Taking kids out of school.....

[WhansaMi]

To those who have said "Education doesn't only take place in the classroom", that is true, but it is unlikely that your cruise will provide the requisite knowledge to allow your child to pass the high stake tests that are required for them to graduate. An understanding of the Arawak Indians is not going to help them prepare for the chemistry exam.

 

I teach in a pretty affluent area, and it is rare that a month goes by without one of my students leaving for a family vacation. I used to diligently put together a pack of material: notes, worksheets, supplemental materials... and upon the student's return it was either not done at all, or clearly hastily done the night before. In other words, I spent a lot of time and thought in order to help the students, and it was neither utilized or appreciated.

 

Fortunately, in the last year or so we have been given persmission to decline to give work ahead of time. I no longer prepare any materials. I give the students the chapters of the material we will be covering, and the work must be made up after they return. And, while I am willing to answer questions for them during my afternoon office hours, I no longer feel the need to set aside a time specifically for them to go over the material.

 

I do not give homework or projects over holidays. I believe that time is "family time", and I will not intrude upon that time. However, the school year is, IMO, just that --school time. I run a lab class. Pulling a kid out makes it difficult for me, and the other students in his/her lab group. If a parent insists on taking their child out of school, to the detriment of others, then, IMO, he/she has to bear the responsibility of teaching the information to the child, or risking an impact to the grade and/or test scores.

 

And, before someone derides me as "one of those teachers no one likes", I have to say that I have been nominated four times for "Teacher of the Year" at my school, and once at the national level. I give 150% to my kids: I am there late every single day; I delight in finding the best, more efficient, most kid friendly and yes, fun, way to get across concepts. My kids love my class, but they also know that I expect no more, and certainly no less, from them than I expect from myself -- a full commitment to the process of learning.

 

Of course, there will always be things outside our control that interfere with that process: illnesses, deaths in the family, family crises, etc. I have no problem with that. But a vacation? The kids and parents in the community, long witnessed the lengths I will go to help a kid succeed, having been out sick, or with a family emergency. They have also seen me be less than sympathetic when kids comes back from a trip completely unprepared, and expecting me to spend an equal number of hours working with a kid who has gone on vacation.

 

All I know is.... as we have been putting together schedules for the upcoming year, and my classes are the most requested in my subject area. So either, at some level, they understand my perspective, or are willing to overlook it for the other positive things their kids get out of my class.

[boaterette]

Seems like the overriding theme here is not what is best for the kids... it is about saving money. The best way to save money is to take the kids to a park and go camping. Maybe a cruise is not the best choice?

 

I hate to disagree with you Salty but the best way to save money is not have the kids in the first place. Then they can cruise whenever they want.

[boaterette]

To those who have said "Education doesn't only take place in the classroom", that is true, but it is unlikely that your cruise will provide the requisite knowledge to allow your child to pass the high stake tests that are required for them to graduate. An understanding of the Arawak Indians is not going to help them prepare for the chemistry exam.

 

I teach in a pretty affluent area, and it is rare that a month goes by without one of my students leaving for a family vacation. I used to diligently put together a pack of material: notes, worksheets, supplemental materials... and upon the student's return it was either not done at all, or clearly hastily done the night before. In other words, I spent a lot of time and thought in order to help the students, and it was neither utilized or appreciated.

 

Fortunately, in the last year or so we have been given persmission to decline to give work ahead of time. I no longer prepare any materials. I give the students the chapters of the material we will be covering, and the work must be made up after they return. And, while I am willing to answer questions for them during my afternoon office hours, I no longer feel the need to set aside a time specifically for them to go over the material.

 

I do not give homework or projects over holidays. I believe that time is "family time", and I will not intrude upon that time. However, the school year is, IMO, just that --school time. I run a lab class. Pulling a kid out makes it difficult for me, and the other students in his/her lab group. If a parent insists on taking their child out of school, to the detriment of others, then, IMO, he/she has to bear the responsibility of teaching the information to the child, or risking an impact to the grade and/or test scores.

