Teachers are giving me a hard time pulling kids out of school

[KimK2006]

DD is only in pre-school but I intend to go with her on vacation whenever I feel like it for all of her school years.

Easy to say when you have no ideal how easily they can get behind by the time they are in middle school.

My DD14 has always been an honor student..received mostly A's...but SHE wouldn't even consider being pulled out of middle school for a Disney trip. (And we LOVE Disney!) If she knew it would be too hard to do it, I am sure my DS10, who is more of an "average" student, would have a really difficult time. By middle school, it is more hands on learning.

That being said, each year we took the kids out of school for a couple of days when there was a extended weekend or something when my DD was in elementary school. (DH is a high school principal and that is all he could get off at at time.) But, past elementary school, it just wasn't in the best interest of our kids to pull them out anymore.

So, as a parent, you are right. No one can tell you NOT to pull your kids out of school. But it is your fault if they get behind, not the schools because they wouldn't help your kiddo get caught up on what they missed while they were on vacation.

 

[mefordis]

I like your teaching style!

I'm a high school teacher, and I understand the hesitation about sending out daily e-mails to make sure that your child keeps on top of assignments. To you it's a quick message.

To me it is much more than that. I don't know how your child's classes are, but I do not rely on the textbook to do my teaching. It is difficult, if not impossible for me to convey what we covered in a day by typing a five minute e-mail. That means I would have to type up the class notes for the day and attach images and primary source documents. To do less would cheapen what I am trying to teach and put your child behind when he returns. This could take me anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. I'm not happy about having to do that because you want to take your family to Disney World during school.

Then, what happens when your child has questions? More e-mail for me. Then your child is understandably behind when he returns, which means I will have to spend time with him after school. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to do it, but realize that my work day is now increased because I still have papers to grade and lessons to prepare. All because you wanted to go on vacation.

I hope your family has a wonderful time on vacation, but please cut you kids teachers some slack.

Melissa

 

[princessmom29]

Tell them to Mind there owen Buisness!!, Its your Family and you know whats best!! you do not need to hear there oppion over and over again. You do not need to explain and justfy your self to any one!!.Now days alot(not all) of Schools and Teachers feel that there oppion Is the golden rule. There jobs Is to Teach not give Family advice,when not ask for.The Fact that they would not provide email updates shows you there they are showing you there personal Bias.

Excuse me, but it is none of my business as long as it does not effect my classroom, but as soon as your family decisions start having a negative impact on my ability to teach your child as well as the others in the class it becomes my business. It you want to take your kids out that is your business and I am fine with it, but don't expect me to take time from the other students to get your child caught up when you get back. It is not fair to the others in the class for your child to monopolize my time b/c they were gone to Disney for a week and missed all my lessons. Itshould be done after school and when i have the time availible to do it. i should not have to sacrifice being able to prepare for class/ get papres graded to catch up your child because it is when YOU have time to get them there for makeups. That is all I am trying to say, and I don't think it overstepps my bounds as a teacher to say so. And, I don't think not giving email updates shows THEIR presonal bias. It is really more time consuming that you would think, more so in the upper grades. It wouldtake me about 30 min to an hour a day to do this and really provide any usable information to a student. Just giving them the topic covered is really not going to do them any good, and I don't teach for a book so giving them the chapter in the book to read is not going to help. The only thing I could do is to provide a written copy of the lecture, and that is simply too time consuming to be practical, and really not likely to be that helpful anyway as we have a lot of question/answer intreaction in the lecture. It is often difficult to anticipate exactly what questions a particular student will have. Makeup work is simply not a substitute for class time mised and will always be second best to actually being there.

 

[maddmike]

This issue gets beat to death on these boards. Same people argue all the time how wrong it is to take the kids out of school. I think they wait for the next "I'm taking my kid out of school" thread to show up so they can start preaching. This topic is going to end up in the same catagory as all tipping threads and that is BANNED! Probably a good thing.

