Cruising VS College

[parrotthead]

I beg to differ about elementary aged kids being able to miss. I teach elementary school and it is so hard when a kid misses even a day. I do group projects, tests, and all the instruction that I do each day. You can't make that up by just doing worksheets or assignments. .

I know, I know...this has been a hot button topic and beat to death on this and other boards. It boils down to a parents decision at those ages, at college level, I feel it should be the students choice. My girls were in AP classes all thru elementary education and graduated at the top of their classes and my oldest is now on a full scholorship at university. (well she is home for summer right now, but I digress) Point being for *my* kids the time they spent traveling did not hurt them from an education standpoint. Some kids it might have, but for me and my kids it was a fine choice. To each his own.

(now let the dead hourse beating begin)

[lovebug33]

People just don't think about the teachers and the job we are trying to do. I guess I look at it as we get two weeks at Christmas, one week at Spring break, five days around Halloween, and three months at summer. Why can't you go then? With our test happy society, missing school is just too difficult for the teachers to get kids caught up. Ten years ago, it would have been a different story. But, I have to teach an entire nine month curriculum in six months. There just isn't time to have the kids be off for a week.

[Travel Angel]

Note to self: Do not let children attend college where "squideater" is an administrator or they may end up with minimum wage job !

 

Oh I forgot to mention, I did not do well in college but have owned my own businesses for 20 + years... darn I knew I shouldnt have taken that cruise ! :D

[parrotthead]

People just don't think about the teachers and the job we are trying to do. I guess I look at it as we get two weeks at Christmas, one week at Spring break, five days around Halloween, and three months at summer. Why can't you go then?.

Not all school districts have that same schedule. (my childern *never* had 5 days off at Halloween)

Why not go when the school tells me I can take vacation? Because it was *my* choice. Not the school system. *And* because why should I pay higher prices to travel at peak times? That's why.

[parrotthead]

Note to self: Do not let children attend college where "squideater" is an administrator or they may end up with minimum wage job !

 

Oh I forgot to mention, I did not do well in college but have owned my own businesses for 20 + years... darn I knew I shouldnt have taken that cruise ! :D

TA: you and I may be two peas in a pod ;) :p

[debster11]

I would have never thought of taking a week off of College to go on a cruise. I would have missed entirely too much and don't feel I would have been able to make it up. I took Accounting so it was fast paced. If your friends don't want to go during a non spring break week you should respect that. If you feel you can do it then by all means have a great time! I wish you well.

[SCDreamWeaver]

My kids had to wait until this year to go on a cruise!! :( 1 Graduated Coastal last year, 1 graduated Tuesday night at USC, and 1 is out next year!!

 

But we are taking all three this year!!! They could not (or would not) have gone during school............:p

[chipmaster]

We are going on a cruise March 09. We choose it based on it's itinerary not on school schedules. The week we have spring break there aren't any cruises we are interested in. So we invite our friends who went last time and they wont go because it isn't during a break :mad: I personally feel I can miss a week of school and be just fine. I want to make sure we aren't being unfair by asking them to go while they are in school...

 

What does everyone else do?

 

This as others has mentioned is a passionate topic when it comes to grade school, and you wonder about college :eek:

 

Here is some prospective as I do screen and hire often. My company recruits tier 1 schools and local schools only. Got a GPA below 3.5 don't even look at the resume. Don't really care, the market is full of people with good grades, you start there and have more then enough candidates to screen to get who you need. Not saying it is fair nor that people with low GPAs won't be great works or brilliant inventors. Its a matter of efficient screening and playing probability and larger demographics.

 

Those who say Freshman / Sophmore don't matter, ask someone who went to medical, law, business or graduate school the ones that made it to tier 1 and those that didn't if one B or C in Frosh/soph mattered?

 

Does grades or one week determine ones life, NO. But often it is used rightly or wrongly to open the door at a once in a liftime chance at a company, job, or lifetime path.

 

Others will talk about examples of people in all walks that are successfuly and went on vacation, sure there are always examples like that.

 

My recommendation:

 

I for one believe you can always take that vacation to that spot another time. If you feel this is a once in a lifetime period, whats more important time with friends or location? I'd take the friends over location anytime. I would also NEVER ask my "friends" to compromise their education. Go during spring break. If you feel you can miss school plan that another time.

[zqvol]

As a faculty member at a local college I can tell you that missing a weeks worth of classes will likely cost the student a letter grade because we do not allow work to be turned in late or made up and that includes tests and quizzes.

 

IMO, if you are in school (any grade) you need to spend your energies working on school work and not cruising. We do not have enough time with students as it is and missing class for vacation is frowned upon. While in school worry about school, cruise during breaks and holidays or after you graduate.

[lovebug33]

I think 5 days at Halloween is a Nevada thing. And, I cruised the week before Christmas for a heck of a lot cheaper than any other time of the year. What would you people think if the teacher took off a week to cruise? That would be an interesting topic!

[deborahjo]

My son has just finished his sophmore year in college today. He loves cruising but would NEVER dream of missing a week of school to cruise. He is a double major in Education and Music Performance and he feels he would be so lost when he returned it is not worth it. That is why we are planning to take him and his girlfriend on a cruise this winter or during spring break. I late cruising during spring break but when we can get the best price we will sail when is acceptable with them.

[PINEVIEW01]

I had instrutors that would have told me to drop the class if I has taking a week off. As, if I didn't I would flunk no matter how I was doing in class.

 

I guess I never miss unless ill while attending college as I was paying so much I wanted my monies. I am sure people who don't have to pay their own way for one reason or other wouldn't feel that way.

