Teacher wants us to CANCEL Dec. cruise!

[seagulls]

I think the main reason for taking kids out of school during the school year is that cruise fares are cheaper. I can appreciate that when you have a young family there is not so much money to throw around. But when I was a kid the kind of holidays we had and enjoyed the best were bucket and spade at the beach.

 

I can see that perhaps the occasion arises when there is a once in a lifetime cruise such as a family reunion. Nevertheless, the way I see it if the 3 summer months is not enough to schedule annual holidays maybe home schooling is the answer. It must be very hard on the teachers having to prepare all that work for the kids to take with them. And if every family decided it was their right, then where would we be?

[maggieworkman]

I usually try to avoid posting in controversial threads, but this is a topic that I feel strongly about.

 

I have this argument with my inlaws every year. I REFUSE to take my kids out of school for vacations. I have become more adamant about this as my oldest entered middle school. My inlaws (who live in Florida) always want us to come down for Thanksgiving and leave the weekend before (thus missing 3 days of school). I never will. We leave Wednesday night and come back home the following Sunday. Therefore I have become the bad daughter in law who deprives them of seeing their son and grandchildren. They seem to forget the fact that we just spent a week with them in the summer.

 

Anyway, it becomes harder for students to miss school work without it affecting their grade. Yes, they might be able to make up assignments, worksheets, etc. but you miss so much just by not being in class. You can't make up the discussions, etc. that have gone on while you were gone. Also, how can you do a laboratory assignment while on a cruise?? Keeping a journal about the Bahamas is not going to help them understand what is going on in Macbeth!

So, due to MY choices, we travel during the summer. Yes, we pay higher prices. We probably paid twice as much per person to cruise in June than if we had cruised during off season. But it is worth it to me. We compensated for the extra cost by taking a 4 night cruise instead of a 7 night cruise. But that was our choice.

 

I feel that I am a good parent (I am not saying that those who pull their kids out of school are not being good parents.) I cherish family time and value vacations. I am teaching my children morals and such and do not expect the school district to "raise my child". I just personally believe that by taking my kids out of school it would add a burden on them and I do not want to do that. Kids have a hard enough time in school as it is. (Both of my children are good students. My middle school daughter is in honors classes.)

 

I understand the families where a parent might be assigned one week of vacation and it is take it or leave it. If that were my situation, then I would obviously feel differently. Thankfully that does not apply to us. But I personally wouldn't take them out of school just for lower rates or less crowds, etc.

 

I am a college teacher and often have to deal with this issue with my students. Most of the time it is not for vacation. Students just miss several days of class because they "Didn't feel like coming" or "Had to pick up a friend at the airport". This affects their performance on the exams. Then, at the end of the quarter, these same students want to do an "extra credit assignment" to raise their grade.

 

Maggie

[CoachTerry14]

i am sorry to inform you that my mother is a teacher at a magnet school and family vacation is excused.

 

 

Very few (if any) school boards or schools have established vacations as excused absences! So the Magnet school is in the minority as I mentioned.

 

Can I get a copy of the school's attendance policy? Just give me the school's website. Thanks in advance.

[legalwife]

Wow! If you look back at each post so far, you could find a valid point in just about each one of them.

 

I have a 9th grader and one in second year of college. We did take them out in elementary school and once in middle school for about 3 days each year to stretch a week-end for a vacation or cruise. They also made good grades and I would never have considered it if they did not. Teachers were very cooperative and I made sure boys did all the school work either before or after. At that age, the teachers were also interested in the cultural aspect as to where we were going and were glad for the kids to have the experience.

 

High School does move much more quickly especially if there is block scheduling as we have and I shudder to think of missing a whole week, both for the teacher and the student. Having said that, if I thought my child could handle it and was making A's, if the trip could not be changed without substantial penalty, and I felt okay with it, I sure would go. I also, as someone else said, hope you have the name of the person you spoke with last year. Very important. Once our board changed the holiday schedule after I had booked a cruise. Luckily, I was able to change it without penalty but it was close! You definitely need to let the principal know what is going on up front. I would write down a time line with comments or what has happened so far so you will have it down fresh on paper and not just in your mind, just for you to hang onto so you will remember all well.

