I feel bad

[palavra]

My school system has a policy that they will not give you work ahead of time. The reason they give for this is that they don't know exactly what will be covered while your kids are gone. When you get back they give you everything the kids did in class (worksheets and stuff) plus the homework for the week and give you one week to get it all in (and do your current homework). So basically the kids have a huge amount of work when they get back. I think they do this to try and discourage people from going during school. They don't prohibit you from going, they just make it really miserable when you get back so you'll never do it again.

I'm a teacher, and our school has the same policy. it has nothing to do with discouraging kids from being out during the year. It really is all about not knowing for sure what will be covered ahead of time.

If you choose to take your kids out during the school year, the kids are going to have a lot of work to make up-it's just a fact

 

[lathamary]

We just got back from a two week trip, and my first grader has two weeks worth of homework to do.

His teacher said to just get it done in our own time, which was really nice. We told her about the trip months ago, and she said she would probably be able to get some of the work ready for us to do on the road (we drove the motor home down and it took 4 days to get there and 4 to get back), but she didn't get around to it, which was fine... she had no obligation to.

We got to see so many fascinating things on our trip, it was way more educational than sitting in a classroom! The homework is a downer, though.

 

[Hannathy]

But do not forget that there will come a time you have to give your children input in the decission. We started doing that in middle school. He was fine for middle school, but HS is a whole differnt ball game! There is no way he would be ok missing a week for anything. He has honnors and AP classes and is only allowed to miss 7 days for ANY reason and pass the class, much less excell in the class. He knows what GPA he needs for his college choice and what he has to do to get that. I respect that. DN passed on a family WDW trip becuase he knew it would cost him his starting place on the football team.

I loved our offf season vacations and never regret them, but we knew when it was time to give up that and we did.

I agree not to mention if they want to be plays can't miss rehearsal or even get an A in orchestra- you can not miss a concert and get an A. It doesn't refer to just the starters it is any place on the team. and don't forget mandatory off season workouts.

Plus getting into college now is much different than even 10 yrs ago there are many fewer slots and many more kids. Even kids with stellar records are having trouble getting into good STATE schools let alone Ivy's.
Kids also have to look at the impression they are making on the teachers. Teachers only write so many recommendation letters and these are critical for admission and scholarships and the child's attendance and if they put school first can come into play in how these are worded.

I couldn't imagine my DD missing a whole week of high school. When you have 3-5 hours of homework a night normally how do you do double that and still sleep?

 

[pacrosby]

I agree not to mention if they want to be plays can't miss rehearsal or even get an A in orchestra- you can not miss a concert and get an A. It doesn't refer to just the starters it is any place on the team. and don't forget mandatory off season workouts.

Plus getting into college now is much different than even 10 yrs ago there are many fewer slots and many more kids. Even kids with stellar records are having trouble getting into good STATE schools let alone Ivy's.
Kids also have to look at the impression they are making on the teachers. Teachers only write so many recommendation letters and these are critical for admission and scholarships and the child's attendance and if they put school first can come into play in how these are worded.

I couldn't imagine my DD missing a whole week of high school. When you have 3-5 hours of homework a night normally how do you do double that and still sleep?

The more I hear people lament about the stresses of high school grades and the pressures of getting into choice colleges the happier I am that we are not encouraging our kids to do the 4 yrs high school immediately followed by typical full-time 4 yr college route. Should make life easier/happier all the way around (for all of us)

 

[badblackpug]

My school system has a policy that they will not give you work ahead of time. The reason they give for this is that they don't know exactly what will be covered while your kids are gone. When you get back they give you everything the kids did in class (worksheets and stuff) plus the homework for the week and give you one week to get it all in (and do your current homework). So basically the kids have a huge amount of work when they get back. I think they do this to try and discourage people from going during school. They don't prohibit you from going, they just make it really miserable when you get back so you'll never do it again.

I think this policy makes sense. I don't think it is to discourage vacations, but I can't see how a teacher can absolutely pinpoint what the class will be doing from one week to the next. I am not a teacher, but the class may get through a subject more quickly or more slowly than expected or there may be snow days (or like last year swine flu days) tossed in that may throw off the schedule.