If taking your kids out of school - like we do - works for you, then great. If you would rather not, then don't. Just because someone does take their kids out of school does not make them a bad parent nor will it make their kids dumb. I actually think it makes them better. School is important but not the only learning experince in a childs life. Besides, life is too short not to enjoy it. The time you have with your children is even shorter so enjoy it while you can. When they grow up they will remember the good times they have with you on vacation, especially at WDW. Take advantage of the opportunity to spend time with the kids as it will create great memories for them and you.

 

[FigmentChick]

The UV index for the next 10 days in WDW will be 10 (as high as it goes). The heat does not cause the sunburn, it's the UV. You will probably get sunburned in your upcomming trip

Yeah, I know! That's why I reapply every two hours, wher a long sleeve t-shirt, hat and usually have some sort of scarf on the back of my neck. I look like I should be at a football game, not WDW! LOL Anyhow....I like the idea of an umbrella....I might have to steal that!

 

[goofy4tink]

Personal responsibility..that's what the issue is. Personal responsibility on the child's part in getting the missed assignments and finishing them in a timely fashion. Personal responsibility on the parent's part...in deciding when to vacation and realizing what the school district rules are in regards to that.
I know that our district has written guidelines that pertain to missed assignments. If I take my dd out of school, for any reason, I know full well what the repercussions are going to be. We weight both sides and decide what is going to work for us.
I have to say that there is a huge difference in taking a 2nd grader out of school for a week and taking a junior in high school out for that same time frame. I had no issues at all with my dd missing a week of school when she was in the lower grades. But, once she got to 7th grade, all bets were off. It all depended on how her grades were. If she was doing great, then we took time off. Borderline?? Nope, not missing school.

Let me give you a 'for instance' from last week. We attended dd's high school open house night. We meet each teacher and get the 'hows, whys' of each class, in that particular classroom. The subject that made me most angry was science(biology actually). When the teacher was asked about doing experiments and such, she told us that due to 'MCAS', (standardized testing here in Mass), she didn't have time to go off track if a child, or children found something to be really interesting. that if those kids were really getting into a subject, she wouldn't be able to spend more time on it because she had certain things she had to get taught and that left little to no time for other 'stuff' that came along. Truly sad situation. But my point is this....if a teacher isn't able to allow her kids to go off on a tangent, delving into something that would be a terrific learning experience, I can imagine how hard it might be to make up a weeks' worth of biology.

Each parent has to decide what the repercussions are going to be for their own children. I would love to take my dd to WDW in early Dec...I go every year at this time, but by myself. But...I don't want to take the chance that she could possibly miss something important in class. But, that is MY choice. Others will have different opinions. Do what's right for you and your child, within the confines of your particular school district.

Everyone has their reason for going when they choose to go. For heaven's sake..my 15 y/o is so pale she looks like she lives in a cave. She has never had a tan..she just burns. So, is always using sunscreen. Between the red hair and blue eyes...man, she is a walking sunburn waiting to happen. But, we plan accordingly.
Same with jobs...I'm sure there are those who really can't go during school vacation times. And I'm sure they are very responsible about being sure their kids get their work done.

I think the big bone of contention here is that the OP felt it was her child's teacher's responsibility to give out the homework/classroom assignments before the trip. And that may not be the school's policy. It is not the teachers job to make allowances for the family decision to travel. It is up to the family to 'make it work'.

 

[Scurvy]

This issue gets beat to death on these boards. Same people argue all the time how wrong it is to take the kids out of school. I think they wait for the next "I'm taking my kid out of school" thread to show up so they can start preaching. This topic is going to end up in the same catagory as all tipping threads and that is BANNED! Probably a good thing.

If taking your kids out of school - like we do - works for you, then great. If you would rather not, then don't. Just because someone does take their kids out of school does not make them a bad parent nor will it make their kids dumb. I actually think it makes them better. School is important but not the only learning experince in a childs life. Besides, life is too short not to enjoy it. The time you have with your children is even shorter so enjoy it while you can. When they grow up they will remember the good times they have with you on vacation, especially at WDW. Take advantage of the opportunity to spend time with the kids as it will create great memories for them and you.