 

And, before someone derides me as "one of those teachers no one likes", I have to say that I have been nominated four times for "Teacher of the Year" at my school, and once at the national level. I give 150% to my kids: I am there late every single day; I delight in finding the best, more efficient, most kid friendly and yes, fun, way to get across concepts. My kids love my class, but they also know that I expect no more, and certainly no less, from them than I expect from myself -- a full commitment to the process of learning.

 

Of course, there will always be things outside our control that interfere with that process: illnesses, deaths in the family, family crises, etc. I have no problem with that. But a vacation? The kids and parents in the community, long witnessed the lengths I will go to help a kid succeed, having been out sick, or with a family emergency. They have also seen me be less than sympathetic when kids comes back from a trip completely unprepared, and expecting me to spend an equal number of hours working with a kid who has gone on vacation.

 

All I know is.... as we have been putting together schedules for the upcoming year, and my classes are the most requested in my subject area. So either, at some level, they understand my perspective, or are willing to overlook it for the other positive things their kids get out of my class.

 

 

Way to go. You are what a teacher should be and I thank you.

[boaterette]

Not to beat a dead horse but we have taken our kids out of school several times (but just once a school year). The first two times they were in like K. Then we did it in 07 when they were in 5th, 4th, 1st and Pre-K (our kids can start Pre-K at age 3 here.. its part of the school system!). That was 2 weeks before Christmas and they missed 7 days with no issues. Last year my FIL died in July and we took the kids to Disney for a week to cheer them up (my FIL lived next door their entire lives). It was in September and was 6 school days. All my kids but my 6th grader had no issues, my 6th grader did have issues because it was a brand new school and he had a hard time adjusting. We are taking them out for 6 days this coming December. They hardly miss any school outside of our vacation. Thankfully we havent had issues with the principals and MOST teachers gave us work ahead of time. We actually had one principal tell us that family time is just as important Next September I start my clinicals for nursing school so this will be the last year that we take our kids out. I have 2 years of my clinicals and will be done. Then I can actually afford to cruise over the Christmas holiday or during the summer!

 

So are you saying your schooling is more important than your childrens. It they can miss school certainly you can also.

[WhansaMi]

Way to go. You are what a teacher should be and I thank you.

 

<blush> Why, thank you.

 

Teaching is a second career for me. I love being an educator of children (or, in my case, that ephemeral being known as the <<<DUH DUH DUH>>> tweeners. :-) I do think the middle schooler is the most difficult age, and if I didn't love it, I couldn't do it.

[CruisnMom007]

We did that once! Their very first cruise! They were 7th and 5th grade at the time. True if they are in high school it is tough to get caught up, but when they were younger I always had the teachers give them their work ahead of time and they usually had it done before we left so they didn't really miss out. If there were tests they would take them before or after we got back. They were always doing well enough with grades anyhow. Don't sweat it, they will have a blast!!

[KarenMF]

As I sixth grade elementary teacher, I cannot tell you how frustrating it is for a student to miss a week of school. It is a lot of work for us to collect and write notes on everything they have missed. Not to mention what a pain it is to go back and check everything when it comes in. We are also the ones who get stuck teaching them the math that they missed and can't learn on their own. This means I either have to stay after school to work with the student, or work with him while the other students are doing something independent. I especially hate when parents ask for the work in advance. Do they really think we have the copies all ready a week and advance? My plans for the week change too based on student performance. Fortunately my school has decided that parents can no longer ask for work in advance.

 

As another teacher (6th, 7th and 8th grade) I was going to post the same thing - it is A LOT of extra work for the TEACHER (as well as the student) to make up work. We also have a no advance work policy.

[KarenMF]

Another poster said that the first 2 weeks are just waking the kids up, but I think the first 2 weeks are establishing the routine for the rest of the year.

JMHO

 

You are absolutely right - the first few weeks are very important. Not only is it establishing routines it's also establishing relationships within the classroom (all grade levels) and in many cases doing some diagnostic testing in order to plan appropriate teaching for all students. Not only does a student missing a big chunk of school disruptive their learning, it is disruptive to the whole classroom.

