the classroom. The table that behaves or works the best during the day gets to have it on their table!!

 

[LisaGoeke]

I agree with NotUrsula in that a lot has to do with $$ for the school district. The more the child is there, the more they get. I was informed that they (our school district) gets much, much more if they have students attend summer school, and there are even incentives given to the students to attend summer school every day (my daughter got $100 gift card for 17 days of summer school) so it must be pretty much.

We go to school year round and when we leave for Disney we will be on cycle break. However, while we're on the cruise, that Thursday, everyone will be returning to school. Hopefully my daughter will only miss two days of school, and since it's right after cycle break, I don't see that as being a big problem.

I will inform DD's teacher in a few weeks but don't anticipate her having any type of work or assignments (she's in 2nd grade).

 

[cfewell]

I am not going taking a side, nor am I trying to make anyone mad.

BUT HELLO!!! most of us take work home with us that we have to do on our own time.

I have spoke to many people in our schoold district who are teachers about this discussion we have been talking about (a lot of them I graduated in high school with and are freinds) they sure do not mind spending the time getting school work papers together for their kids, and say it usually does not take that long to do, they also admit that once and awhile a student has not done their work HOWEVER most of the time when the papers and instructions are sent home with the parent who requested them the work is done on time and handed in completly.


When I say I have spoke to many, I mean many, I was quit upset about this discussion as you can see from my eariler post, I have spoken to 8 different teachers, 1 K - 1 1st - 2 3rd - 1 6th - 1 High School English - 1 High School Spanish Teacher and 1 High School Record Keeping Teacher.

I also spoke to a Vice Principal that came into our shop last Friday.

What a burden it seems on some of you.. that is sad, a lot of people have to do things in their job that they do not like. I have clients that try to but in on other clients time, but I have to deal with that too.

Well Some us only have a certain time frame that we can be away from home too, and sometimes it conflicts with school, however my oldest brother has taken his two kids out of school every year since they started - 1 is a Freshman and the other a 6th grader. Both are A students with an occassional B+/B. He works in the same shop I do and he can only take his sons out in Oct. also. He said they always had their assignments turned in when they returned.

So I say this, take your child out of school, get their homework done before they get back, if the tacher is gracious enough to give it to you, and spend the time with your kids.

Life is WAY TO SHORT, and having lost a brother myself at a very young age, you NEVER know what is going to happen tomorrow so HAVE A GREAT TIME AND THE HECK WITH WHAT THEY THINK OR SAY!

 

[Pinnie]

Cfewell,

Please understand that I was NOT complaining about getting materials ready on my OWN time. My complaint is that by doiing it for students and parents who have NO INTENTION of completiing the work, takes time away from MY family and from the other prep work that I do at home.

Trust me, after 27 years of teaching, I see a BIG difference in attitude of parents and students. Years ago, it was very rare to have a family take a vacation during school time, now it is common. I still say kids belong in SCHOOL during school hours. I am sorry that so many families can't do it any other way. Maybe THAT needs to be looked at!

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[cfewell]

May I ask - What needs to be looked at?

I believe your work only gives you a certain time to go on vacation.

My work only gives me a certain time to go on vacation also, it just does not go along with yours.

I would hope that you are not suggesting that this world STOP for school hours... I believe if everyone took their vacation during the summer as you have too then vacations would stink anyway.

I dont get 3 months out of the year off... I do not get Spring Break off. I get a small window opportunity in Oct to take my 2 WEEKS off. So I ask again what needs to be looked at?

This world and economy is nothing like it was 27 years ago, and we cannot stop times from a changin.

Kids DO NOT need to be in school everyday of every school hour to maintain high grades - ie my brothers children that I mentioned previously.

so again I say this..... take your child out of school, get their homework done before they get back, if the teacher is gracious enough to give it to you, and spend the time with your kids.

Life is WAY TO SHORT, and having lost a brother myself at a very young age, you NEVER know what is going to happen tomorrow so HAVE A GREAT TIME AND THE HECK WITH WHAT THEY THINK OR SAY!

 

[nataliesdaddy]

Originally posted by Michelle Proper
We are going to WDW the last week of November & first week of December... My lovely daughters will miss 6 days of school. I am dreading telling the teachers! I know they frown upon the children missing school for "vacations".

