MMD: Should you take the kids out of school for a holiday?

lilytuliprose

Normally I would say NO! but if this is the only way the kids can have a holiday then why not.

Children need holidays as well, just for other reasons to adults. And they are no where near their exam years so I don't see the harm if it's just once, just don't make a habit of it!

aplegjnf

Jambala wrote: »

The last thing I want to do is to patronise previous posters, but unless you have been trained to develop these skills in your children, or you have read up/taken courses on it (as most home-schoolers have), you disadvantage your child's education by removing them from school during term-time. Do it in the school holidays!

- JB (Putting flamesuit on)

Sorry JB, but that's quite wrong. The majority of home educators have not taken any courses, yes they do often eventually read about learning processes in their quest to be supported in their decision to home ed; usually because of the widespread misunderstanding about it! But rarely do home edders start out knowing much more than they want better for their children and believe thay can provide it.
I do understand what you are trying to say, but again from my point of view I would disagree. When going to see the said cathedral, I would suspect that the child talked much about it to their parents, found a postcard with a picture of it on, wrote the postcard to friends at home and probably consolidated the information whilst telling either their grandparents or their peerswheh they got back, then usually this day and age they would have and googled what they saw on holiday and show their friends!
Obviously there *are* the couldn't care less parents who just want a cheap hloiday, and would let their kids pester others by the pool, and I don't doubt these parents don't bother to turn up to parents evening at school and shout at the teachers for telling their little brat off! But I'm giving the folk here the benefit of the doubt ( after all we are aMSE community.. and care about our finances, so would expect no less care of our children:D) and these sort of parents can afely take their average intelligent child out of school without giving the child any problems educationally. However, it seems the problems come administeratively for the teachers... hence again the *system*!!!!
P.

Jambala

aplegjnf wrote: »

When going to see the said cathedral, I would suspect that the child talked much about it to their parents, found a postcard with a picture of it on, wrote the postcard to friends at home and probably consolidated the information whilst telling either their grandparents or their peerswheh they got back, then usually this day and age they would have and googled what they saw on holiday and show their friends!
P.

A smashing reply, aplegjnf (if indeed that IS your real name ) with some interesting points.

Let me tell you that if the situation you outlined above were typical, I would happily campaign for children to be taken out of school term-time, given some fantastic experiences, and to have these experiences followed up with some good skill-building. I really would!

As a home educator I would guess that you have these skills/experiences in mind when taking your children on some trips, and I'm sure you take opportunities to build learning into your children's fun (when they're not looking!) but I am afraid to say that you are the EXCEPTION rather than the RULE.

I'm not just being cynical here - this is first-hand experience! I see it on a regular basis. MOST families who take their children out of school do not consider the educational benefit of a trip - it's just a holiday. What's more, those children who DO have some sort of learning/cultural experience while on holiday do not use this experience in any sense that would cause them to pick up SKILLS from it. Why would they? It's a family holiday!

I'm feeling the need to zip up my flameproof parka again so I'll just say this: Holidays should NOT be primarily for the purpose of education! Children should have FUN on their holidays! If they learn something useful, then that's good, but if they don't, that's good too. This is why SCHOOL HOLIDAYS are the time for this sort of activity!

Misty1_2

I would not (and never have) taken my kids out of school for a holiday, no matter how appealing the deal, or how poor we are/were.

Its a question of standards and setting an example to children. By allowing them time off in term time we are in effect saying to them in the strongest possible terms "its OK to evade your responsibilities and have a good time instead". I believe all parents should set the example that education (and later in life work) come first - how can we expect reliance and committment from our children in the future if we do not lead from the top. My own children, now 16 and 18 years have always said that they would have hated to miss time at school as they would have felt awkward and that they did not want to miss time and lessons at school. It can be more stressful for children to have to be in "catch up" and have extra work to do before or later and make them feel 'different'.

I agree with one of your previous writers that simple holidays can be the best. When my kids were young we bought a caravan for £300, parked it on a farm site in Anglesey for £100 per year and had the best holidays of our lives, whenever we wanted in term time and weekends for very little money. Yes it rained sometimes but surely showing the kids that we make the best of every situation is a good thing? I am not a teacher just a hard-up parent trying to do my best for my kids and their future.

aplegjnf

Jambala wrote: »

A smashing reply, aplegjnf (if indeed that IS your real name ) with some interesting points.

Let me tell you that if the situation you outlined above were typical, I would happily campaign for children to be taken out of school term-time, given some fantastic experiences, and to have these experiences followed up with some good skill-building. I really would!

As a home educator I would guess that you have these skills/experiences in mind when taking your children on some trips, and I'm sure you take opportunities to build learning into your children's fun (when they're not looking!) but I am afraid to say that you are the EXCEPTION rather than the RULE.