Regarding the bolded, I don't think anyone has been arguing that (on this thread, at least; maybe that typically comes up on other threads). Most people are simply saying that there may be consequences to your child missing school for a trip, and that you have to decide if it's worth it or not. Of course people are also discussing whether it is reasonable to expect your child's teacher to have to do extra work because you decided to pull your kids out of school for a trip. I don't think there's any implication that those who pull their kids out for a trip are bad parents - just that they might have unreasonable expectations of how the teachers ought to react.

 

[Missy1961]

you make me laugh

That made me laugh too.

 

[Scott MC]

I'm a high school teacher, and I understand the hesitation about sending out daily e-mails to make sure that your child keeps on top of assignments. To you it's a quick message.

To me it is much more than that. I don't know how your child's classes are, but I do not rely on the textbook to do my teaching. It is difficult, if not impossible for me to convey what we covered in a day by typing a five minute e-mail. That means I would have to type up the class notes for the day and attach images and primary source documents. To do less would cheapen what I am trying to teach and put your child behind when he returns. This could take me anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. I'm not happy about having to do that because you want to take your family to Disney World during school.

Then, what happens when your child has questions? More e-mail for me. Then your child is understandably behind when he returns, which means I will have to spend time with him after school. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to do it, but realize that my work day is now increased because I still have papers to grade and lessons to prepare. All because you wanted to go on vacation.

I hope your family has a wonderful time on vacation, but please cut you kids teachers some slack.

Melissa

Beautifully said.
My philosophy, as a teacher is, "Take them out all you want. When you return, I'll be glad to give you a photo copy of my planbook for the days your child missed. I don't want to hear about it though, when your child is struggling with work that he or she missed due to a family vacation."

 

[wdw&sonny]

Personal responsibility..that's what the issue is. Personal responsibility on the child's part in getting the missed assignments and finishing them in a timely fashion. Personal responsibility on the parent's part...in deciding when to vacation and realizing what the school district rules are in regards to that.

I think the big bone of contention here is that the OP felt it was her child's teacher's responsibility to give out the homework/classroom assignments before the trip. And that may not be the school's policy. It is not the teachers job to make allowances for the family decision to travel. It is up to the family to 'make it work'.

:thumbsup

Accept the consequences of your actions.
If you choose to take your kids out of school, for any reason, understand the consequences. Make no apologies and expect no favors.

 

[princessmom29]

:thumbsup

Accept the consequences of your actions.
If you choose to take your kids out of school, for any reason, understand the consequences. Make no apologies and expect no favors.

This is really a great way to sum it up, and exactly what i have been trying to get across!

 

[CdnCarrie]

Move to Nova Scotia......

we don't have:

silly, unreasonable, truancy laws that force families into the court system for taking a child on vacation.

or

school boards who get paid more for higher attendance.

Viva Nova Scotia!

Totally agree! Well I'm from a different province but I agree wholeheartedly! We don't have these problems in Canada.

 

[Withacy]

Just giving them the topic covered is really not going to do them any good, and I don't teach for a book so giving them the chapter in the book to read is not going to help. The only thing I could do is to provide a written copy of the lecture, and that is simply too time consuming to be practical, and really not likely to be that helpful anyway as we have a lot of question/answer intreaction in the lecture. It is often difficult to anticipate exactly what questions a particular student will have. Makeup work is simply not a substitute for class time mised and will always be second best to actually being there.

I'm sure you're a brilliant teacher - but really? I'm curious what you teach that's so unique and important that no parent could grasp it well enough to approximate with their child, and no child could make it through school if they miss even a few days.

I'm assuming there's some form of factual element to your teaching. A period of history, a periodic table - something. I'm sure with enough effort your student's parents could impart at least a small bit of the knowledge to their child.

Believe it or not, as important as you undoubtably are, you're not the center of your students' universe - or their families' lives. If you don't feel like putting in extra effort to recreate the wisdom you've shared with your attending class, then don't. I'm sure making do without is punishment enough.

But in the end, the choice belongs to the parents. Not you.

