Pulling kids out of school?

[airhead]

I live with one of those dedicated teachers who puts way too much time into her job and way more time worrying about those lagging behind. I also know that the times she has prepared a folder of work (by request of a parent going to go on vacation),it comes back unfinished if it comes back at all!! I say,take your kids
but what they miss,they miss. Don't make some teacher already overworked prepare some worksheets so you feel better about
taking your kids to WDW. Personally,I kinda wish everybody would take their vacations at times other than summer----less crowds for me!!!!!

 

[angel's momma]

Originally posted by airhead
Don't make some teacher already overworked prepare some worksheets

I was reluctant to post in this thread, but I have a question. (Not trying to cause debate, seriously would like more information).
Wouldn't the worksheet already be prepared for the rest of the class? Am I missing something, like is this extra work to take the place of classroom participation?

 

[SpecialK]

My dh and I are both teachers. We would love to be able to vacation in off times but we can't take the time off.

When one of my students goes on vacation, the only work I require to be made-up are assignments that will have an effect on the child's grade. I make that clear to the child and to the parents. I also require the work to be turned in one week after they return from vacation.(Helps to keep them from falling too far behind.) If they choose not to work with-in these parameters, they face the consequences.

As far as student vacations causing more work for the teacher, it depends on how far in advance the work is requested. It's next to impossible to plan more than a week ahead. You never know what accomodations you'll need to make for students who are having trouble or for unexpected changes in your schedule.

 

[jcemom]

We will be taking our boys (4th and 5th grades) out next week, they will miss 9 days of school. I spoke with the principal about it at the end of last school year and was given an enthusiastic thumbs up. He felt it would be a great experience for them. I notified their teachers, in writing, the first week of school. They do not feel it will be a problem at all.

My 4th grader's teacher sent a note home this week letting me know that she will not be giving him any homework and that he can make up whatever was to be graded after we return. She then requested that we bring her back one of those little orange trees...LOL

My 5th grader's teacher wants to know if I have a couple of extra tickets for him and his wife as they'd like to come along!

 

[Efastpitch]

Originally posted by jcemom
We will be taking our boys (4th and 5th grades) out next week, they will miss 9 days of school. I spoke with the principal about it at the end of last school year and was given an enthusiastic thumbs up. He felt it would be a great experience for them. I notified their teachers, in writing, the first week of school. They do not feel it will be a problem at all.

My 4th grader's teacher sent a note home this week letting me know that she will not be giving him any homework and that he can make up whatever was to be graded after we return. She then requested that we bring her back one of those little orange trees...LOL

My 5th grader's teacher wants to know if I have a couple of extra tickets for him and his wife as they'd like to come along!

Why do I not believe this.

 

[jcemom]

Originally posted by Efastpitch
Why do I not believe this.

Hey! I'm having a hard time believing it myself! I should add that they do go to a pretty small, close-knit school, and that possibly allows for the teachers to spend extra time one-on-one when needed. I also spent a couple of years (before the baby came along) as PTO President and have worked closely with the teachers and administration. I'm sure they know that whatever work is assigned when we get back will get done. My fifth grader does have math homework, which he is working on right now, since school was closed again today due to ice and snow!

 

[benebire]

This is another Hot Topic, heres my 2 cents worth

Efastpitch,
Is everyone who disagrees with you subjected to such mean remarks? We are all entitled to our opinions but I think you can express yours without such nasty comments to others.

I have pulled my kids from school and will do it again, as long as they continue to do well. If they were struggling I would not.

To the OP: If you follow your gut feeling, you will be doing the right thing. Have a great vacation.

 

[Efastpitch]

Originally posted by benebire
This is another Hot Topic, heres my 2 cents worth

Efastpitch,
Is everyone who disagrees with you subjected to such mean remarks? We are all entitled to our opinions but I think you can express yours without such nasty comments to others.

I have pulled my kids from school and will do it again, as long as they continue to do well. If they were struggling I would not.

To the OP: If you follow your gut feeling, you will be doing the right thing. Have a great vacation.