[KarenMF]

Originally Posted by snallysmom View Post

I am a retired school administrator. Our district had (and still has) a policy that students in high/middle school fail for the semester if they miss more than a certain number of days of class. Family vacations were considered unexcused which meant the students received a zero for all missed work. Some teachers did give the students credit, but they weren't supposed to. I personally wouldn't do it for a cruise, but some of my students' parents have and the kids did fine upon return as long as they weren't absent much more so they lost credit. The teachers, however, were often in my office complaining about parents doing it. On the other side of the coin, I took students to Russia for 3 weeks (one week was a school vacation) but that was excused because it was a school trip. The students took work and their exposure to the students we lived with and attended school with was the highlight of their high school experience. The other chaperon and I stayed after school every night until they got caught up when they returned. Their grades did suffer overall, but they, and I, felt it was worth it. So, only you can decide if the trip is worth it. I would never do it with a student struggling acadmemically.

 

I can assure you of something that you should already know. If the child is already struggling, missing one week is not going to make ANY difference.

 

Are you a teacher? You're basically saying that a struggling child can't make a turn around. Maybe that's the week that something clicks for the child.

[pe4all]

Our kids usually missed 1 school day before Christmas break so we could fly in the day before our cruise. They let the teachers know they would get the assignments from their friends, and would do the work before returning to school. DD18 took her calculus books on the cruise with her to study for a test, and also some English assigned reading books. Most of the teachers gave any assignments (mostly reading over vacation) in advance, even though they were not asked to. They did this because my kids were "good" kids, good students, and did not take advantage of missing school. As I also teach, I would let my principal and superintendent know I was also missing school. They understood, for the same reasons - I almost never am absent, and I give 100% to my job. Luckily, they understand that family comes first. I know some districts that have docked my teacher friends for "unexcused absences." Truthfully, I wouldn't care if they docked me - family time together is too hard to achieve in this day and age, and I wouldn't give it up for the world. Take the kids out on vacation!

[FabFourLover]

A question for the teachers here....what do you do when a child is sick, say a kid has the flu and is out of school for a week. That kid most likely was feeling awful for days before finally staying home and will be slow to perk up when she gets back. That could be 5 to 10 days of little or zero work. No advance notice.

Now, I am not saying that a week sick is the same as a weeks vacation but the amount of days and the amount of work missed is the same. If you and the child can survive a sick week, why can't you survive a weeks vacation???

[KarenMF]

A question for the teachers here....what do you do when a child is sick, say a kid has the flu and is out of school for a week. That kid most likely was feeling awful for days before finally staying home and will be slow to perk up when she gets back. That could be 5 to 10 days of little or zero work. No advance notice.

Now, I am not saying that a week sick is the same as a weeks vacation but the amount of days and the amount of work missed is the same. If you and the child can survive a sick week, why can't you survive a weeks vacation???

 

There are certain things that must be accommodated for - illness (of the student or family member - we have had students travel out of the country to see terminally ill grandparents), even special award things. But those are things we have no control over. Purposely taking a family vacation is something the parents have control over.

[dainew]

I took my youngest out in the 11 grade to go on a cruise the teachers worked with me and ds had to stay after school to do some of the work before he left. the teachers told me i wish i could go. the only problem i had was the princple and he told me it would not be excused and my ds could only missed 4 more days when he got back i told him i didnn't care how sick he was he had to go to school he onlyhad to go a week and half when we got back. he went back to school and told the teachers and his friends how much fun he had and friends wish there parents would take them. he still talk about the trip we have gone on others. diane

[FabFourLover]

There are certain things that must be accommodated for - illness (of the student or family member - we have had students travel out of the country to see terminally ill grandparents), even special award things. But those are things we have no control over. Purposely taking a family vacation is something the parents have control over.

 

I understand that, but you didn't answer my question. You can make accomodations for the things you listed but can't for a vacation? Seems you pick and choose what is acceptable and what is not. Sorry but that's not your job.