 

May I also say I am not a teacher and I do not want to be (kind of like love to visit but don't want to live there...) but I have been very active in the schools for a variety of reasons. Most teachers have my greatest respect. Most but not all. There are bad apples in every tree. This one sounds like she is either burnt out or should never have chosen this profession to tell someone they will fail for that reason.

 

Gather your facts, discuss it, make a decision and go with it. Do not let it drive you or your daughter crazy. Hope things will be better for you.

[MOteacher]

I am also a teacher and would like to add my perspective. Schools usually frown on students being gone for any length of time during the school year (mostly in response to NCLB). Probably a district policy as well as the teachers view.

 

Although most teachers will gladly supply make up work for your child; it can never duplicate the lesson that was presented in class that day. Most teachers use mixtures of lecture, hands-on, and discussions to present their lesson. These cannot be duplicated through a worksheet or a book. If it were that easy to learn everything from a book we would be out of a job. We have been trained to present the material in a way that makes students successful. While the teacher may indeed "reteach" the material to the student, it is unlikely that teacher can reproduce the classroom experience missed the first time.

 

Oh, and by the way, teachers are NOT allowed to take a week off during the year to cruise. If I did, my job would be in jeopardy.

[hajekfam]

Maggie -

I felt the same way as you - and now that the kids are grown and on their own, I regret not taking them out of school more for family time. My mother passed away when the children were very young, my father passed away while the children were in high school and college. School is important but so is a family. And once they are grown and out on their own or the grandparents are gone, you never get that time back.

Grandparents offer a lot to a child. I feel I deprived my children of something that they can never get elsewhere. That should have been as important or even more important more than school. Now I realize that putting school ahead of family is just like putting work ahead of family. If school is a child's work, than the pyramid of values ranks it lower than family.

When I was growing up, my grandparents lived in the same town. I saw them every week. They did play an important part in my life. My grandmother taught me how to cook family favorite recipes. She taught me about flowers and gardening. And most of all, she gave me a place where I was the most important person in the world. I forgot about all that when I was a parent.

Now that I'm a grandparent, I can see the error of my ways. We have a granddaughter in Florida who we see twice a year. It takes her about two days to feel comfortable with us each time we see her. After all, she hasn't seen us for a quite a while. It is tough to leave her when we have to go home. Now, my eldest daughter and her family have moved to Texas. So that leaves us only two grandchildren in the area. I guess it is true - "what goes around, comes around" and I am seeing my children's grandparents points of view.

Anyway - I don't mean to lecture. Your comment just evoked some feelings in me and really caused me to think and to try and express some of the regrets I do have.

I'm not saying you are wrong as I did the same thing. But as a grandparent with grandchildren far away, I do ask that you try and see the grandparents' side.

[MOteacher]

Another thought.

 

Face it, the reason most people want to pull their students out of school is the fact they can travel during off season and save some dollars. So what you are really saying is that you value the few dollars you will save over your child's education.

 

I know there will be some exceptions such as the parent that is adament they only get vacation time during a certain month. However, most districts provide more than enough days off throughout the year and summer to accomodate most families' travel plans.

[Folgy]

Another thought.

 

Face it, the reason most people want to pull their students out of school is the fact they can travel during off season and save some dollars. So what you are really saying is that you value the few dollars you will save over your child's education.

 

I know there will be some exceptions such as the parent that is adament they only get vacation time during a certain month. However, most districts provide more than enough days off throughout the year and summer to accomodate most families' travel plans.

 

MOteacher, I agree with you 100% . In my family ,school came first. I never had any cruises or fancy pants trips like these kids nowadays let alone yanked from school on a lame excuse like *its family time/bonding/learning hands on and all that crapola . I have enjoyed lots of valuable family time without it sacrificing my education.

 

No matter how hard you beat your head against the wall trying to make your point, there will always be a come back from a parent that has already justified in their own minds why they yank them out of school.

[legalwife]

Oh brother....

 

My conscience is totally clear....

 

Each to his own and I am done.