 

[si-am]

I'm sure you're a brilliant teacher - but really? I'm curious what you teach that's so unique and important that no parent could grasp it well enough to approximate with their child, and no child could make it through school if they miss even a few days.

I'm assuming there's some form of factual element to your teaching. A period of history, a periodic table - something. I'm sure with enough effort your student's parents could impart at least a small bit of the knowledge to their child.

Believe it or not, as important as you undoubtably are, you're not the center of your students' universe - or their families' lives. If you don't feel like putting in extra effort to recreate the wisdom you've shared with your attending class, then don't. I'm sure making do without is punishment enough.

But in the end, the choice belongs to the parents. Not you.

And in the end, students and their families aren't the center of the universe for teachers. Teachers are human, too, with their own kids, families, and lives.

 

[KimK2006]

I'm sure you're a brilliant teacher - but really? I'm curious what you teach that's so unique and important that no parent could grasp it well enough to approximate with their child, and no child could make it through school if they miss even a few days.

I'm assuming there's some form of factual element to your teaching. A period of history, a periodic table - something. I'm sure with enough effort your student's parents could impart at least a small bit of the knowledge to their child.

Believe it or not, as important as you undoubtably are, you're not the center of your students' universe - or their families' lives. If you don't feel like putting in extra effort to recreate the wisdom you've shared with your attending class, then don't. I'm sure making do without is punishment enough.

But in the end, the choice belongs to the parents. Not you.

Wow! You mean to tell me if the teacher said she is covering the Civil War, you think from WDW, you can look up enough to teach your child about the Civil Ware while on visiting parks, etc.? Give me a break. The point she was trying to make is giving you the topic won't teach your child the details of the things covered on a broad subject.

You were WAY out of line and rude!

 

[tbranan]

We take our kids out of school every year to go on vacation(usually WDW).
When the teacher gives us a hard time, I lavish her with gifts. If that doesn't work, I take her to a nice restaurant and a movie.

My wife home schools our kids!! She always takes a little work to do on the plane, and even uses World Showcase to get a report out of our 5th grader when we return.

When we were in public schools, we never had a problem with the teachers giving us grief about missing for vacation. The school district, however, would call my cell phone every day and tell us that our kids missed school, even though we told them prior to leaving.

I think every kid is different and should be treated that way. If you think your kid can handle missing a week and can make it up without any problem, go. If not, stay. Make a decision based on what YOU think your child is capable of, and don't worry about the rest. I am sure they cannot take your kids away for going on vacation! Good luck and have fun!

 

[princessmom29]

I'm sure you're a brilliant teacher - but really? I'm curious what you teach that's so unique and important that no parent could grasp it well enough to approximate with their child, and no child could make it through school if they miss even a few days.

I'm assuming there's some form of factual element to your teaching. A period of history, a periodic table - something. I'm sure with enough effort your student's parents could impart at least a small bit of the knowledge to their child.

Believe it or not, as important as you undoubtably are, you're not the center of your students' universe - or their families' lives. If you don't feel like putting in extra effort to recreate the wisdom you've shared with your attending class, then don't. I'm sure making do without is punishment enough.
But in the end, the choice belongs to the parents. Not you.

No one ever said I was the center of the universe, but most parents are NOT capable of teaching their children calculus based physics, and it is something that is almost impossible to teach yourself from a textbook without help. I am sorry, but that's the way it is. I have had only a handful of students who were out for a week and able to catch up without help form me. It is typically not something they are capable of doing, even with help from their parents. I never said I don't want to put in the effort to help. In fact I would prefer that I was allowed to teach the child the concepts when they return rather than expecting them to get it on their own. And while they can "make it through school" missing a few days, my class is one where concepts build and missing and entire week without putting in the one on one time with me to get caught up puts them as a serious disadvantage and almost always negivately impacts their grade. The only thing I have said that I have a problem with is parents who are not willing to respect my schedule when getting their kids caught up.
There is really no need to be so rude and condescending. I am not trying to offend anyone, just trying to give a teacher's perspective here. This is what I have seen over the years with my students to be the case. Take it for what you will.