Any suggestions on how I should break the news to the teachers & schools?

Thanks for any tips!

Michelle

p.s. How do I put the "ticker" on the bottom of my post, to show the number of days, hours, etc... until our next visit to WDW? That is SOOOOOOO cute!

OK so a comment and several suggestions

First, at such a young age if the kids are yanked out of school they aren't missing much if anything but fellowship with their friends and recess. Not like when they come back they will be expected to have gone over the differential equations part of their text books.

next - reasons to give

1) Grandma Daisy in Florida is deathly ill and may not be with us much longer - Uncle Donald also

2) Your child is suffering from a mental disorder and some laughter and levity is prescribed to lift the child's spirits (Any shrink will give you a note to this effect as they all tend to be living in Fantasyland anyway and they think everyone has some type of disorder)

3) Your husband is in the military and has been stationed in Orlando Florida extremely close (if not actually on property at Disney World) - to keep from traumatizing the children due to seperation from their father you will be moving to this new duty station...albeit only for a week or when the parkhoppers passes run out.

4) Your children are actually midgets and beyond school age anyway. You just make them attend to give them something to do so they will have people to hang out with that are their size.

5) Your children suffer from a mild yet potent form schizaphrenia and must follow a routine or they suffer a break with reality and its subsequent psychotic episode. As your Disney trip is part of their routine, not taking it will trigger a psychotic episode and psychological harm ...and "the school doesn't want to do that a child, now do they?"

6) And lastly, a great excuse is - Your child must be present at the Nobel Prize ceremony to recieve their award for theoretical representations of "Quantum
Mechanics as Illustrated on Paper with Crayon and Glitter Glue."

All joking aside - at that age the kids aren't exactly having intense crash courses in anything. Just tell the school that the child must miss a week due to family issues. You don't have to tell them what family issues.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

Originally posted by Pinnie
Cfewell,

Please understand that I was NOT complaining about getting materials ready on my OWN time. My complaint is that by doing it for students and parents who have NO INTENTION of completing the work, takes time away from MY family and from the other prep work that I do at home.

Ditto.

The philosophy of my school is to educate and nurture - and since family vacations can be a very important "nurturing" activity, I'm happy to support that (and their education) by organizing students' work. As I said previously, though, I can recall only one instance over nearly a decade in which the students actually did the work which they had requested in the first place. (I have taught Social Studies in grades 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12.) I'd much rather they not waste my time by asking for the materials if they aren't going to use them.

 

[Pinnie]

*****HAVE A GREAT TIME AND THE HECK WITH WHAT THEY THINK OR SAY!*****

And people say the SCHOOLS are FAILING. Sorry, I can't teach children who aren't THERE.

There is a lot of work that just can not be made up outside the classroom. School is your child's work and we as parents and educatiors need to get back on track with that mode of thinking.

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[ls1222]

Well, I just "broke" the news to my childrens teachers (1st and 3rd) and filled out the vacation papers to be "approved" by the school district. Regardless of approval or not, we are going as the trip is booked and paid for. Our children will be missing 6 school days. I see both sides- as a parent, I really feel it is my decision regardless of how the school or teachers feel about it and I won't feel guilty. I will have both children complete all assignments in a timely fashion. I can also understand how important regular attendance is at school and I am sure it would be frustrating for a child not to complete the make up work.

 

[DumboFan]

My husband is a middle school Science teacher & loves it when his students take a vacation to WDW! He spends hours each summer coming up with questions from EPCOT for them (ie, do you really move on the hydrolaters, what is test 9a on Test Track, & my daughter's favorite, what smell is sprayed during Figment!?) This year, he took the video camera on all the rides to use for his cirriculum.

I will be taking my daughter out for 5 days in December for a cruise & a few days at WDW. She starts kindergarten tomorrow. Sniff, sniff Our school district allows 5 vacation days a year. I'm not too concerned about missing time yet. In a few years, I know I'll have to really think about taking her on vacation during the school year, but not yet. I haven't told her teacher yet because we just found out last week who her teacher is. I'll probably talk to her during Back to School Night.

I agree with the family being part of the "nuture", especially extended family. My brother is going with us for the first time since my husband has to stay home & teach!