I think it is only fair to have the student make up work. After all, the rest of the students in the class are graded on a certain body of work. I don't think it is fair to hold a student to more lenient standards because their family chooses to vacation during the school year. I also think it is a good lesson for the kids. I think it falls under the heading of: "if you want to dance, you have to pay the piper."

 

[3girlsfun]

From a Middle school teacher's perspective, I would be appalled if a parent asked me for a week's worth of work ahead of time. Also, with all the time we get out of school each year, I would also be appalled if they missed a week of school. The reason I say this about the work is, it is a HUGE inconvenience to get make-up work ahead of time together. What we might do from day to day could change depending on what teachable moments come up in the classroom. Also, I may not have everything ready for the upcoming week bc I don't always have a planning period to get ahead that much.

The reason it would appall me, is because I am a middle school teacher. Things are way different in middle school than in elementary school. Also, I can see missing a day or two, but a whole week?

I understand that people want to avoid crowds, and go when it is cheaper, but, I don't think that is always what is best for the child. I just don't think it always sends the best message to the kids. It isn't about the work, or the grades, or their ability to catch up. In the big scheme of "life" no it probably will not matter that they missed a week of school, however it is a life lesson that is being taught. Sort of "the rules don't apply to me type of thing."

Ok, I am prepared to be flamed for this!

Sorry, I am sure this is not what people want to hear....

 

[kpm76]

Oh certainly I realize that my kids will have input as they get older but my kids may see things differently. Some kids want to be starters on the football team and accepted early entrance into Ivy league colleges, others have different dreams and desires. Of course at this stage of the game there's no way to predict exactly which way my kids will go but the messages we send as parents can influence the decisions our kids will make. Only time will tell.

Right now, we're talking about today. And 'today' I'm taking them out and am not feeling the least bit guilty

You make a really interesting point. Sometimes it's not even the dreams and desires of the students but the dreams and desires of the parents. Not every kid is Ivy League material. DH graduated from an Ivy and honestly, things just come naturally to him. He worked hard in school but did not have to overachieve. Missing a week of school was not a big deal. For someone else with the same workload it may have been a huge deal. Granted, we are in our early 30's so I know things have changed but I also think parent's expectations have changed. Absolutely encourage your children to reach their full potential but realize that Harvard may not be the choice for them and that's ok.......

 

[palavra]

From a Middle school teacher's perspective, I would be appalled if a parent asked me for a week's worth of work ahead of time. Also, with all the time we get out of school each year, I would also be appalled if they missed a week of school. The reason I say this about the work is, it is a HUGE inconvenience to get make-up work ahead of time together. What we might do from day to day could change depending on what teachable moments come up in the classroom. Also, I may not have everything ready for the upcoming week bc I don't always have a planning period to get ahead that much.

The reason it would appall me, is because I am a middle school teacher. Things are way different in middle school than in elementary school. Also, I can see missing a day or two, but a whole week?

I understand that people want to avoid crowds, and go when it is cheaper, but, I don't think that is always what is best for the child. I just don't think it always sends the best message to the kids. It isn't about the work, or the grades, or their ability to catch up. In the big scheme of "life" no it probably will not matter that they missed a week of school, however it is a life lesson that is being taught. Sort of "the rules don't apply to me type of thing."

Ok, I am prepared to be flamed for this!

Sorry, I am sure this is not what people want to hear....

Hi! I'm a middle school teacher in Georgia too. No flames from me. I get where you are coming from. I do think it depends on the child. Some students can easily miss a weeks worth of school and catch up quickly. Some can't miss a single day and get back on track easily.

We'll just have to disagree about the idea of rules not applying to them. As long as a student isn't missing too many days, I don't see any reason why parents shouldn't be able to take their kids on a vacation during the school year. At my school, the trips must be pre=approved to be considered excused absences. I do think that is a good idea.

Oh, and I couldn't agree with you more about parents wanting a weeks worth of school material ahead of time. That is just not possible in so many cases.

 

[MaleficentandGoons]

This is such a sticky situation for both sides. I think sometimes parents forget the amount of pressure teachers are under from school districts to have high performing students. When your child is out EVEN is they have the work ahead of schedule they are missing still missing the lesson. They are no longer allocated time to comprehend and really understand the topic.
I personally would never feel comfortable taking a child of any age out of school for a Disney vacation. I do to a small degree understand why people do though. It's just a bad situation because in the end if the student doesn't perform well it seems like these same parents are the first to email the principal and blame the teacher.