 

Besides, I had a hard enough time getting good grades without missing classes. My family(DH and DD's-not parents) took vactions without me as I would not miss. So, I have to side with the friends. If you want to do it that is your call.

[parrotthead]

I think 5 days at Halloween is a Nevada thing. And, I cruised the week before Christmas for a heck of a lot cheaper than any other time of the year. What would you people think if the teacher took off a week to cruise? That would be an interesting topic!

Teachers *do* take off (maybe you would not, again personal decision)

My youngest daughter's High School AP English/Comp teacher (last year) took off 10 days to get married on the beach in Mexico.... Amazing how that happens.

[parrotthead]

The OP never said they were not paying for classes, rather they said they take only a few hours so to them missing what amounted to one or two classes was not a big deal to them...I think most of the full time college students and parents of college students weighted in saying it would be too hard to miss a week if taking a full time load...

[lovebug33]

I don't know what district you are in! In my district, the most you can take off (barring health issues) is 3 days in a row. Do you think that her taking ten days off was at all helpful to your daughter's education?

[PINEVIEW01]

The OP never said they were not paying for classes, ...

Did someone say they did??

[parrotthead]

We are in Texas.

I dont think it had an effect on my DDs education. It did not matter to us if she was there or not. The students had their syllabus and the sub did a fine job of keeping the class on task. If my daughter had not told me Ms. "B" brought her wedding album in for the class to see, I would not have known she was out.

Life goes on.

[RammerJammer]

I also teach at the college level - Adjunct Professor of Accounting.

I suppose that in some disciplines you can miss a week and pick right up. But, if you miss 2 nights of my class I won't have to punish you - you will punish yourself quite nicely. I guarantee that unless you are very, very smart and are able to learn on your own, 2 missed classes will have a very negative impact on your grade in my field and other rigorous ones as well. I simply can't imagine a vacation worth that kind of damage.:confused:

[parrotthead]

I

 

I guess I never miss unless ill while attending college as I was paying so much I wanted my monies. I am sure people who don't have to pay their own way for one reason or other wouldn't feel that way.

 

you implyed that people who would consider taking off school may not be paying their own way...the OP posed the question...therefore it seems you are implying that the OP, by considreing taking off to cruise does not value their monies or may not be paying their own way.

[deborahjo]

Sorry but I feel even taking one or two classes still amounts to several days. Depending on the major this could amount to alot of class time. I just do not think it is a good idea to miss. No matter who is paying for it.

[parrotthead]

At college level, I dont think it would be a good idea either, the OP is not concerned tho. They asked because their friends did not want to go outside of break.

Like I mentioned my college student when offered a cruise, flat out said she could not. But if the OP feels ok, then that is their choice.

[babyher]

Note to self: Do not let children attend college where "squideater" is an administrator or they may end up with minimum wage job !

 

Oh I forgot to mention, I did not do well in college but have owned my own businesses for 20 + years... darn I knew I shouldnt have taken that cruise ! :D

 

 

 

When my sister was a freshman in high school she had one course she just couldn't get the hang of. (Calculus, Trig ,I forget) She was a great student in every other area , and she did work at it but she just couldn't get it.

 

One day as the teacher was returning the students tests he corrected (obviously my sister didn't do well on it), he handed my sister a note pad and pen and said "I'll have a hamburger lettuce,tomato and ketchup, order of fries and a coke " My sister had no idea what he was getting at ,and just stared at him.

 

The teacher told her "Write it down, I am helping you prepare for your career"

 

This was back in the day when teachers hit you with rulers so not a lot would have been done to the teacher , but when my sister came home crying and told my mom , mom wisely decided not to tell my dad because he wouild have went to school and killed him.

 

Cut to the chase, all these years later my sister owns a very successful design firm, (being married to a cardiologist doesn't hurt either) *LOL*

 

But she holds no ill will or resentment to the teacher. In fact a few years ago on a Saturday morning the faculty of the high school had a benefit car wash and she gladly let him wash her BMW :)

[parrotthead]

When my sister was a freshman in high school she had one course she just couldn't get the hang of. (Calculus, Trig ,I forget) She was a great student in every other area , and she did work at it but she just couldn't get it.

 

One day as the teacher was returning the students tests he corrected (obviously my sister didn't do well on it), he handed my sister a note pad and pen and said "I'll have a hamburger lettuce,tomato and ketchup, order of fries and a coke " My sister had no idea what he was getting at ,and just stared at him.

 

The teacher told her "Write it down, I am helping you prepare for your career"

 

This was back in the day when teachers hit you with rulers so not a lot would have been done to the teacher , but when my sister came home crying and told my mom , mom wisely decided not to tell my dad because he wouild have went to school and killed him.

 

Cut to the chase, all these years later my sister owns a very successful design firm, (being married to a cardiologist doesn't hurt either) *LOL*

 

But she holds no ill will or resentment to the teacher. In fact a few years ago on a Saturday morning the faculty of the high school had a benefit car wash and she gladly let him wash her BMW :)

Your sister seems to be the incarnation of the old saying:

Living well is the best revenge ...

love the story, esp the washing the BMW part!!:D

[cruisertime]

My family is running into a similar situation. We booked our cruise about 18 months ago for our family during the Thanksgiving break.

 

Well, our daughter, who will be an incoming freshman, decided on her college, and they work on trimesters.

 

The day we leave is the second day of her first trimester finals.

 

My other daughters tell us it shouldn't be an issue.

 

I'm working on a back up plan to fly her into Nassau and she'll meet the ship there.

 

It will work out one way or the other....

[parrotthead]

Good Luck with that CT.