bethymouse
Well-Known Member
OK- I'
But... how many workshops/meetings/conferences do you attend a year?
ll give you that one!
But... how many workshops/meetings/conferences do you attend a year?
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Have you ever taken your kids out of school to go to WDW?
- Thread starter Sunshineglow68
- Start date
bjlc57
Well-Known Member
My dad took me out of school in the 4th grade, 5th grade and every year after that in the 1970s and i did the same.. there was only one rule, the teachers had to give me my homework in advance, and it had to be DONE in ADVANCE.. and trust me I was alway two weeks ahead of the class, due to the fact that the Nun hated my guts and thought that I would never get the three weeks worth of stuff done before we left for a week.. and each year it was egg on her face.. my kids did great in school, it was never a problem to take them out of school. Never..
Cosmic Commando
Well-Known Member
I would pull my kids out of public school for any vacation... even sitting on a beach (not my style, though). How many people can only take vacation when their workplace is physically closed? Why should kids be any different? As long as your kids are doing well in school, go for it! It's just unfortunate that so many school districts now think that they have custody of your kids. Maybe that's why we homeschool.
I would never, ever claim to take a trip to WDW because it's educational, but there is a lot to learn there. I'd give the same answer I give when people ask me, "Why do you go? Your kids won't even remember?" Umm... it's FUN! On any given day, you can reliably talk to CMs from 13-14 different countries. How is that not Social Studies? There is a lot to be gleaned from the parks, some of it you just have to work for a little bit. My son colored pictures of the flags from all of the countries from World Showcase and then took pictures with all of the CMs in World Showcase with his flags. Then we bought a World Showcase photo album and put the pictures, the flags, and a map showing where each of those people were from. The CMs really ate him up; I think they enjoyed someone taking an interest in their respective countries. A guy from Thailand at DAK made him a little origami-type bird from a leaf. He learned how to play mancala with a woman from Botswana. You can have many of the cast members write something in their language for you so you can see the different styles. Even grown-ups can learn something: I was listening to a CM from South Africa speak, and I learned that South Africa has a large Indian immigrant community. Now when I see Sanaa or the "bunny chow" curry served at the South Africa booth at F&W, it makes sense to me. Again, not that I would claim WDW is completely educational, but it's not not educational.
cowanfamily
Well-Known Member
My wife is a teacher and we take them out of school all the time to go. She puts in her leave request and has no problem doing it.
mickeysbrother
Well-Known Member
Oops!!! Tought that week!!! You have to adore the way text messaging has changed our perseption on how to write properly! You must be an English teacher!!!
Nemo14
Well-Known Member
WDW 3
Well-Known Member
Yes we took our dd out of school. We didn't get hooked and start regular WDW vacations until our dd was in middle school so our only experience is taking her out while she was in middle school, high school and yes last spring for her birthday and our first time to Disneyland she as an adult now skipped a couple days of college.
We did try to book around a school holiday but she always missed several days. Her teachers rarely ever sent any school work. We could go for an entire week without her cracking a book.
Well worth it every time
We did try to book around a school holiday but she always missed several days. Her teachers rarely ever sent any school work. We could go for an entire week without her cracking a book.
Well worth it every time
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Yelloweaver
Well-Known Member
We have already been excused for taking our kindergartener out for 7 school days this November (45 days!).
I asked about homework - they said don't worry about it! It is kindergarten after all, however, we won't be doing this once she gets past kindergarten. I imagine being Montessori helps a little. We will continue reading with her 20 minutes a day/night while we are gone.
I asked about homework - they said don't worry about it! It is kindergarten after all, however, we won't be doing this once she gets past kindergarten. I imagine being Montessori helps a little. We will continue reading with her 20 minutes a day/night while we are gone.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Because it IS different- or just maybe we should have public school run 12 months a year, and then have kids get 4 weeks vacation, 5 personal days, and 7 governement holidays. Then they could "apply" for vacation just like in many jobs "Sorry Timmy, you have to come to school the day after Christmas. We allow 10% of the force off at any given time and you don't have the senority to get your vacation pick". Maybe schools could also institute a sickness and absence plan like many workplaces. "Oh you were absent more than your allotted sick time, you get to go onto a disciplinary plan"
I will grant you that you can learn things at WDW. But a trip to WDW in no way provides as much educational material as a week in school. Talking to CM's from differnt countries is not much if there is no context to back it up. No follow up, no extrapiation of thought, no cause and effect. Case in point - South Aftica has a large Indian population - why? What drove the immigration? What impact does it have on the economy, social structure, and job market of SA? Was it before or after Apartheid. What other impacts does it have aside from cuisine? Yes, WDW, in specific EPCOT is a great place to START learning about something, but all they really give you is a taste.