 

[blondinkaya]

Wow. Just wow. Yes, I've read other threads on the subject (and posted on some), but this one takes the cake. So many self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitudes! I need to stay away from these kinds of threads, but they're like a train crash happening in slow motion ... It's just so hard to not look, kwim?

Personally, I know the consequences of taking my kids out and are willing to deal with them. My kids' teachers know this, and they've been absolutely wonderful in being willing to give us the assignments either before or after our trip, although it is not required ... They have the option of giving zeros for unexcused absences. If they had chosen to do so, then that's the consequence we'd be dealing with. This trip is that important to us and the rest of the family who is going.

To those who just can't fathom the idea that others cannot take time off during their kids' times off for a Disney vacation: Count yourselves lucky that you nor anyone you've ever heard of is not in that position! I would love to be able to "pick up and go" when the kids are off! Dh and I were able to take 4 September off. It was the first time since last November that we were able to take the same day off together. And it was just a day. And, wouldn't you know it, the kids were in school! Planning a week together involves logistical planning, and add in another family member, who happens to be law enforcement, no less, and the week after Thanksgiving is the only time we CAN go. This trip has been planned for well over a year, as well. For those who don't believe me: I'm so sorry we couldn't all get time off or be together during the hot as Hades days of summer ... NOT! The cooler temps will be the icing on the cake!

 

[ccgirl]

This is a very long thread and I actually read each post. Very interesting.

Let me first say that I have two children, DD6 and DS1. I did take my DD out of kindergarten for 4 days and will be taking her out of 1st grade for 5 days in May. I think the whole family comes first is being used as a convenient excuse for I want to save some money or go at a time of year I like best. We all know family comes first. Call it like it is. If you want to go during free dining because the dining is "free" then say so. If you want to take advantage of lower crowds, then say that. However, do not say that your child's teacher should do extra work just for your child. What a teacher does for one, they need to do for everyone. I was honest with my DD teacher and said I wanted to go at a certain time of year because I got the free dining or because I wanted to go during the Flower & Garden Festival. Should you child have to do extra work if the teacher took vacation for a few days and the substitute didn't cover everything. I think the OP needs to come down off the soap box and realize their child isn't entitled to special treatment. Go, have fun, and have your child "try" to catch up upon their return. If they can't then you will have to face the consequences. As I said, I am all for taking your kids out of school if it follows district policy and if your child will not be behind in school. Just be honest about the reasons why you are doing it.

 

[scousemouse09]

I'm sure you're a brilliant teacher - but really? I'm curious what you teach that's so unique and important that no parent could grasp it well enough to approximate with their child, and no child could make it through school if they miss even a few days.

I'm assuming there's some form of factual element to your teaching. A period of history, a periodic table - something. I'm sure with enough effort your student's parents could impart at least a small bit of the knowledge to their child.

Believe it or not, as important as you undoubtably are, you're not the center of your students' universe - or their families' lives. If you don't feel like putting in extra effort to recreate the wisdom you've shared with your attending class, then don't. I'm sure making do without is punishment enough.

No teacher would assume to be the centre of the students universe, nor would they consider themselves to be the fount of all knowledge! However, no matter how well in advance a teacher plans, those plans will change on a daily basis. What if the teacher was teaching a concept that the students just couldn't grasp? That means more lessons on that topic that throws out the original plan. Or vice versa. That may be part of the reason the teacher was reluctant to email work.

As others have said, not all of us teach from a textbook. I can't in my subject, there's no textbook that fully delivers my course. And if the teacher's plans for those days involve a guest speaker, or practical work, or a debate, how exactly is that work going to be caught up?

Plus, there are only 24 hours in a day. An individual teacher can only do so much. I am a teacher in the UK; kids and parents think I work from 8.30-3.30, I wish I did! We can't take time off in the school year (I couldn't attend a family wedding this year because I wasn't allowed the day off for it), any time off sick has to be verified by a doctor (and try to ge a doctor's appointment over here...). Yes I enjoy my job, I do get 13 weeks off school a year, but you'd have to be very naive to think teachers do nothing in those holidays.