 

Parents know that by taking their kids out of school for a week they will put that kid behind. All you need do is your job, which I am sure you do very well, and let the kids do their job...catching up. If they do, fantastic. If they don't, well, mom and dad knew the risk of taking her out of class in the first place. It's their fault if the kid doesn't catch up, not yours. You can not legislate good judgement.

 

When I took my DD out of school for a week she was in the 5th grade and had straight A's. Since we're in a big city with very regulated school schedules (I feel bad for good teachers here) I knew exactly when big exams and standardized tests were to be given and we did not schedule our trip during those times. DD didn't miss a beat. Her teacher did nothing extra to help her other than give her all the missed homework. I didn't expect her to do any more than that, she had 37 kids in her class. There was no way she had the time. DD did all her homework, all her missed homework and, if I remember correctly, she made a diarama (I hate those things) of the ocean to show what she saw while on her trip for extra credit. It worked out fine.

[time4u2go]

We never have taken our kids out of school for vacation and never will.

[CC Help Michell]

A question for the teachers here....what do you do when a child is sick, say a kid has the flu and is out of school for a week. That kid most likely was feeling awful for days before finally staying home and will be slow to perk up when she gets back. That could be 5 to 10 days of little or zero work. No advance notice.

 

Now, I am not saying that a week sick is the same as a weeks vacation but the amount of days and the amount of work missed is the same. If you and the child can survive a sick week, why can't you survive a weeks vacation???

 

Can we "survive" it? Certainly. Will most (wish I could say "all") teachers help a child who has been out catch up regardless of the reason, since in neither situation is it the child's decision to be absent? Certainly -- it may be the parent's decision, but it's the child who will pay the price for it.

 

However, it's a fact that this kind of remediation, reteaching, etc. to help a child catch up takes time -- and it's not our planning time during school and after school, because that's when we plan for the entire class/group. Helping that absent child takes personal time, evening time, lunch time, family time, early morning time. You see, it's not just about copying a bunch of worksheets and throwing them at the student, if you really want them to learn it.

 

I have no problem spending the time to do this when a child needs to make up absences, because the only reason I teach is to help every one of my students learn what they need to know -- but teachers are only human and it's disappointing to know that parents decided to impose that extra burden on their child and the teacher INTENTIONALLY. Illness is unintentional, and that's one reason teachers (and school districts) make a distinction in absence type.

 

Another reason, to expand on your question, is the scenario when the child who is out for a week for a family vacation in October is the same one who is out for 2 weeks in February due to flu. It can and does happen. That's 3 out of 36 school weeks, and in some districts that many combined absences would preclude promotion.

[CC Help Michell]

A few thoughts on this whole thing, from an elementary teacher.

 

• I never argue with a parent who wants to take a child out of school for any reason -- a good working relationship is too important for the child.
  
• I do not "send work in advance" because I do not know for sure how the week will go and depending on what the students do I may have to change my lesson plans overnight.
  
• I will help the child when they get back, to the best of my ability (but some things I can't re-create -- hands on lessons, and such).
  
• Children sometimes learn wonderful things on vacation, and sometimes they spend their vacation eating soft serve ice cream and playing in the pool. Regardless of how they spend their vacation, in no scenario does what they do replace the curriculum missed during their absence. In this era of standardized testing and regimented curricula for each grade level, critical academic material may be missed, and seeing historic ruins and other cultures isn't going to replace that knowledge.
  
• Parents may want to consult with teachers before making these decisions -- it's not completely true that "the parent knows if their kid can afford to miss a week of school." Parents obviously have a good "feel" for it, but the child's teacher may have extra information you didn't know -- like Susie's math grades have improved so much because the teacher has been working with her one on one every day, or Johnny's doing great in science because this semester is all lab work and he and his partner are working well together.
  