 

[cfewell]

unfortunatly PINNIE did not pull the whole quote, nothing like being a teacher and misquoting someone out of context LOL. (either you are only reading what you want or you do not comprehend well LOL)

I believe I mentioned getting their homework done if the teacher is gracious enough to give it to them.

I also believe the 8 teachers I spoke about in my previous post that said they rarely have ANY problems when a parent asks for work ahead of time and the instructions are sent home to the parent that asked for them.

I would not pull my kids out if they were c/d or f students, I would also not take my children out if they were pron to sickness a lot and missed due to illness. That being said.

I am not furunate to have 2 months off a year and given a spring break and a bunch of extra holidays.

I get 2 weeks in Oct., and for you teachers information it is mostly for you. If I did not work, you would not have grade cards, letterheads, Env., payroll checks, lunch tickets..etc., these things are ordered while you are out enjoying 2 month vacations, someone has to print them for you so when you walk back into the school building they are there. Grade Schools, High Schools, Universities. We also do Football programs & Basketball programs, the only break I get it is inbetween these two programs. Which just happens to be in Oct.

I was taken out of school for vacations every year and that was a long time ago... I dont want to show my age LOL...and I was an A/B student.

MY GRANDFATHER NEVER FINISHED 8th GRADE AND HE OWNED 5 BUSINESS AT ONE TIME PLUS 6 RENTAL PROPERTIES, he will never have to want for a thing in his old age. Tell him he should "get back on track" LOL.

You dont have to be in school every single school day of the year to get good grades and be a good student.

Each parent is different and each child is different each should be given a chance. Not the "I CANT TEACH IF YOU ARE NOT HERE" attitude. A lot of great people and great minds didnt even finish school.

I would certainly not tell my child he needs to go to "WORK" at age 5. I do not believe school is their work. I would be shocked if one of my sons teachers told me that. I must come from a different kind of school system. AGAIN EACH CHILD/PARENT is different and should be treated as such.

I believe I will be taking my son out of school for his vacation when his time comes, I will make sure his work is done if he is fortunate not to have a teacher who is so closed minded.

Mickeymonsters mom.. I understand your previous post about doing the extra work and then it not being completed, that would really upset me also, I am sorry you live in such a place where the parents do not care. I happen to live in a very small community where the parents do care... from what the teachers around here have told me. I did not mean anything by my post to offend that comment. I wholeheartedly agree with you, and I wish more parents would make sure their children were getting their "reg. assignments" done also, not just their "vacation assignments".

I did not start my first reply on this thread to become a debate with PINNIE... however it has turned into one... it is one that neither of us are going to win, because it is called having ones OPNION .. I only stated my opinon the first time and was slammed for it..so I replied, I believe I am am allowed to have one of those and speak it, it is sad that everytime you do so however their is someone out there that wants to point you out and slam you for it.

I do not believe I will continue on with this thread due to I believe life is way to short and it is really not worth arguing about, it is actually kind of childish, because each parent is going to do what they want to anyway, no matter what is said in this thread.

This is a Disney board where fun is supposed to be had not slamming people for their opnion when it does not suit yours.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Wow,


- Teachers may have 2 months off during the summer, but many use that time to plan for the next school year,and/or take courses to keep their certification current.
Since you've spoken to such a huge number of teachers, I'm sure they've told you this.

- You'll find parents that "don't care" about their about kids education in all areas. They are in small, large, rural, & urban communities.

- If my son attended a school where he could be out for a week and not miss anything, I'd be very concerned.

- My sister and I were never taken out of school for vacations. Heck we didn't even miss school to go the doctor. (All of our appointments were afterschool or on Saturdays. ) We were good students and both went to college. (My mom nor my dad completed high school) Kids who are taken out for vacations and kids who work around the school schedule can all be great students.


I don't understand the "the school can't tell me what to do with my child" attitude. Of course they can. They tell us
which 180 days our kids have to be in school, what time they have to be there, what time they have to leave, how they have to act while they are there....

I think all families have to do what works best for them. No one should feel guilty about the choice they make. No matter when we vacation, I'm sure all of our kids will turn out just fine.

 

[TimeWarp]

Be truthful to your teacher!

 

[JodyTG]

Ok...I can't resist it...I have to put in my 2 cents. I am not a teacher, but one of those "concerned parents" you keep hearing about.

