Parents, How Unfair is This?

[minkydog]

If it's too much make up work, then don't vacation during the school year. My DD takes challenging advanced classes and the fact that she wouldn't be able to fully relax due to all of the make up work is the reason that I wouldn't plan a trip during the school year.

Good point, and exactly why we don't take our kids out of school--my two older children were/are NOT in advanced classes and to take them out of school (once they were 5-6th grades) was just too difficult. I hate it, but that's the breaks. Three more years until HS graduation. Then we can go on vacation whenever we want.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I havent read all the replies...but from what I read I might be in the minority..
But..I dont think its all that unfair.
She's missing school...and at least a journal will keep her her penmanship and story telling skills....

Dont get me wrong..my kids have missed school for WDW too...I have NOOOooo problems with that ...
BUt..they've also had added work like this in return.... Yeah..its more work for us as well..but hey...
take the bad with the MUCH BETTER GOOD

 

[Echo queen]

OP, this is the reason I will not take my boys out of school anymore. Last year they were 9 3rd grade and 12yrs7th grade. The 9 yr had more work than the 12yr old . I took them out the last few days of Sept to Oct missing 5days for Disney of course It was really ruff getting it all done. That won't happen again.

 

[disneyJMD]

I agree that the addition of keeping a journal is minimal. I will be taking my 4 children in September, of which 2 of them are school aged-2nd and 7th grade. They will be out of school for free dining, and they will be missing 8 days. I am anticipating some difficulty upon return from the kids, but our districts policy is they have the same number of days they missed to make up the work. I have already discussed with both of the kids that some of the work will be brought with them, and anything outstanding when we get home will be finished over the first weekend we are back. Hopefully this will work out well, as I know it is difficult for the teachers to put that many days work together in advance. They will be able to collect some of the work beforehand and the rest of it upon return. I am hoping that we can work through everything that is requested of them--I would love to have them write a journal as part of their requirements!

 

[slenkey]

First of all, I don't think the work is unfair. If you know your child is going to be gone, then the work should be done and turned in a day after you are back. You should ask for the work a couple of days before you guys leave and make a plan on how to budget the work out so it isn't a ton to do all at once.

As far as the journal goes... if she loves to write, it shouldn't be work. However, you can make this fun! Have her include pics of the trip and scrapbook the journal. She can put captions under the pictures and have a really nice momento to look back on and include special scrapbook papers other things she collects from the park (like unused fastpasses). I agree with others about telling the teacher to keep it private though. Any teacher should accept this request and honor your daughter's respectful wishes. This could be something she pulls out and shows her kids when she takes them to WDW.

Just like life, it's all about the way you approach the job. If she thinks it'll be fun, it will be.

 

[#1 Pocahontas]

I can see both sides of this. I see the perspective that the kid is missing school and it's not much to ask for them to write in a journal. Yet I see the other side as well.

Unless this is something my daughter would enjoy doing while we were there I would not want to spend time messing with it on our vacation. Our kids are usually asleep when we come back to the room at night. In the morning we rush to get out the door. So I wouldn't want to mess with a journal on top of the homework. I would probably just have her write it on the way home on the plane or in the car. I would do the same with homework, do it on the way there or the way back.

Some families can only afford to go during off seasons, which are all during school, and I don't think they should feel bad for that (not assuming this is the case for the op but it is for us). Taking a few days off in an entire year really isn't that big of deal as long as the parents work with the kids to make sure they stay on track, at least I don't think it is. A journal sounds like busy work, not necessarily so they stay on track with the class. It would annoy me a bit, you can flame me but it would. Our family vacation is for our family. A chance to let go, relax, and enjoy each other.

 

[NEDisneyFans]

School time is just that -- time for school.

You are choosing to take your daughter out of school for a vacation, so IMO you have a lot of nerve complaining that the teacher expects your child to do one extra assignment. She is missing FOUR full days of classroom time which realistically can't be "made up" so your teacher/school seems to have found a way to justify having this type of absence being excused.

Many kids (and parents) would appreciate having the opportunity to have the time excused at all!

 

[Kevenswife2]

Just out of curiosity -- your sig says you're going to Disney in September. Is that in addition to the November trip? And is your daughter missing school for that one, too?

We're only going in Sept this year. Can't afford Disney more than once a year...hence our going during free dining...to save money. If this vacation had been over $1,500 (air and everything) DH would have said, "NO!"