Last, it certainly is a teacher's "job" to help all their students. But parents who say that frequently do so in a sneering, dismissing way, and I'm convinced often they have no idea what a teacher's job actually is like. That "it's your JOB" thing typically goes along with "I pay your salary" and "You can work a little harder during the year, look at all the vacation you get." :rolleyes: So just in case some of this is from lack of knowledge, two points I try to mention when it seems appropriate:

• teachers do the vast majority of their work when the students are NOT at school. Yes, really. Before school, after school, at home at night, weekends -- that's when we plan. Delivering instruction is the fun part of what we do -- the work is planning it, and we can't do that while we're teaching.
  
• in many states teachers get 0-3 days of paid "personal time" per year. All those other "days off?" The ones when the kids aren't in school like spring break, winter break, summer break? Those are unpaid -- in many places teachers receive 190 - 200 days of salary paid over 12 months.
  

I mention that not looking for a pat on the head -- I love what I do and made a conscious choice to begin doing it after 16 years in another career. I am excited to go to work every day, which many people cannot say, so I know how lucky I am.

 

However, even I sometimes get a little irked at the "tone" of the few people who sneer at teachers and and are disrespectful about what we do -- primarily because that attitude often affects their children as well, making our work that much harder.

 

 

Sorry for the length.

[CruiseLover824]

A question for the teachers here....what do you do when a child is sick, say a kid has the flu and is out of school for a week. That kid most likely was feeling awful for days before finally staying home and will be slow to perk up when she gets back. That could be 5 to 10 days of little or zero work. No advance notice.

 

Now, I am not saying that a week sick is the same as a weeks vacation but the amount of days and the amount of work missed is the same. If you and the child can survive a sick week, why can't you survive a weeks vacation???

 

 

We have home instructors that will go out for extended illness/hospital stays.

[Cuizer2]

A good friend of mine is a instructor at a small college and he on the first day of class he tells all the students that tests dates with the exception of the final are subject to change. One year he had two students (twins) tell him that they would be out of town for a family vacation. The week when they were gone he moved the midterm to a friday. Both missed the test and the best grade they could get was a "C".

 

Just why are you putting your kids in school anyway? I guess it is because you have to, and not because you think it is of any value!

 

Interesting double standard.

[Cuizer2]

How many here have taken their kids out of school to go on vacation? For our trip, our kids would be out for four days (the fifth day is a teacher work day, so they'd be out anyway).

 

I don't have a problem with them missing four days, and can make up any assignments when they get back. How much can they miss in four days anyway? The rates are much more affordable in Feb / March, and we can't afford to go during the summer months as the prices go way up. Hubby doesn't really feel it's right to take them out, but if we don't go when it's cheaper, we can't go at all. I told him we aren't the first to take their kids out for a few days for vacation. It's not like it will be for 2 weeks or a month!

 

Ave

 

I've taken kids out of school to go on a family vacation. Yes, school is important, but so is family. Besides, not all learning occurs in school. There are plenty of people that are book smart and street illiterate.

[cathyoo]

I have two views here...

....As a parent, I can say that (personally) we have never taken our kids out of school for a vacation. The most school my oldest missed was 5 days when his grandfather passed away (they lived out of state) and he went with my DH for the services. He was in HS and had a ton of HW. My DH and I decided that school was more important that a vacation. I can understand those that said that they are in school for 13 years and 5 days don't matter. Maybe not. But, (and this is JMO here :)), I think it becomes a matter of value. You are teaching your children that a vacation is more important than work, school, etc. I understand that the "off-season" is the only time some can cruise (I think that Sgt. Jeff was one of them...and thank you btw for your job as a police officer and those that their DH's have served our country). There have been instances that parents have pulled their child out of school here b/c the Jonas Brothers were playing a baseball game or a restaurant was offering a free breakfast and a parent interviwed said that "this is more important than school." I understand that a baseball game is slightly different than a cruise but this parent has placed more value on some singers or a free breakfast than education. Plz realize that this is JMO!

As a teacher, it is very frustrating to have a parent tell you..."I'm pulling them out of school for 5-7-10 days for a cruise/vacation and btw, I want their work." Let's be honest..most of the kids won't do the work anyway. I have to agree with Stargate when she said...