In my daughter's school district, if a child has more than 9 absences in a semester, the child loses credit for that semester. Period. This is for EVERYONE K-12.

Even if this was not so, I would NEVER consider taking my child out of school for more than 1 day unless she were ill. School is getting harder and harder. What our parents got away with when we were kids is no longer possible. There is no more "breezing" through school. Even the "smart" kids have to work hard. The United States is such an advanced country in so many ways, so why are our children not equally advanced? Why are our kids' test scores not the highest in the world? I feel it is because we do not make our children look at their education as a top priority. When we let them miss school to go on vacation, we are telling them that school isn't that important, so why should they think that it is?

I believe someone mentioned before that SCHOOL IS THEIR JOB! It needs to be treated as such. Don't steal your kids education from them. They will need it in the future.

 

[helenm29]

You know, Even if going to school is "Their job", EVEN those who HAVE jobs get a vacation! when your kids go to school year round you only get a certain amount of time for them to be off right? well, what if some of your kids go year round and some of your kids go traditional? we are stuck! all of our high school and some of our junior high schools are traditional while elementery kids are 99% year round in our district. I TOTALLY agree that kids and parents should make school number one but lucky for us that in our district you are able to pull your kids out of school with the provizo that YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN MUST TURN IN THE WORK when you get back! If you do NOT, they will lose their semester grades. School is SO much harder now...I'll admit to not having a clue on how to do some of my kids homework. We make sure to either do the work as far ahead of time as possible or have it finished and ready to turn in when we get home.

 

[Crazy4mandms]

(I hate getting off topic but I just can't help myself) As a parent and future teacher (just grad w/a degree in Ed), I appreciate the attempts to justify our summers off. Quote>>>>>I get 2 weeks in Oct., and for you teachers information it is mostly for you. If I did not work, you would not have grade cards, letterheads,...... these things are ordered while you are out enjoying 2 month vacations>>>>>>>. Sorry that there are so many bitter over this, however, there were many reasons why I (and am sure other teachers) chose to become a teacher and HECK YA!! having my summers off was one of the great perks!!! The majority of teachers attend workshops, teach summer school, etc...however, there are others who just GO ON VACATION and blow their summers away! Who cares? It is up to them just as your week or two vacation is up to you! One of the reasons a teacher's salary is less than other careers that require a Master's Degree is because we are contracted for 10 months and that is reflected in the pay! We do not live under communism, you can chose your path in life...If you want your summers off....become a teacher, if you don't want to be an educator then don't condemn those of us who chose that path and worked hard to get there!!

 

[helenm29]

Hey crazy4mandms: I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm critisizing teachers! Honestly, I admire teachers SO MUCH...especially since my kids are getting in the upper grades and I have sat in on some classes. I don't know how you all do it! it's been a tough thing to discuss because so many of us are in the same position
and the teachers are stuck in the middle. I guess you just have to go with your gut feeling and do what you have to do. Take care! Helen
'

 

[Crazy4mandms]

Helen, we must have posted at the same time because I wasn't responding to your post. I didn't think you were critical of teachers at all in the last post (and I pulled my kids from school last year, too!). I was gearing it towards the person who seemed especially steamed that he/she had to work all summer (for teachers) while teachers get to vacation for 2 months. I appreciate those who attempt to justify the 2 months off by saying that teachers do training, teach summer school, etc., however, to me it isn't necessary! I substitute now but when I have a full time teaching job I will do some training over the summer and will probably need 2 weeks to set up classroom/begin planning (probably more!), however, you'll see me at WDW and lots of other places as I travel with my kids for MOST of the summer!!! And that's my point...my vacation (unpaid because, again, teacher contracts are for 10 months) is MINE and I'm going to do what I want with it!! Thanks to those of you on the board who are supportive of teachers!! BTW, back to the original post, when I pulled my kids from school last year to go to WDW I let the teachers know (well ahead of time) that I did not expect them to give my kids work ahead of time so that the teacher wouldn't have extra work to do and that I understood if they were not allowed to make the work up. The teachers did give my kids some work to do ahead of time but my 5th grader did most of it when he got back on his lunch hour/recess time. He left his elementary graduation ceremony with honors and awards!