OT - to the teachers - first 2 days of school question?

[Leigha]

I'm an instructional assistant and I would vote no as a school employee and a parent. I'm all for saving money but wouldn't do it at the expense of missing the first days of school and I don't think I'd be crazy about my child's teacher not being there without a very good reason. You know what they say - you never get a second chance to make a first impression! JMHO!

 

[patsal]

??? --- summer work?

Never heard of such a thing....for me or my kids.

We might have gotten "suggested" reading lists over the summer when I was in HS -- but we never had to turn anything in for them.

Wow, my DD has had at least 2 mandatory novels for English and History plus written work in the form of essays, journals and guided response questions each year since 9th grade, prior to that there were at least three novels for English wit a required report due on day one.
For Math she has had practice to keep form having "skill slide" and this past summer she had 4 assignments with due dates that needed to be postmarked and mailed to the teacher and a final assignment from summer to be brought in on day one.

The students in the school I teach at have summer reading that is mandatory and they will fail the first quarter if they do not do the assignment because it is weighted so heavily. Some social studies classes have additional required reading as well.

 

[CourtneyL]

I missed the first two days of 5th grade to go to Disney when I was a kid. My parents let the school know and they were ok with it. It was a little awkward for me because I wasn't there when everything was getting set up (like getting books and materials). I was caught up within a day or so and it was fine.
I would not have wanted to miss the first days in high school though.

 

[Leajess99]

If school doesn't begin on the first day, then when does it begin? Is there ever a "real" first day?

Officially for kids it starts the first day they are there. Kind of hard to call a kid absent that has yet to start school.

My youngest missed the first 2 weeks of 1st grade because of having her adenoids out and she was not considered absent as she had not yet officially started school.

If a child does not start school the first 2 days than exactly how do you penalize them by saying they are behind?? You can't give grades if they have not started in your class or at least that is how our school district is. What about those kids that get changed out of someone else's class and into your class?? This happened to my son in a couple of classes in high school.

 

[Leajess99]

Wow, my DD has had at least 2 mandatory novels for English and History plus written work in the form of essays, journals and guided response questions each year since 9th grade, prior to that there were at least three novels for English wit a required report due on day one.
For Math she has had practice to keep form having "skill slide" and this past summer she had 4 assignments with due dates that needed to be postmarked and mailed to the teacher and a final assignment from summer to be brought in on day one.

The students in the school I teach at have summer reading that is mandatory and they will fail the first quarter if they do not do the assignment because it is weighted so heavily. Some social studies classes have additional required reading as well.

I have 3 kids and the oldest is graduated already. In all the years of school they have never had summer school work. I do get my youngest workbooks for the summer as she loves learning but no way would mandatory schoolwork over the summer be acceptable.

I am so glad that all the school districts we have been in believe that summer vacation is that for the kids, a vacation from school work.

 

[Aliceacc]

Officially for kids it starts the first day they are there. Kind of hard to call a kid absent that has yet to start school.

My youngest missed the first 2 weeks of 1st grade because of having her adenoids out and she was not considered absent as she had not yet officially started school.

If a child does not start school the first 2 days than exactly how do you penalize them by saying they are behind?? You can't give grades if they have not started in your class or at least that is how our school district is. What about those kids that get changed out of someone else's class and into your class?? This happened to my son in a couple of classes in high school.

Here's how it works in my school: If he enters my class from someone else's, he's still seen the material. He can take the quiz and he'll do fine. I'm very fortunate that I work in a school that shares my own personal educational philosophy.

If he's been hospitalized and missed those days, I can certainly understand his absence. But he's still 2 days behind in the notes, and he'll have to make up the quiz one day after school when he can get the chance.

So if a kid goes to India or Arizona to visit Grandma and doesn't return until a month after school starts, are you suggesting that he not be responsible for the material he missed? How about if the trip lasts only 2 weeks? One week? Two days? Exactly when can I start to hold him responsible for the material all his classmates have learned... material that will be necessary later in the year, that will be on the trimester exam, the final exam, and that next year's teacher will assume he's learned?? Where in the extrapolation can we say "NOW school has started?" If "officially school starts the first day they are there" then are you suggesting that a kid who spends the first month of school in the park smoking pot is not responsible for the material being taught because he was smart enough not to come to school that first day??? Is it more OK if he's home with mom smoking pot and she writes a note saying he's sick? Exactly how much time am I supposed to be wasting with those kids who are in school from the start while we wait for others to get in??

Yes, I'm pushing it to ridiculous lengths. But my point is that there's a clear way to decide when the kids are responsible for the material being taught: the first day of school.

As I said, I understand that there are extraordinary circumstances that require kids to be out when they're not sick. But know that in my class, and in lots and lots of classes throughout the country, teachers will be teaching. We'll be doing the job we were hired to do, teaching any kids who show up.

 

[ICF]

But know that in my class, and in lots and lots of classes throughout the country, teachers will be teaching. We'll be doing the job we were hired to do, teaching any kids who show up.

and at least this parent is glad that's the case.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Here's how it works in my school: If he enters my class from someone else's, he's still seen the material. He can take the quiz and he'll do fine. I'm very fortunate that I work in a school that shares my own personal educational philosophy.

If he's been hospitalized and missed those days, I can certainly understand his absence. But he's still 2 days behind in the notes, and he'll have to make up the quiz one day after school when he can get the chance.

So if a kid goes to India or Arizona to visit Grandma and doesn't return until a month after school starts, are you suggesting that he not be responsible for the material he missed? How about if the trip lasts only 2 weeks? One week? Two days? Exactly when can I start to hold him responsible for the material all his classmates have learned... material that will be necessary later in the year, that will be on the trimester exam, the final exam, and that next year's teacher will assume he's learned?? Where in the extrapolation can we say "NOW school has started?" If "officially school starts the first day they are there" then are you suggesting that a kid who spends the first month of school in the park smoking pot is not responsible for the material being taught because he was smart enough not to come to school that first day??? Is it more OK if he's home with mom smoking pot and she writes a note saying he's sick? Exactly how much time am I supposed to be wasting with those kids who are in school from the start while we wait for others to get in??

Yes, I'm pushing it to ridiculous lengths. But my point is that there's a clear way to decide when the kids are responsible for the material being taught: the first day of school.

As I said, I understand that there are extraordinary circumstances that require kids to be out when they're not sick. But know that in my class, and in lots and lots of classes throughout the country, teachers will be teaching. We'll be doing the job we were hired to do, teaching any kids who show up.

Exactly. Why should the teacher have to disrupt the class to get your child acclimated with their books, class rules and schedules, etc because you took your child on vacation? Or should the teacher have to come in early or stay late to get the child caught up so they don't have to disrupt the class.

Yes, family time is important. But school is a part if life and parents have to learn to work around it, or homeschool your kid. Just like you can't take certain days off for your job, your child can't take certain days off from his/hers. You have to find a time when the schedules align for that family time.