...."Someone mentioned that kids learn a lot about different cultures on cruises so it's OK to pull them out of school, since they are learning something they might not get in class. I think this is rationalization. I asked my boys, who are a college senior and sophomore, if they learned anything about the islands and the people/cultures on their four cruises. They both said they just wanted to swim in the warm Caribbean ocean, eat the great food on the ship, and be away from home. Sure, we saw Mayan ruins that were incredible. But I just don't see how that justifies the loss of many different lessons at school.

BTW, DH and I are cruising in a few weeks. The minute my sons heard we were talking about a cruise (HS junior and 8th grade) they both declined coming as they knew that they would have too much work to make up. This upcoming cruise is during my Fall Break (I teach in a different district and my DS's don't get a Fall Break). The boys will be at home, in school, with thier aunt watching them. They don't feel slighted in the least that they can't go and miss school.

JMO here. :D

 

Junebug you saved my tired fingers. I totally agree with everything you said. My children are grown now but the rule in my house was that school was their JOB. I wanted them to have the same respect for their work and my husband and I had for ours. I worked a job that seasonal dependent. That meant I could not take vacations during our high season. I understood this. My children did very well in school. But to me school is more than book learning. I've always believed my children were educated more by me than the teacher.

 

I believe school teaches social skills, responsiblity and represents society. I always placed an high importance on being on time and present. I always told my children if I was going to hire an employee fresh out of school I would not be looking at their grades as much as their lateness and attendance. I can teach the job I can't teach the ethic.

[babyher]

A good friend of mine is a instructor at a small college and he on the first day of class he tells all the students that tests dates with the exception of the final are subject to change. One year he had two students (twins) tell him that they would be out of town for a family vacation. The week when they were gone he moved the midterm to a friday. Both missed the test and the best grade they could get was a "C".

 

Just why are you putting your kids in school anyway? I guess it is because you have to, and not because you think it is of any value!

 

 

 

Your friend sounds like a real charmer.

 

He must be related to the S.O.B my sister had in high school. She did very well in all her subjects but struggled horribly in any sort of math.

 

Put one of those long (x)2 x y2(2+X)3 problems in front of her and she panicked.

 

The teacher called her to the board once to solve one of these problems and she didn't do very well. Up in front of the whole class the teacher handed her a pad and pen. She took it and the teacher says "I'll have a hamburger medium rare with ketchup and lettuce and tomato, and order of fries and a chocolate shake."

 

Not understanding what he meant she just stared at him. He said "I am trying to prepare you for your life after high school. So far you aren't doing so hot." She was mortified as were most of the kids in class. She never said nothing to my parents until she was long out of school, because she knew my dad would have killed this guy.

[cathyoo]

A few thoughts on this whole thing, from an elementary teacher.

 

• I never argue with a parent who wants to take a child out of school for any reason -- a good working relationship is too important for the child.
  
• I do not "send work in advance" because I do not know for sure how the week will go and depending on what the students do I may have to change my lesson plans overnight.
  
• I will help the child when they get back, to the best of my ability (but some things I can't re-create -- hands on lessons, and such).
  
• Children sometimes learn wonderful things on vacation, and sometimes they spend their vacation eating soft serve ice cream and playing in the pool. Regardless of how they spend their vacation, in no scenario does what they do replace the curriculum missed during their absence. In this era of standardized testing and regimented curricula for each grade level, critical academic material may be missed, and seeing historic ruins and other cultures isn't going to replace that knowledge.
  
• Parents may want to consult with teachers before making these decisions -- it's not completely true that "the parent knows if their kid can afford to miss a week of school." Parents obviously have a good "feel" for it, but the child's teacher may have extra information you didn't know -- like Susie's math grades have improved so much because the teacher has been working with her one on one every day, or Johnny's doing great in science because this semester is all lab work and he and his partner are working well together.
  

