Holidays abroad - or lack of them, impact on child

LilElvis

Totally ridiculous statement! I bet a large number of children who holiday abroad learn absolutely zip about the culture - how can they when they spend the entire time in a "resort hotel" with hoards of other Brits, speaking English and eating the same food they have at home - the only difference from home being more sunshine!

LilElvis

I wonder what that fool of a teacher would have said to me - our daughter has been to South Africa 3 times but has never been anywhere in Europe :rotfl:

glauber_berti

"Well, perhaps you need to think about starting to offer him these kind of opportunities as he is going to be left even further behind his peers if you continue to hold him back."


I work alongside lots of teachers and I can't think of a single one that would respond in that manner. They're all very much aware of, when setting homework, to not do it in a manner that excludes any of their pupils from participating and, if they did accidentally upset somebody, they would be incredibly apologetic and find a way around it so that the child could still participate.


If what you're saying is true, I would advise you to speak to the headteacher (and then the governors if you're not satisfied with the response). Schools have a duty to make sure all activities are inclusive for all children and I'm sure senior leaders would be mortified to hear that this hasn't been the case in this instance.

FatVonD

I too think it's disgusting what the teacher said, you should definitely complain to the head teacher and also the school governors.

My first trip abroad was aged 20 with work, we never had foreign holidays when I was a child. My own son, bar a trip to Eurodisney when he was about 6or 7, didn't have a foreign holiday until he was about 14.

If your son is really upset about it (and he is the most important person in all this) do you live anywhere near to a port where you could do a day trip across the channel or to Ireland? It's not far or long but if you went with the express purpose of collecting stuff for his project (pictures, brochures, wrappers etc) his project was easily be the best one. You could bring back a pack of obviously non English sweets/biscuits for the class. You shouldn't feel you have to do it but your son would feel like he'd gone from zero to hero

tomtontom

LilElvis wrote: »

Totally ridiculous statement! I bet a large number of children who holiday abroad learn absolutely zip about the culture - how can they when they spend the entire time in a "resort hotel" with hoards of other Brits, speaking English and eating the same food they have at home - the only difference from home being more sunshine!

This ^^

I know a family that go away at least four times a year, they go to Benidorm and the kids get dragged around bars while their parents get drunk. Not all overseas trips are educational!

BlondeHeadOn

I too am shocked by the teachers attitude and response, and would report her.

pickledonionspaceraider

I would be seriously worried about the teachings from this school

You are to be looked down upon if you do not take holidays abroad???

The teacher is bang out of order, but it does seem like the attitude goes further than her, hence the homework being issued on the assumption that everyone has been abroad

I wouldn't want my child being around that kind of snobby thinking to be honest, or be made to feel inferior because they hadn't had this expensive treats

You are not a bad parent, the school need to get real.

I have never been abroad in my life.

Andypandyboy

glauber_berti wrote: »

"Well, perhaps you need to think about starting to offer him these kind of opportunities as he is going to be left even further behind his peers if you continue to hold him back."


I work alongside lots of teachers and I can't think of a single one that would respond in that manner. They're all very much aware of, when setting homework, to not do it in a manner that excludes any of their pupils from participating and, if they did accidentally upset somebody, they would be incredibly apologetic and find a way around it so that the child could still participate.


If what you're saying is true, I would advise you to speak to the headteacher (and then the governors if you're not satisfied with the response). Schools have a duty to make sure all activities are inclusive for all children and I'm sure senior leaders would be mortified to hear that this hasn't been the case in this instance.

OP this post sums it up.

Use the library, or a book, or the net. Get him to plan a trip and detail really exciting, imaginative, unsual things to do in each place. The kids will be so enthralled that they will wish that they had been able to do it that way.

Then go to see the Headteacher and tell her what you have told us.

z.n

Echoing the response of all- disgraceful unprofessional teacher! Unbelievable. My kids were in a similar position so just picked somewhere they would like to go.

theoretica

I wish your son would write about a different part of the UK where people aren't so rich and don't expect to go abroad for holidays. Clearly a foreign concept to the teacher!