I'm not just being cynical here - this is first-hand experience! I see it on a regular basis. MOST families who take their children out of school do not consider the educational benefit of a trip - it's just a holiday. What's more, those children who DO have some sort of learning/cultural experience while on holiday do not use this experience in any sense that would cause them to pick up SKILLS from it. Why would they? It's a family holiday!

I'm feeling the need to zip up my flameproof parka again so I'll just say this: Holidays should NOT be primarily for the purpose of education! Children should have FUN on their holidays! If they learn something useful, then that's good, but if they don't, that's good too. This is why SCHOOL HOLIDAYS are the time for this sort of activity!

No flames from here JB. I just have a different perspective. The parents I meet ( home edders and school users) are mostly able and unwittingly do build such skills into their children throughout everyday life. Just because they don't articulate it in 'teacherspeak' doesn't mean it isn't happening; and when teachers and governement are continually telling parents 'oooh you musn't miss any school time, ooh no no no, if you miss out on two weeks of our education it's SO detrimental to your children' 'We don't think you have their educational interests in mind, because you don't know how to build x y z into your day' 'you aren't trained in paedagogy' 'we know best' etc etc; parents have bought into it, and believe they do not contribute to their children's education in any way except helping them with the spellings! When in reality, it is still the parents/ guardians who are teaching the majority of lifeskills, and ensuring the bits learnt in school are put into practice.
Unfortunately, what i see happening is,parents have been told long enough to leave it to the professionals that *that* is what they are doing, with the ensuing consequences: they are made to feel superfluous in the upbringing of children, they only provide bed and board, and 'professionals' do all the rest! Hence the breakdown of society we are seeing.
Bring back the importance of parents:T

I totaly disagree with you that holidays should be fun:p the whole of life is primarily for the purpose of education - in its fullest sense! Education should not be confined to the 6 hrs between 9am and 3pm, term time!but that is what is subtly being promoted with the responses of some teachers.

Well, I am tired and probably haven't said everything as I should have.... i don't mean any offense to anyone personally, i just hope people can appreciate there are different viewpoints and lots of shades of grey between them.I owuld like to encourage parents to know they are capable, and to trust their instincts; and maybe to encourage them to involve their children in some education whilst they are on holiday... they will be amazed how well the kids respond to informal learning; and also to demontrate that some education comes naturaly as part of the holiday (ie looking for postcards and sending them home)
I'm rambling now:silenced:
Gnite
P. - the P in aPlegjnf ( the rest are hubby and kids):rotfl:

barrwalk

Here we go again. "It's education of a different sort". What nonsense! The kids don't know if it's BLACKPOOL or Barcelona. They are not involved in the culture for the most part.
When oh when will school be the most important part of a childs life in our country. In Africa they beg borrow and st... to get into school. The parents and therefore the children rate it as so important they sacrifice a lot when they have so little.
There is a lesson here. Easy come ? Easy Go!
Hey parents keep those kids in school! (recognise the song?

jessieh22

Yes i'd take my children out of school to take them on holiday. For a lot of parents there's not much choice if you want to have a family holiday. I don't work as I am a full time mum, so were managing on one wage comming in. if we don't take the kids out of school we would never have a holiday, there double the price. Family time is just as important as school.

shadej

Whilst I would take my child on holiday during school term I would not do it more than once a year and not for more than a week. School is very important but so is family fun and bonding. My family really benefit from our holidays and cost is a factor. On our first 1 week trip to Spain, my son came back speaking lots of Spanish words, which none of the other kids in his class can do.

FloFlo

aplegjnf wrote: »

Unfortunately, what i see happening is,parents have been told long enough to leave it to the professionals that *that* is what they are doing, with the ensuing consequences: they are made to feel superfluous in the upbringing of children, they only provide bed and board, and 'professionals' do all the rest! Hence the breakdown of society we are seeing.
Bring back the importance of parents:T

I totaly disagree with you that holidays should be fun:p the whole of life is primarily for the purpose of education - in its fullest sense! Education should not be confined to the 6 hrs between 9am and 3pm, term time!but that is what is subtly being promoted with the responses of some teachers.
:rotfl:

I think we should bring back the responsibilities of parents many now think its only the school and teachers jobs to educate their children including teaching them how to dress and how to hold a knife and fork. I seriously doubt any teacher would promote that education of children should only take place during school hours all the teachers I know would love more support from parents.

Whether a childs education is harmed by being taken out of school for holidays completely depends on the child. The children who seem to be out the most are those that need lots of support with their learning - none of which comes from home. I am not saying that the holidays caused this but that they don't help if the child has learning needs that only the school are supporting.

jembie

I have never agreed with taking children out of school before but unfortunately we didn't get the dates we wanted for our Sun holiday in October and so I will have to take them out of school for the week. I will make it very clear to the school and college that I had no control over it though and make sure they have work to do to catch up in the half term.