As I step off my soap box I will say this, it all goes back to family and the SERIOUS avalanche our schools are heading in. The family unit is pulled in so many directions with parents working insane hours and weekends that sometimes the only time you can be a family is when children have to be in school. Our schools are rewarded on test grades and the focus is no longer on producing well rounded thinkers who learn by experiencing life and asking why. We no longer produce people who are digging deeper than which bubble should they fill in.

 

[j&j620]

My school system has a policy that they will not give you work ahead of time. The reason they give for this is that they don't know exactly what will be covered while your kids are gone. When you get back they give you everything the kids did in class (worksheets and stuff) plus the homework for the week and give you one week to get it all in (and do your current homework). So basically the kids have a huge amount of work when they get back. I think they do this to try and discourage people from going during school. They don't prohibit you from going, they just make it really miserable when you get back so you'll never do it again.

And that doesn't seem like a plausible reason to you because...?

 

[deedeetoo]

And that doesn't seem like a plausible reason to you because...?

I think people misunderstood my post. I think my school system has a good policy. We would never take our kids out of school for a vacation. I guess I didn't word my post very well.

 

[sunnyday123]

I'm confused. Your ticker says the trip is in 11 months. They'll be in a different grade by then-how will you know they don't have make up homework? Won't they have different teachers?

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Honestly, I'd take it as a compliment that your childrens' teachers think they're strong enough students to handle that much time out without homework.

 

[declansdad]

If you are worried about the amount of work they will have to do when they return, why are you taking a trip during the school year in the first place?

 

[MomtoEmIs&Ow]

From a Middle school teacher's perspective, I would be appalled if a parent asked me for a week's worth of work ahead of time. Also, with all the time we get out of school each year, I would also be appalled if they missed a week of school. The reason I say this about the work is, it is a HUGE inconvenience to get make-up work ahead of time together. What we might do from day to day could change depending on what teachable moments come up in the classroom. Also, I may not have everything ready for the upcoming week bc I don't always have a planning period to get ahead that much.

The reason it would appall me, is because I am a middle school teacher. Things are way different in middle school than in elementary school. Also, I can see missing a day or two, but a whole week?

I understand that people want to avoid crowds, and go when it is cheaper, but, I don't think that is always what is best for the child. I just don't think it always sends the best message to the kids. It isn't about the work, or the grades, or their ability to catch up. In the big scheme of "life" no it probably will not matter that they missed a week of school, however it is a life lesson that is being taught. Sort of "the rules don't apply to me type of thing."

Ok, I am prepared to be flamed for this!

Sorry, I am sure this is not what people want to hear....

Just wondering, how much time do your students get off during the school year?

 

[Tam1067]

From a Middle school teacher's perspective, I would be appalled if a parent asked me for a week's worth of work ahead of time. Also, with all the time we get out of school each year, I would also be appalled if they missed a week of school. The reason I say this about the work is, it is a HUGE inconvenience to get make-up work ahead of time together. What we might do from day to day could change depending on what teachable moments come up in the classroom. Also, I may not have everything ready for the upcoming week bc I don't always have a planning period to get ahead that much.

The reason it would appall me, is because I am a middle school teacher. Things are way different in middle school than in elementary school. Also, I can see missing a day or two, but a whole week?

I understand that people want to avoid crowds, and go when it is cheaper, but, I don't think that is always what is best for the child. I just don't think it always sends the best message to the kids. It isn't about the work, or the grades, or their ability to catch up. In the big scheme of "life" no it probably will not matter that they missed a week of school, however it is a life lesson that is being taught. Sort of "the rules don't apply to me type of thing."

Ok, I am prepared to be flamed for this!

Sorry, I am sure this is not what people want to hear....

I agree with you. I also see the ramifications of this down the line when the kids get to college--which is what I teach. Many (and I mean MANY) of my students have been shocked when they learned that they could not make up work they missed when they were on vacation with their families.

I have had more than one student drop the course because their vacations meant they could not pass due to missed work. Certainly, a 2nd grader will not fail 2nd grade if she misses a week, but there will be a day when it's not possible to take off for whatever reason. So in those students' cases, they have lost money (as they'd already paid for the classes) and now have a "W" on their transcripts, which sends a message to future employers or whomever that they have quit a class.