The flag project that you did was a good project, incorporating a variety of skills and ideas. I doubt many parents who claim they take their children to EPCOT because it is educational put in the same level of effort.
-dave
PrincessAlice89
New Member
Every year my parents would take us out of school for a full week for our Disney World trip. It never bothered my grades too much, but my younger sister always had a very hard time catching up on what she missed.
Epcot-Rules
Well-Known Member
Our kids do extremely well in school so it's no biggie. Well my 18 year old son is a senior and taking college classes in high school so he will not miss school because he don't want to get behind, and he got a job at Baskin Robins. Our other 2 boys love missing. We contact the school and get it approved ahead, and they provide the extra work to take with us.
hankhill
Active Member
Yes Yes a Thousand times yes. We have consistantly taken the kids out for our trips in both October, September and December and even once in May. I have no issue with it. My kids get straight "A"s, they participate in Sports and Student Activities, they are good kids and I get to determine when they need a break not a school administrator.
Cosmic Commando
Well-Known Member
Have you been reading this thread? A lot of the experiences parents have with their school district are edging towards your worst-case scenario, especially the bolded part.
I pretty much agree with you about the educational aspect, too. You have to work to make it educational. I think it's not educational, but it's not not educational. It does provide a lot of opportunities for learning.
THEMEPARKPIONEER
Well-Known Member
I missed a good deal of school for WDW. And no... That is not why I have terrible spelling and grammar, the teachers needed a break from it.
Slobby Bobby
New Member
We just had a four day weekend and then added a few days to it to make it six days. When we got back home yesterday we had a parent/teacher conference and the teacher asked all about the trip. She didn't hassle us at all. My son has a wonderful teacher.
Goofnut1980
Well-Known Member
Growing up, my parents always took my brother and myself out of school during the fall or spring when everyone else was not on a break. It made for a better family vacation. My parents made us get all school work for that week and have it done on the plane trip or before we left. I can remember a few years, my teachers just made me write a small essay on what educational information I learned from our Disney trip. It helped coming from a small school, graduating class was only 58 students. So everyone knew everyone and if there would have been an acedemic issue my teachers would have just stopped over to my parents house to tell them missing school would not be good for me. Personally, if your child is able to handle a week off, take it. They are only young once.
Our school handbook says that it discourages unexcused absences and any more than 10 in a school year will result in a investigation and then even excused absences will result in needing a Dr. note. It also states that we can not request homework or other missed work in advance since it is not the teachers responsibility to plan lessons in advance, and all missed work must be completed after the student returns within a certain amount of days. I actually just took both of my kids out for 1 day because we took an extended Columbus day weekend to Michigan. Naturally last Thursday my daughter (3rd grade) came home from school with a fever and missed school on Friday. Yesterday my son (Kindergarten) got the same thing and is home today. So now my 1 extra day has turned into 2. I have often thought of taking them out for Disney, but I am not sure about taking them out for more than a few . Even though my daughter gets good grades in school, sometimes doing homework is a real chore, so double homework could be a challenge. I guess I am probably stuck with busy holidays or summer.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Have you been reading this thread? A lot of the experiences parents have with their school district are edging towards your worst-case scenario, especially the bolded part.
The bolded part in some districts - yes, but not 52 weeks of school and so many vacation days - but there is a growing idea about 12 month school years, with breaks between semesters. That may by an interesting thing. I haven't thought about it too deeply, or looked into results of studies, but at first blush it sounds like a decent idea. And a lot of private sector jobs have very strigent attendance plans, more so than schools do.
Yes, there are opportunites there. But as somone who home-schools, I am sure you know that opportunities are everywhere (well just about everywhere)
-dave