Holidays with kids in school time, have you done it?

gregg1

bestpud wrote: »

I've never expected a teacher to help my child catch up but I guess some parents do and I can see that makes life harder for teachers.

However, I would argue parents who do nothing to help their child read at home, or support them with homework etc are worse than supportive parents who take their child out for a week.

My eldest daughter had to share a computer every week in her ICT class because they were one short and they couldn't do it with a rota because there was only two of them who didn't kick off and disrupt the entire lesson!!!

Therefore, a child on holiday was great as far as we were concerned.

My son was also left to get on with it because he was quiet and I had to listen to the parents of the worst behaved children telling me how great they were doing! Well, yes, because the teacher gave them pretty much one to one attention just to keep the little bar stewards happy!!

I really wish they'd been taken on holiday more as my children would have received a better education!!!

It's not black and white so it is entirely wrong to say it is perfectly acceptable to take a child out of school at will BUT it is also wrong to say they are the selfish parents for doing so!

There is just too much to consider before anyone can judge whether someone is selfish or a bad parent for doing what seems right for their child.

But it's not just about your child. It IS selfish to inflict your choices on the other kids in the class who have to wait whilst the teacher helps the kid who was on holiday catch up - and it does cause hold ups in the class whether you want to believe it or not.

Zoetoes

I have taken my kids out of school for holidays, always told the school that's what it was for though. Both kids have always had good attendance so I don't think it's a big issue.

I took them to Egypt last September and the little one's class topic was...Egypt! So he actually got to see the Pyramids and the Nile and went to the museum etc.

The costs are a major factor for me and the difference between going away and not going away.

Zoetoes

kelloggs36 wrote: »

Things are set to change though - rumour has it that it will be a requirement for LAs to fine parents, not left to choice.

I would pay the £50 fine and still save about a grand on the holiday price.

Jinx

kelloggs36 wrote: »

Things are set to change though - rumour has it that it will be a requirement for LAs to fine parents, not left to choice.

Then I am sure it will be considered by parents taking their children out of school as one of the factors.

It wont affect me as my 'child' is now at Uni.

kelloggs36

zoeleigh wrote: »

I would pay the £50 fine and still save about a grand on the holiday price.

Cam't you go the following year and save up the extra? Teachers have to you know!

bestpud

gregg1 wrote: »

But it's not just about your child. It IS selfish to inflict your choices on the other kids in the class who have to wait whilst the teacher helps the kid who was on holiday catch up - and it does cause hold ups in the class whether you want to believe it or not.

No it does not hold the class back if I take my child on holiday, whether you choose to believe it or not!

So you think the 'education' my children received in the above scenarios is ok then? That things would be just fine if I'd never taken them out of school?

Given what I've said, how would removing one of the quiet children (the ones left to get on with it, just because they didn't kick off every five minutes) disrupt an already disruptive class?

So I'm afraid it IS all about my child, but I also make sure they catch up - it is possible to do that, you know!

Jinx

kelloggs36 wrote: »

Cam't you go the following year and save up the extra? Teachers have to you know!

Thats not very MSE is it?

Zoetoes

kelloggs36 wrote: »

Cam't you go the following year and save up the extra? Teachers have to you know!

I could but I wouldn't!

Why would I pay so much more for the same thing? My son gets certificates for his excellent attendance, a lot of kids are kept off school when they've got the sniffles.

Sometimes they learn more going away than in school, as I said before, we went to Egypt last September. We went to the pyramids by coach because it was a lot cheaper than flying, just like it was a lot cheaper to go in September than August!

gratefulforhelp_2

bestpud wrote: »

We find out from other children or parents what has been covered and I do it with them. Sorry to be rude but it's not rocket science!

That's great if you are capable of doing that, but lots of parents aren't, and as they get older you will be less able to help them - unless you have A levels in 11 subjects, or degrees in several.

bestpud wrote: »

Shouldn't we be more worried about the children than the teacher's reputation...?

I think the point here was that a dedicated teacher will try to ensure that everyone who needs to has caught up, as a dedicated teacher will want everyone in the class to do the very best they can.

kelloggs36 wrote: »

Yes of course that is the priority, but teachers are blamed if children don't reach their targets, even if attendance is an issue! That isn't fair.

In support of this argument...
If the kids aren't in class, we can't teach them. If the catch up work that we sometimes set was adequate, then the government would have replaced us with computers and revision guides long ago.
If teaching by parents was adequate (for example knowing the particular slant of an examination board towards a particular topic) then we would have been replaced long ago.

kelloggs36

zoeleigh wrote: »

I could but I wouldn't!

Why would I pay so much more for the same thing? My son gets certificates for his excellent attendance, a lot of kids are kept off school when they've got the sniffles.

Sometimes they learn more going away than in school, as I said before, we went to Egypt last September. We went to the pyramids by coach because it was a lot cheaper than flying, just like it was a lot cheaper to go in September than August!

The reason why you are being selfish is because you are a parent and have signed up to this - therefore you sign up to the downsides too! I don't buy the they learn so much when they visit the other places - yes they do, but they can visit them in the holidays when they are supposed to. I guess you have signed up for the 'I want so I shall have' regardless of waiting until you actually can afford it. I understand the temptation, but in my book my children's education is paramount to any wish to go on holiday! If I can't afford to go when I want to, I either don't go, or I have to accept that I will have to wait until I can. I don't understand why people feel that they have a given right to do what they want to when they have children - there are sacrifices to be made.