Two years ago, a student in my online class was very angry with me that I would not change due dates for her because she was going to Disney (during free dining no less). Another student was miffed because she took a summer class and wanted to go on a ten day trip to Paris--during an eight week summer session. She ended up dropping the class, too.

I just think that in the limited days of school, the students need to be focused on school first. Time off is for vacation. That's why we go at Christmas when it's super busy and in the summer. One day, when I'm retired and my kids are grown, we'll be able to go in the off season, but during school, the kids have to focus on school.

In my opinion (that's all it is), the lessons we teach kids when they're young impact their future choices, and those future choices can have huge ramifications on their lives.

My kids' school also does not give homework before an absence. The students have to complete everything when they return, and they get a day for each day they were absent to finish it up. I think that's entirely fair.

 

[crisi]

We've pulled our kids for the last time. It was our fourth grader that did us in. The disruption in routine, the amount of homework she had to make up, the impact on her grades (late work gets docked, and it all got counted as late). She is a smart kid, but it was just too hard, too much work to make up - and too much to do on vacation - two hours a day to keep "caught up" and then more hours when coming home for the material she couldn't get ahead of time.

 

[roscoepc1]

We found out today that neither DSS nor DSD will have schoolwork to do while we are in Disney. While I'm happy that we don't have to worry about finding time to make sure it all gets done, I feel bad that they will return from vacation to have extra work. I keep hoping that maybe they will come back spouting some random facts they found in DW and their teachers will give them a break. And the poor kids don't even know yet that we're going.

I'm willing to bet they'll feel it was worth it. I know my kids did!

 

[roscoepc1]

We've pulled our kids for the last time. It was our fourth grader that did us in. The disruption in routine, the amount of homework she had to make up, the impact on her grades (late work gets docked, and it all got counted as late). She is a smart kid, but it was just too hard, too much work to make up - and too much to do on vacation - two hours a day to keep "caught up" and then more hours when coming home for the material she couldn't get ahead of time.

THAT is insane! I would have been fighting that as her parent, I think.

 

[roscoepc1]

I agree with you. I also see the ramifications of this down the line when the kids get to college--which is what I teach. Many (and I mean MANY) of my students have been shocked when they learned that they could not make up work they missed when they were on vacation with their families.

I have had more than one student drop the course because their vacations meant they could not pass due to missed work. Certainly, a 2nd grader will not fail 2nd grade if she misses a week, but there will be a day when it's not possible to take off for whatever reason. So in those students' cases, they have lost money (as they'd already paid for the classes) and now have a "W" on their transcripts, which sends a message to future employers or whomever that they have quit a class.

Two years ago, a student in my online class was very angry with me that I would not change due dates for her because she was going to Disney (during free dining no less). Another student was miffed because she took a summer class and wanted to go on a ten day trip to Paris--during an eight week summer session. She ended up dropping the class, too.

I just think that in the limited days of school, the students need to be focused on school first. Time off is for vacation. That's why we go at Christmas when it's super busy and in the summer. One day, when I'm retired and my kids are grown, we'll be able to go in the off season, but during school, the kids have to focus on school.

In my opinion (that's all it is), the lessons we teach kids when they're young impact their future choices, and those future choices can have huge ramifications on their lives.

My kids' school also does not give homework before an absence. The students have to complete everything when they return, and they get a day for each day they were absent to finish it up. I think that's entirely fair.

I think there's a HUGE difference between a 2nd grader (public school age in general) and someone in college, and any parent worth their salt will raise their children to know that.

Imho, children have their whole lives to be "in the work world", be ruled by the "rules" someone they don't even know sets, and focus on school/work to the exception of family time etc....

I completely back you as a college teacher on the points you raised there, I just don't think kids (and I do mean kids, not college students) need to grow up so fast they act like they're on a fast track for a career etc at a young age...

My kids know that life will get tougher and less flexible as they get older, they also know (due to losing a brother) that life is too short when you're young. You need to live with no regrets. Our family has learned that the hard way. If that means taking them out of school, and standing up for them as their parents, to make memories, and treasure time together, then I stand by that. Jmho.