[Nliedel]

MOteacher, I agree with you 100% . In my family ,school came first. I never had any cruises or fancy pants trips like these kids nowadays let alone yanked from school on a lame excuse like *its family time/bonding/learning hands on and all that crapola . I have enjoyed lots of valuable family time without it sacrificing my education.

 

No matter how hard you beat your head against the wall trying to make your point, there will always be a come back from a parent that has already justified in their own minds why they yank them out of school.

 

Just as there will always be people who think they should tell others how to parent. I know what's important to me and I traveled a lot as a child. I learned more in traveling Europe with my family than I ever did in school. It is not fair to condem parents for their legal choices.

[Folgy]

Just as there will always be people who think they should tell others how to parent. I know what's important to me and I traveled a lot as a child. I learned more in traveling Europe with my family than I ever did in school. It is not fair to condem parents for their legal choices.

 

Not once did I tell you how to parent, Who cares if you traveled so much and were so very affluential and able to do so.Niether did I condem you for your choice to travel with your children (condem parents for their legal choices???) << where on earth did that come from ?Not I.

 

I was responding to MOteacher and expressing my feelings and my thoughts as to how I see things as priorities. My experiences were from a very ,poor family that hoped to better myself so that one day I might be able to do as many of the privileged kids got to do . I earned it myself.

 

I am happy for you that all is well with the world and they things you do make you content. Carry on ,you don't need my consent.

 

I will relate to posts as I see fit as I see you doing the same. I do not condem others for their opinions. Just don't go after me because I make you feel uneasy or whatever.

 

We probably will just have to agree that we disagree. (how's that?)

 

Like Legalwife said 'each to his own and I'm done'

[Nliedel]

Not once did I tell you how to parent, Who cares if you traveled so much and were so very affluential and able to do so.Niether did I condem you for your choice to travel with your children (condem parents for their legal choices???) << where on earth did that come from ?Not I.

 

I was responding to MOteacher and expressing my feelings and my thoughts as to how I see things as priorities. My experiences were from a very ,poor family that hoped to better myself so that one day I might be able to do as many of the privileged kids got to do . I earned it myself.

 

I am happy for you that all is well with the world and they things you do make you content. Carry on ,you don't need my consent.

 

I will relate to posts as I see fit as I see you doing the same. I do not condem others for their opinions. Just don't go after me because I make you feel uneasy or whatever.

 

We probably will just have to agree that we disagree. (how's that?)

 

Like Legalwife said 'each to his own and I'm done'

 

I did not attack you in the least. I am not sure what to make of this post. I think I will just let it, and your insinuations about my life and how I was raised, go.

[cruisinqt]

Personally, I think that a lot of the things we learn in school are quickly forgotten or are never used. How many of us can name the capital of every state in the U.S.? How many of us use the algebra that was drummed into our heads? Do you remember the dates and facts of all of the wars our country were in? I used to know those things, but now unfortunately, I've forgotten most of that stuff. I'm not saying those things aren't important, it's just that a lot of what we're required to learn is forgotten or never used.

 

Now, in contrast, take the experience of our children while in Belize on one of our cruises. We toured the poor areas of town and visited a one room school. Their eyes were opened to the poverty and suffering in the other parts of the world. They remember it vividly just like it was yesterday and thank me for everything I give them now. Not only do they show appreciation more often now, they helped gather donations for that same school for our next cruise. Will they remember this experience? Yes, for the rest of their lives!:)

 

Please don't flame me here, as my husband and I are both college graduates. We both value education highly. I am head of the P.T.O. for our school and do tons of work at the school without pay. Education is VERY important, I'm just saying that FAMILY time is just as important. If the only time you can possibly afford to take your kids on a cruise is while they are in school, then do so. But only if that is the case.;)

[Nliedel]

Personally, I think that a lot of the things we learn in school are quickly forgotten or are never used. How many of us can name the capital of every state in the U.S.? How many of us use the algebra that was drummed into our heads? Do you remember the dates and facts of all of the wars our country were in? I used to know those things, but now unfortunately, I've forgotten most of that stuff. I'm not saying those things aren't important, it's just that a lot of what we're required to learn is forgotten or never used.