I told my DD10s principal about our upcoming trip and he felt kids learn more on a vacation like this than they do sitting in a hot classroom.(her school's not air conditioned)

 

[scottish mum]

We're going in just over 2 weeks and staying for 2 weeks so my DS's are going to miss 13 days of school. They are 11 and 7 and i spoke to the teachers and we decided that for the next 2 weeks they will get extra homework so that they could do their work in advance. If when we get home they are slightly behind in their maths or reading or anything else then it will be given as extra homework. Hopefully doing it this way means that they will be slightly ahead for the next 2 weeks but by the time we get back they wil be just at the same stage as the rest of their class.
My experience might be different to yours as we are a very small school of only 20 pupils so it is not a great deal for the teacher to have to give them extra work beforehand and all the pupils work at their own pace so the teachers are always dealing with different levels of work

 

[Aliceacc]

I told my DD10s principal about our upcoming trip and he felt kids learn more on a vacation like this than they do sitting in a hot classroom.(her school's not air conditioned)

Then I would have serious concerns about the school.

Don't get me wrong-- we had a fabulous time in Disney!!! But it was all about fun. Had I wanted an educational trip, I would have gone to the Museum of Natural History for a day, or toured Gettysburg, or Williamburg, or any of the other educational sites scattered around our nation. Four days in Disney is NOT four days in any sort of a decent classroom.

My classroom is without an air conditioner. So are those in the school my kids attend. But please believe that they're learning far more in 40 minutes of either classroom than they would in Pirates of the Carribean, Space Mountain or even Soarin'.

 

[lilybrooke14]

Maybe the teacher has never been to Disney and she's just curious.

When we went on our school sponsered and chaperoned trip to Europe in High School, it was during the school year, and we all were to keep journals to turn in on our return. I've still got mine. I stuck in napkins, postcards, my rail and underground tickets, etc. The teachers enjoyed them, I really enjoyed making mine, and it's a wonderful keepsake. They were for the teacher's eyes only, and I think that's as it should be, but I think it's a great assignment. If you really want it to be educational, take it everywhere with you. Get it stamped at the Epcot stations, get the characters to autograph it, sprinkle a few pages with "pixie dust." Have fun with it. It doesn't have to be work.

 

[Jenvenza]

Quick question - what is "deer day"?

 

[sk!mom]

Then I would have serious concerns about the school.

Don't get me wrong-- we had a fabulous time in Disney!!! But it was all about fun. Had I wanted an educational trip, I would have gone to the Museum of Natural History for a day, or toured Gettysburg, or Williamburg, or any of the other educational sites scattered around our nation. Four days in Disney is NOT four days in any sort of a decent classroom.

My classroom is without an air conditioner. So are those in the school my kids attend. But please believe that they're learning far more in 40 minutes of either classroom than they would in Pirates of the Carribean, Space Mountain or even Soarin'.

Excellent points! I'm always amazed when people talk about the educational aspects of their WDW trip. Give me a break! The OP is complaining about make-up work is she actually going to put in extra effort to make this an educational trip?

EpCot can be somewhat educational but my DD12 and the other school aged children with us on our trip this summer slept through both the movie in the American and French pavillions. It was a chance for an air conditioned rest for them while DH and I watched the movies. He and I were the only ones who stayed awake even the other adults dozed off.

If your child won't miss anything when they are out of school then you should be very concerned about the quality of your school.

 

[JenMB]

Sorry, but I don't think this is unfair at all. Your child goes to school to learn, and if you could miss that much time without doing any makeup work, there would be something seriously wrong with the school. Your concern about the journal is an important one, and I'm sure if you discuss it with the teacher, she'll be sympathetic and keep the journal private.

(And FWIW, at my job, when I take a vacation, I do a lot of pre-work to make sure everything is covered when I'm gone, I'm available by phone in case of emergency, I check in on email, and I spend some long hours making up my work when I get back. So adults don't get a free pass either! )

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

Quick question - what is "deer day"?

opening day of deer hunting season.

 

[fakereadhed]

I think a journal is a great idea! It's not like she asked for a thesis on WDW. It could be as simple as her top 3 attractions or activities each day, 1 thing she learned, and which park she visited. Great souvenir and starting point for your trip report. As far as bragging, it's not like it will be a secret why she isn't in school. If the other kids don't get to go to WDW, why wouldn't they want to hear what a trip there would be like?