Last, it certainly is a teacher's "job" to help all their students. But parents who say that frequently do so in a sneering, dismissing way, and I'm convinced often they have no idea what a teacher's job actually is like. That "it's your JOB" thing typically goes along with "I pay your salary" and "You can work a little harder during the year, look at all the vacation you get." :rolleyes: So just in case some of this is from lack of knowledge, two points I try to mention when it seems appropriate:

• teachers do the vast majority of their work when the students are NOT at school. Yes, really. Before school, after school, at home at night, weekends -- that's when we plan. Delivering instruction is the fun part of what we do -- the work is planning it, and we can't do that while we're teaching.
  
• in many states teachers get 0-3 days of paid "personal time" per year. All those other "days off?" The ones when the kids aren't in school like spring break, winter break, summer break? Those are unpaid -- in many places teachers receive 190 - 200 days of salary paid over 12 months.
  

I mention that not looking for a pat on the head -- I love what I do and made a conscious choice to begin doing it after 16 years in another career. I am excited to go to work every day, which many people cannot say, so I know how lucky I am.

 

However, even I sometimes get a little irked at the "tone" of the few people who sneer at teachers and and are disrespectful about what we do -- primarily because that attitude often affects their children as well, making our work that much harder.

 

 

Sorry for the length.

 

Excellent post. The hands on and the little extras that aren't in the "school-books" is what creates the learning environment. My daughter teaches kindergarten and you the lack of respect that grade level is pretty astonishing. "just kingergarten" is how most people feel. The syllabus is pretty agressive but what people don't realize is that you are setting the foundation and your child's approach to learning in kindergarten.

[mumofsons]

When DS's were in elementary school we did take them out for vacations. I even did when oldest was in Middle school. I always informed the teachers and made asked what reading he could do - but did not ask for a whole week of homework. No-one ever gave us any except one teacher asked if he would do a powerpoint presentation on the ports we visited. He was out of school for a week in 6th and 8th grade. Now that he is in HS I wouldn't consider taking him out unless it was an emergency. I don't think he would go because it's not just the classes he would miss but extracurricular activities as well. This school year we will be crusing their March Break

It is a personal choice whether to take the kiddos out of school. You never know people's situation so if you want to and the kids won't suffer too much go for it. I don't think other's opinion should be taken into account, only you know what's best for your own kids. I do feel that for a week they probably won't remember anything special that happened at school that week - but they probably will remember that they climbed to the top of a Myan temple. (and have the pictures to prove it. :))

[cailysmummy]

My husband's parents for the 2nd time have bought the entire family a cruise to the eastern carribean. I was concerned about my children missing class and making up work. They will be missing 5 days ( our schools allows 10 days per semester). I have spoken with the counselors and although they were wishing we didn't, they understood that that is very hard to pass up. I plan on doing what we did the last time which is call a week before and get any classwork and homework on the last day before we leave. My dd's(11th grade and 3rd grade) will be doing their work on the 18 hour drive down to port canaveral. Both my children do well in school and I find that the one on one time with the parents is a great change of pace. Most teachers found that since it is Thanksgiving it was ok since they truly don't do much in class. I am excited this year because we decided to drive so my children could experience what the south is like and actually see it. We plan on stopping at each welcome station of each state, gathering info, and discussing the state just like I did when I was a child. I have 2 teachers in my family. They have no problems with children missing school as long as the parents take the responsibility for the time missed. I think going on these vacations actually motivate my children to want to do better in school, want to go to college, get a great job so that they could go on trips like these on their own when they are older.

I think some of these teachers that have posted on this board mean well. I know I am opening myself up for harsh words but I think actually experiencing what you are learning in books is just as important. How else do you make it come alive for them? I have had the experience of having some wonderful teachers for my children and also some teachers that you could tell went into this profession so they could have every summer, christmas, thanksgiving, and every other "holiday" off.

I don't expect my children's teachers to stay extra to help them. I don't expect special treatment for my children. I do expect fairness. My children know that they have to complete their work and turn it in on the day they return because there may be extra work not anticipated when we left. Most of our teachers have been extremely excited for my children.