 

Now, in contrast, take the experience of our children while in Belize on one of our cruises. We toured the poor areas of town and visited a one room school. Their eyes were opened to the poverty and suffering in the other parts of the world. They remember it vividly just like it was yesterday and thank me for everything I give them now. Not only do they show appreciation more often now, they helped gather donations for that same school for our next cruise. Will they remember this experience? Yes, for the rest of their lives!:)

 

Please don't flame me here, as my husband and I are both college graduates. We both value education highly. I am head of the P.T.O. for our school and do tons of work at the school without pay. Education is VERY important, I'm just saying that FAMILY time is just as important. If the only time you can possibly afford to take your kids on a cruise is while they are in school, then do so. But only if that is the case.;)

 

This was beautifully put and "what cruisinqt said"

[maggieworkman]

When I was growing up, my grandparents lived in the same town. I saw them every week. They did play an important part in my life. My grandmother taught me how to cook family favorite recipes. She taught me about flowers and gardening. And most of all, she gave me a place where I was the most important person in the world. I forgot about all that when I was a parent.

Now that I'm a grandparent, I can see the error of my ways. We have a granddaughter in Florida who we see twice a year. It takes her about two days to feel comfortable with us each time we see her. After all, she hasn't seen us for a quite a while. It is tough to leave her when we have to go home. Now, my eldest daughter and her family have moved to Texas. So that leaves us only two grandchildren in the area. I guess it is true - "what goes around, comes around" and I am seeing my children's grandparents points of view.

Anyway - I don't mean to lecture. Your comment just evoked some feelings in me and really caused me to think and to try and express some of the regrets I do have.

I'm not saying you are wrong as I did the same thing. But as a grandparent with grandchildren far away, I do ask that you try and see the grandpa rents' side.

 

Thank you for your comments. It has made me think a little more on the topic. I was lucky in that my paternal grandmother always lived with us (and aunts and uncles and cousins in the same neighborhood). My maternal grandmother lived nearby and we saw her weekly. I really did love that growing up. Luckily for my children, my mother and father (their grandparents) live with us. So my parents get to see their grandkids every day. In fact, "grandma" cruised with us last year. We are very fortunate for this.

 

Unfortunately, my inlaws all live in Florida. We do go to see them for at least a week in the summer. Each of my daughters have spent an additional month in the summer with their grandma and aunts and uncles (each one time). We also always go down at Thanksgiving or Christmas for several days. I always thought that was "sufficient". I mean, my DH only gets a certain number of vacation days a year and we usually spend them with his family. The only exception is usually a few days where we do just the 4 of us - either at Disney or this past year a cruise. But maybe that isn't sufficient and I am not being fair to my inlaws. I will think it over. Another thing though is that my inlaws could come visit us whenever they want if they wanted to see the kids. I am not sure we are always the ones who should spend the time and expense to do it. My inlaws are financially well off and could afford it. They also sell real estate and have a little more flexibility in their schedule to get time off (Family business). But they don't. One time they came to Chicago to "visit" but they wanted to stay in a hotel downtown. (We live about 1 hour away from downtown, so it wasn't convenient for a visit.)

 

But thanks again. You have made me think. I know we are fortunate to have all of these grandparents to visit.

 

Maggie

[Folgy]

I did not attack you in the least. I am not sure what to make of this post. I think I will just let it, and your insinuations about my life and how I was raised, go.

 

Good Grief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I am lost trying figure out how I made insinuations about your life other than commenting only what you said yourself.Your life and how you were raised ???????what the !...........Are we reading the same posts. Talk about not sure what to make of this post ..my word! ...Anything I responded to was your insinuations about what I was saying about parents and how they should parent.

 

I am going back to CF board where I can exchange thoughts with other coherrant posters.

 

I will just go . Thank you for letting go :rolleyes:

[laughoutloud]

If the only time you can possibly afford to take your kids on a cruise is while they are in school, then do so. But only if that is the case.;)

 

Okay. Yes, family time together is important. But why does it have to be a cruise, then? There is no other affordable vacation available when school is out during the summer months? I'm thinking the cruise is more for the parents' enjoyment than for their childrens' "experiences"...