So if I agree with you I'm a nice person, if I disagree I'm mean. But even you should admit that taking your children out of school for nine days just to go to WDW is stretching it a bit. What happens when the children get back from WDW and they get sick? Another 5 to 10 days out of school. What about a possible family emergency? You have to think more than just a few days into the future. I really can't see any teacher or administrator thinking that taking your kids out of school for an extended period of time is acceptable. But, please understand, its your family, do as you wish. But this is a debate/opinion board. So if you don't agree, then just give your opinion, don't slam someone because they gave their opinion.

 

[jcemom]

Oops! Here I thought I was posting on the Disney Tips board...I didn't know I was on the Debate board!

Efastpitch, you don't have to agree with what I'm doing. If you choose not to believe me, that's fine as well. I don't know you, and I don't care if you think I'm making this all up--why would I? I was just posting about my personal experience with taking my kids out for a WDW trip...that's what I thought this thread was about. My children's principal and teachers have no problem with it. Not all teachers would feel that way I am sure. Their teachers think it is a good experience for them.

As far as what MIGHT happen in the future, we MIGHT all be killed in a car accident and then it will be a moot point. My child MIGHT die of cancer next year and then I will be so happy that we took a trip together. We MIGHT have a nuclear war and all be obliterated from the planet. I don't live my life that way. It may work for others, not me. I don't think that makes me WRONG. I will raise my kids the way I see fit, you raise yours as you see fit, and we will all live happily ever after.

 

[Efastpitch]

Originally posted by jcemom
Oops! Here I thought I was posting on the Disney Tips board...I didn't know I was on the Debate board!

Efastpitch, you don't have to agree with what I'm doing. If you choose not to believe me, that's fine as well. I don't know you, and I don't care if you think I'm making this all up--why would I? I was just posting about my personal experience with taking my kids out for a WDW trip...that's what I thought this thread was about. My children's principal and teachers have no problem with it. Not all teachers would feel that way I am sure. Their teachers think it is a good experience for them.

As far as what MIGHT happen in the future, we MIGHT all be killed in a car accident and then it will be a moot point. My child MIGHT die of cancer next year and then I will be so happy that we took a trip together. We MIGHT have a nuclear war and all be obliterated from the planet. I don't live my life that way. It may work for others, not me. I don't think that makes me WRONG. I will raise my kids the way I see fit, you raise yours as you see fit, and we will all live happily ever after.

If you don't think about the future, why go to school, why go to work. Why plan for anything. Hey, do what you want. More power to you. But all decision's have their consequence's. Some good, some bad.

 

[jcemom]

 

[Efastpitch]

Originally posted by jcemom

And I really do mean it.

 

[jcemom]

Originally posted by Efastpitch
And I really do mean it.

Sometimes we just have to agree to disagree... (As soon as I can get my boys to understand that I'll be in great shape! LOL )

As for this little sunshine smilie guy, I'm really enjoying looking at it and hoping we get some of it next week considering the weather we've been having lately!

 

[siobhan1997]

Every year we pull our 10 year old DD from school in March without any hesitation. She is an excellent well rounded student and her teachers always have wonderful praises for her. With owning our own business our busiest time of the year is the military posting season and for us here in Canada that means throughtout June, July and AUgust there can be no quality family time!!! So each year during the month of March we choose to have our family vacation. It is our time together as a family without the phones, and constant daily interuptions from people at home. It is our time to give our DD 150% of our love and dedication to her.

Her teacher this year has told us she believes that a child can learn so much from being on vacation. Stuff that she could never teach them, so we always try to throw something educational into our trip. This year it will be the space center and the science museum. We also over the past couple of years have done daily journals. But she will also learn, that family vacations are very important and hopefully she will one day continue the tradition of family vacations with her family, as my Husband has instilled in us. When I was young we could never afford a family vacation, so I never really knew what they were really about!

I will continue to keep taking her out of school for family vacations as this is OUR TIME!!!!

 

[Whitegloves]

Efastpitch,
I'm curious, do you have children of your own?

 

[hellow]

Thought I would add my two cents as well--might as well get into the hot topic here. I am curious, too, if Efastpitch has kids of his/her own, because sometimes its easier to judge before you walked in the other person's shoes.

