taking children out of school for holidays in term time

maman

maggied wrote: »

- this post comes up frequently.

It's always started by a parent who IMO knows they're doing the wrong thing but wants someone to sympathise and agree with them.

And it always, but always, ends up as a teacher-bashing thread!!!

I don't know whay Martin does't start a new, special teacher-bashing thread for these people.

pollypenny

Never having had much money left at the end of the month, I sympathise with anyone wanting a cheaper holiday in term time.

However, when kids miss classes, teachers then have to give up their own time to try and help them get back up to speed for key aspects.

Many kids never catch up in a particular area. I missed the basics of algebra, as I had scarlet fever; that was me and maths - doomed! This was in the olden days - when teachers taught the lesson and you understood or not! if not - tough.

dizziblonde

And here we go again.

So... if teachers have to take courses during their holidays - when do they get a holiday? (BTW we're only contracted for a set number of days per year - just happen to get pay broken down over 12 months - and do a stupid amount of hours over the contracted directed time) Or would you rather we were just chained in a classroom, gave birth to your children, provided 24-7 care and handed them back to you for photo opportunities, family gatherings and at the age of 18? Some people on here would only be happy if schools did that.

The snow... oh yes the snow... yes of course I personally requested the snow in order to shirk my responsibilities. Every single teacher was out doing a snow dance in their back garden naked in the moonlight to personally spite you all. And if something happened and the power went out in your office, or the water was cut off and you ended up having a day off - would you be sat there complaining and sobbing in anguish?! Not to mention the fact that if you're wanting to bash people for snow closures (which actually left me financially out of pocket since I'm a supply and if I don't work I don't get paid anyway) bash the HEADTEACHERS who made the call, and GRABBIT, SUE and RUN solicitors who will provide no win no fee claims if Johnny ends up with a snowball down his neck. Mrs Bloggs in Class 4B did not decide to close St. Somebody's Primary School three months ago to personally spite you all and you really need to stop believing she did (of course you want to watch that Mrs Smith in Class 5A... )

Holidays in school time - I'm actually past the point of caring with these. I've replied to parents taking their kids out with a smile and a joking "can you fit me in your suitcase" - because you take that decision, it's your kid's future at the end of the day, I'll have the attendance figures to back up my case that I did everything I could to get the job done. I'm not going to set extra homework for you to go away with though - giving you the worksheets is meaningless without the class introduction to the subject, giving you extra worksheets - nope sorry, they'd be "busy work" and you're making the choice to remove your child from school - and half the time I haven't planned the entire fortnight you're away in detail by then anyway - I know what objectives I'll be covering, but no, I don't know what's on the menu exactly for Thursday two weeks from now because it depends how we get on with what we're covering this week and what we need to go over again (which is what we're encouraged to do). If you ever see my planning after a week of teaching it's generally covered in red biro, crossings out and arrows moving days around all over the shop anyway as things are adapted to suit the needs of the children in the class. Generally when I've offered a book for a child to keep a diary of what they've done on holiday in - it's been turned down because all that's wanted is a ready pile of worksheets to be forgotten about and rushed in the evening before they return to school as a salve to conscience.

Let's also throw in inset days here since they're another one I'm surprised hasn't reared its head yet. The popular myth is that inset days mean teachers roll in about noon, rubbing their hands with glee that they've upset a nation of parents again, have a few cups of coffee and disappear down the pub for a couple of hours, before heading home to soak up the sun in the back garden with a dry martini by 3pm. They weren't taken from school term-time at all, when dear Mr Baker (my old primary head revered this man for some strange reason) created them (some people still refer to them as Baker Days... some kids charmingly refer to them as Insect Days and one poor mite got the real wrong end of the stick and told me they had an "Incest Day" on Friday) they were taken from the school holidays part of the term - they actually came from teachers' holidays and not from the time the children are in school at all. Generally the one big thing we do like about them - is we get to go into school in jeans... that's about it. You get to spend all day sat on too-small furniture suffering a slow, painful death by powerpoint (often about delightful things like the importance of not talking to children with powerpoint for extended periods of times... delivered in 2 hour chunks at a time, the double-standards of which always amuse me).

Have we got any more that will be cropping up - I have my special MSE Teacher-Bashing Bingo card here and I only need "holidays" and "you only work 9-3.15" for a full house.

For what it's worth - I enjoy teaching, got out of the full-time grind of it a few years ago as it wasn't good for my health, and do supply because I get to do the fun bits I'm good at (before anyone queries why I'm posting at 2.30 on a Friday) - I don't benefit from nice paid holidays, I don't get Inset Days, I didn't get paid during the snow closures (cost me hundreds of pounds in lost work bookings but I understand why schools made the calls they did).... but I get sick to death of a society which holds those who are responsible for the education of the next generation up to such unjustified venomous wrath constantly.

The first thing told to us when we started our teacher training was - prepare to be bashed and berrated by all of society because everyone considers themselves an expert on teaching as they all went to school. The second thing was how we'd all catch nits, worms and have bad backs from infant-sized tables... both were true (never tie wet shoelaces when it's not been raining).

maggied_2

red_devil wrote: »

i think its draconian and i disagree that parents who want a holiday should be lambasted in this way while parents who are out there drinking, smoking, swearing taking up with horrible new boyfriends, and doing all manner of horrible things in front of heir kids get away with it!

someone should mention this take on it?

Seriously? No. It has absolutely nothing to do with the OP's question.

What is 'draconian' about expecting parents to send their children to school?

maggied_2

Dizziblonde - I wish I could thank you more than once for that post!

My parents were both teachers and slogged long and hard at it. I know damn well how much commitment it takes to be a good teacher.

OrkneyStar

Is anyone thinking of the poor teacher, who is having to manage a whole class of kids and their workload ? It must be difficult enough when a child is off sick or for a funeral or something, but a teacher would understand that is unavoidable! Why though should a teacher have more work and the rest of the class suffer just because YOU want a holiday at a different time! My DH works in a school, but does not get all the school break off too, so we are limited when we can holiday but thats life!
Remember a holiday is not a right it is a luxury!!!!!!

thorsoak

Parents who are also teachers have no choice but to take holidays at the most expensive high season!

Can also cause problems when partner is a youth worker who has to provide a summer holiday programme!

Treacly

blue_monkey wrote: »

Utter. Crap.

Thanks! Have fun with Mickey and Goofy!

Lotus-eater

dizziblonde wrote: »

The snow... oh yes the snow... yes of course I personally requested the snow in order to shirk my responsibilities. Every single teacher was out doing a snow dance in their back garden naked in the moonlight to personally spite you all.

Well at least you've admitted it now, that's the first step.

dizziblonde wrote: »

Let's also throw in inset days here since they're another one I'm surprised hasn't reared its head yet. The popular myth is that inset days mean teachers roll in about noon, rubbing their hands with glee that they've upset a nation of parents again, have a few cups of coffee and disappear down the pub for a couple of hours, before heading home to soak up the sun in the back garden with a dry martini by 3pm <insert some stuff about defending teachers, waffle on alot about it, be a bit extreme and make up a load of stuff> tie wet shoelaces when it's not been raining).

Forgive me, but I don't recall anyone having a go at teachers, nice rant though, I bet you feel better now?

loftus

This one hasn't yet, but this subject has cropped up countless times and it usually ends up with a fair bit of teacher bashing.

Maybe there should be a sticky saying if you want to take your child out of school for a family holiday that's up to you, only you know your child, their ability to catch up on any work they miss, their attendance record etc etc. Your child's teacher may or may not give you some work for them to do whilst away - that's up to them, your LEA may or may not fine you - that's up to them.