School Projects at WDW

mimitchi33

mimitchi33

Well-Known Member
I'm shocked at how many times other people's kids were allowed to be excused! When I went to school, they allowed 20 absences.
I have some plans for your kid:
  • Try to teach him greetings in the languages each of the World Showcase pavillions.
  • Have him do Disney-related math! Find out the average you spend waiting in line and the average amount of dollars you spend at the parks each day.
  • Have him learn about the different animals at Animal Kingdom.
 
21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
Unless I missed it in a post - I don't see where the OP said her child attends a public school. If it's private they do not have to follow the same state laws on absences. Most private schools understand that serveral students will miss a few days to a week or more due to a vacation, and the school works with them.

OP- if it's private they more than likely will not let you great your "own" work. Everything you mentioned should be taught while traveling..and more. That's one of the benefits of taking children to new experiences :)

I took my son out for 9 school days last year (Kindergarten) and he will miss 9 school days this upcoming year as well (1st grade). We had 9 packets of "work" to complete in 9 days (total, not 'school days) on top of his regular homework. This is pretty standard. I was just shocked at the amount of work for a 5 year old..it was a rough 9 days of football/school work/make up work, but we dealt with it.

When you're traveling it gives you an opportunity to teach kids things that they don't learn in the classroom, as well as expanding on what they have learned or will learn. Even if you do have the same type of makeup work that I did, still do everything that you mentioned in your original post. I also suggest letting the child learn about Florida ahead of time- the Capitol, the climate, wildlife, the different regions, etc. My child loved learning about the marine life, railroad, and history of the Florida Keys last year. For Disney I gave him a $100 gift card, and he had to stay within that budget when shopping-we would add up purchases in the evening and then go in with the new number the next day (problem is, I did my own shopping for him too lol), he also really liked learning a little about several of the WS "countries". Honestly though our main focus was Florida- weather, geography, history, marine and wildlife.
I truly believe the more they learn the more enriched their life will be. A school will never have time to teach all of that, and your child will benefit greatly :)

Have a wonderful trip!
 
Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
21stamps said:
Unless I missed it in a post - I don't see where the OP said her child attends a public school. If it's private they do not have to follow the same state laws on absences. Most private schools understand that serveral students will miss a few days to a week or more due to a vacation, and the school works with them.

OP- if it's private they more than likely will not let you great your "own" work. Everything you mentioned should be taught while traveling..and more. That's one of the benefits of taking children to new experiences :)

I took my son out for 9 school days last year (Kindergarten) and he will miss 9 school days this upcoming year as well (1st grade). We had 9 packets of "work" to complete in 9 days (total, not 'school days) on top of his regular homework. This is pretty standard. I was just shocked at the amount of work for a 5 year old..it was a rough 9 days of football/school work/make up work, but we dealt with it.

When you're traveling it gives you an opportunity to teach kids things that they don't learn in the classroom, as well as expanding on what they have learned or will learn. Even if you do have the same type of makeup work that I did, still do everything that you mentioned in your original post. I also suggest letting the child learn about Florida ahead of time- the Capitol, the climate, wildlife, the different regions, etc. My child loved learning about the marine life, railroad, and history of the Florida Keys last year. For Disney I gave him a $100 gift card, and he had to stay within that budget when shopping-we would add up purchases in the evening and then go in with the new number the next day (problem is, I did my own shopping for him too lol), he also really liked learning a little about several of the WS "countries". Honestly though our main focus was Florida- weather, geography, history, marine and wildlife.
I truly believe the more they learn the more enriched their life will be. A school will never have time to teach all of that, and your child will benefit greatly :)

Have a wonderful trip!
Click to expand...
I taught in a private school, and our middle school policy was that if a child was absent for more than 3 consecutive days, a doctor's note was necessary before he or she could return to school. Also 10 absences in a term (trimester) meant mandatory failure. Our curriculum was quite challenging and many projects were impossible to do from home or vacations.
Travel is certainly a valuable resource for education outside of the classroom, but just be prepared to deal with the consequences when pulling an older child out of school for it.
 
21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
Nemo14 said:
I taught in a private school, and our middle school policy was that if a child was absent for more than 3 consecutive days, a doctor's note was necessary before he or she could return to school. Also 10 absences in a term (trimester) meant mandatory failure. Our curriculum was quite challenging and many projects were impossible to do from home or vacations.
Travel is certainly a valuable resource for education outside of the classroom, but just be prepared to deal with the consequences when pulling an older child out of school for it.
Click to expand...
Once he is in 3rd grade I will no longer keep him out for 9 days. I may do 5 though. Our "spring break" is a 3 day weekend. Our "fall break" is a 4 day weekend. Christmas is a full week, it's just impossible for me to travel on that week due to work. My "ideal" vacation time with my job is end of August-October. This year we will be gone in December though, as well as June in '17..I'll be paying the price for that. Thankfully no cell service on a cruise ;)

It's quite normal in our school, as long as you make it clear from the beginning of the year, and as long as the student is doing well, and all work is made up in the designated time frame. I won't go as far to say that it's encouraged, but they don't have a problem with it. It was the same for me growing up, my parents took us out, but never for more than 3-5 days.
 

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