I usually refrain from having my children miss school for any reason other than illness. However, we are having them miss 3 days before our spring break starts because it just happened to work out best for us this year. I really feel that learning comes from not only school but other activities as well.

There seems to be a grey line anymore where kids actually get a "break" from school/learning. During our two week "break" at Christmas, my two middle school kids spent a good 20 hours in the library working on their term paper due the week after break. During Thanksgiving "break", my high school daughter spent the four days working on a school project and my middle schoolers worked many hours on a geneology project due the following week. The work was not done during this time because they procrastinated--they easily have 3 hours of homework each night--and all do well in school.

During the summer, my kids volunteer as camp counselors, and have animals in 4-H. Both opportunities give them AWESOME hands on education in animal science and leadership skills. Just because "school is out" doesn't mean they stop learning.

We are taking the kids out of school the extra 3 days, we plan to visit Kennedy Space Center, and other "educational" attractions, and don't feel we are hurting them at all by doing so. All the teachers we talked to are supportive of the opportunity, as they were with other kids who had opportunities to travel.

Its important to realize the value of formal education, but know that knowledge comes from other experiences as well. Missing a few days of school to have the opportunity to learn "hands on" is no big deal--after all, learning should be a life-long commitment!

 

[debster812]

OK--having just pulled DS (6YO--1st Grade) from school for 4 days, would like to know what other options we might have had.

DH is a unionized delivery driver. What that means, is that they choose vacations by seniority, and my DH is not 'high enough' on the food chain to have access to the school vacation or summer weeks. He just isn't. He suspects that in about 4 years he will be able to choose the school vacation weeks or any weeks in the summer. Until then, we do the best we can.

So, I spoke to DS's teacher at parent teacher conferences in November, told her that we had a family trip planned, and what kind of arrangements could we make. She asked that DS keep and write in a travel journal every day, which he did. He is also in a reading program where they are required to read at least 20 minutes a day, so we did that as well. She said she was not able to put together worksheets for us before we left, but would put everything together, and DS would make them up upon our return. She said he could have as many days to make up the work, as the amount of days he missed. He also had a spelling test and a math test to make up upon his return.

He aced the spelling test, and missed one problem out of 15 on the math test. All his worksheets are done and will be turned into his teacher on Monday when he returns.

I am the daughter of a teacher, and understand the importance of education, and continuity of learning, but there is something very important to be said for fun, quality family time too!

So, this is what we did, and it works for us. Our alternative to NOT pulling DS from school, is to NOT have any family vacation until DH is able to choose the 'good weeks' That is not a viable option for us either.

The bottom line is that we all need to do what is best and what is right for our OWN families and situations. Everyone live your lives happily, and go to WDW as much or as little as makes you happy.

Debbie <---who apologizes for the length of her post.

 

[Bojo]

IMHO - do what you feel is best for your family and be prepared to accept any consequences(?) for your actions.

To throw a wrinkle in this discussion (maybe we should move to the debate board?) - Would it be OK for your child's teacher to take 5 or more days away from school for their family vacation?

 

[debster812]

Originally posted by Bojo
IMHO - do what you feel is best for your family and be prepared to accept any consequences(?) for your actions.

To throw a wrinkle in this discussion (maybe we should move to the debate board?) - Would it be OK for your child's teacher to take 5 or more days away from school for their family vacation?

I agree 100% with the first part of this quote. Do what you need to do, but be prepared for the consequences. Absolutely.

And to the 2nd part. If my son's teacher had the opportunity, and was able to get the time off, I would have NO problem with her doing the same.

 

[hellow]

My best friend has been a public school teacher for 14 years, and is highly respected as a teacher in the community. She has taken days off during school to travel with her husband to his conferences (he is a stock broker). She tries to limit her time away from class, but has taken time in her 14 year career to travel during "school days".

I personally don't think it is a big deal if our kids have an occasional substitute. In our district the substitutes are a pool of teachers, many with masters degrees, who do an excellent job filling in for the teachers.

And, I 100% agree, whatever works for you and your family is what you should do--with no guilt or regret!