Attendance pressure

[Anonymous]

Schools have already lost this issue. Families will continue to travel at the holidays and other times of year to support the needs of the family.

Now what’s left is to decide what to do about it. Schools can adapt their planning and calendars so their absence levels are not reflected poorly. Teachers can work with students and parents about assignments.

But what will not work is to just continue to shriek about it. No one cares.

[Anonymous]

Some of us have advocated for year-round school with 2 weeklong breaks at the end of each quarter, 6 weeks for summer. This would give more breaks for extended travel at times of the year that are less expensive. It would give kids a bit more down time, Teachers some more down time and space to do their work, one week off, one week of pure work time for professional development and planning for the next quarter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools have already lost this issue. Families will continue to travel at the holidays and other times of year to support the needs of the family.

Now what’s left is to decide what to do about it. Schools can adapt their planning and calendars so their absence levels are not reflected poorly. Teachers can work with students and parents about assignments.

But what will not work is to just continue to shriek about it. No one cares.

Unexcused absence? Drop in grades if they cannot keep up. "0" on missed test. Simple solution. Traditional solutions sometimes work.
It is not the school's job to give extra time off to some students and not others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of us have advocated for year-round school with 2 weeklong breaks at the end of each quarter, 6 weeks for summer. This would give more breaks for extended travel at times of the year that are less expensive. It would give kids a bit more down time, Teachers some more down time and space to do their work, one week off, one week of pure work time for professional development and planning for the next quarter.

Sure. While the rest of the country conforms to the present calendar. Cheap travel is not the job of the school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools have already lost this issue. Families will continue to travel at the holidays and other times of year to support the needs of the family.

Now what’s left is to decide what to do about it. Schools can adapt their planning and calendars so their absence levels are not reflected poorly. Teachers can work with students and parents about assignments.

But what will not work is to just continue to shriek about it. No one cares.

Unexcused absence? Drop in grades if they cannot keep up. "0" on missed test. Simple solution. Traditional solutions sometimes work.
It is not the school's job to give extra time off to some students and not others.

It won’t work. It’s a nice idea. You can adapt to the world we live in where you can wish for the days of yesteryear when tardy children were sent to the blackboard to stand with their nose in a circle, and children who were beaten at school would get beaten again at home.

Families are over, making sacrifices for no reason. Schools can adapt, or they can get used to fewer operational funds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of us have advocated for year-round school with 2 weeklong breaks at the end of each quarter, 6 weeks for summer. This would give more breaks for extended travel at times of the year that are less expensive. It would give kids a bit more down time, Teachers some more down time and space to do their work, one week off, one week of pure work time for professional development and planning for the next quarter.

Sure. While the rest of the country conforms to the present calendar. Cheap travel is not the job of the school system.

Less academic slide, more time for teachers to prepare so fewer professional development days needed in the middle of the school week, less time missed by traveling families. I can see why we would want to avoid that. I mean, it's not like there are not areas that have moved to year-round schools, because there are. Or areas that have moved to 4 day school weeks for budget reasons. Or places that maintain different schedules because it fits what works for their district.

A year-round schedule would work far better for this area, save the swim team moms or the parents who think they need 9 weeks in Europe over the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If I encountered it I would probably discuss our plans with our pediatrician and see whether they thought the kids socioemotional health was best served by being in school or with family.

If your child does not need the instruction and is not missing anything important--then why are you worried about it being excused? Why are you demanding that the teacher provide work if she is not teaching? PP claims her child will be just fine academiclally.

If she’s not teaching there wont be any assignments to provide.

If i was taking a long flight or had significant downtime I’d ask for the material. If i got pushback id seek an excused absence. I wouldn’t follow an arbitrary rule so a teacher felt powerful not doing what others do hsppily.

So, who is the one here claiming to be powerful?

What a weird reaction— parents get work for their traveling kids every day. Isn’t this what you want? Parents working with their kids out of school?

Really nothing will satisfy you. Don’t take kids out — even if there is a sub or non important materials. Don't fall behind but don’t keep up!

Your kid actually can’t “keep up” with 4 weeks of packet work. What we can’t send along is all the instruction and activities we do to help them learn the content and master the skills that work should assess. At BEST we can send 4 weeks of busy work which is pointless to ask us to put together and pointless for your kid to do. We can’t send the next 4 weeks of lessons and new content. I’ve mentioned in this thread before the kid who went to India for over a month last year and the dad wanted us to have 1:1 Google meet lessons (this was denied). But we did post all the work for him online, even though in my class no assignments are even done online. Nevertheless I did it. He emailed us saying his son was having trouble understanding the material posted in Schoology. No duh!! He was not here to be taught it!

Wait a second— we just had a retired teacher tel us that busywork was SO IMPORTANT that kids should come to school to receive instruction from her pre-positioned busywork folder instead of spending time with their families.

LOL! I'm the retired teacher whose words you have conveniently twisted. You skipped the part about the detailed plans and the materials for the lessons that were left on my desk. The folder of "busy work" was "just in case."

But, the part I really don't understand is the parent who thinks that lessons go in "lock step." This assumes that every lesson is a complete success and that all of the students clearly "get" it. Gee, sometimes a lesson needs repetition and more practice--and sometimes, the kids get it so quickly that you can skip along to the next one.

But, PP has decided that the teacher is supposed to anticipate exactly what her child needs.

And, as preparing the lesson for the kids with "strep." If she cannot see the difference here, then she cannot be helped. And, kids are seldom out sick for weeks--and, believe me, most teachers would lovingly do as much as possible to help that kid. But, traveling mom thinks this is the same thing. And, FWIW, a sick child definitely suffers and a really sick child is going to need lots of extra help on return--because they likely have not been able to keep up because he does not feel well.

As for the doctor--sounds like a quack if he is giving excuses for travel.

If you don’t know how over FCPS most local pediatric practices are you’re living under a rock. There are memes about them printed out in the nurses station of ours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If I encountered it I would probably discuss our plans with our pediatrician and see whether they thought the kids socioemotional health was best served by being in school or with family.

If your child does not need the instruction and is not missing anything important--then why are you worried about it being excused? Why are you demanding that the teacher provide work if she is not teaching? PP claims her child will be just fine academiclally.

If she’s not teaching there wont be any assignments to provide.

If i was taking a long flight or had significant downtime I’d ask for the material. If i got pushback id seek an excused absence. I wouldn’t follow an arbitrary rule so a teacher felt powerful not doing what others do hsppily.

So, who is the one here claiming to be powerful?

What a weird reaction— parents get work for their traveling kids every day. Isn’t this what you want? Parents working with their kids out of school?

Really nothing will satisfy you. Don’t take kids out — even if there is a sub or non important materials. Don't fall behind but don’t keep up!

Your kid actually can’t “keep up” with 4 weeks of packet work. What we can’t send along is all the instruction and activities we do to help them learn the content and master the skills that work should assess. At BEST we can send 4 weeks of busy work which is pointless to ask us to put together and pointless for your kid to do. We can’t send the next 4 weeks of lessons and new content. I’ve mentioned in this thread before the kid who went to India for over a month last year and the dad wanted us to have 1:1 Google meet lessons (this was denied). But we did post all the work for him online, even though in my class no assignments are even done online. Nevertheless I did it. He emailed us saying his son was having trouble understanding the material posted in Schoology. No duh!! He was not here to be taught it!

Wait a second— we just had a retired teacher tel us that busywork was SO IMPORTANT that kids should come to school to receive instruction from her pre-positioned busywork folder instead of spending time with their families.

LOL! I'm the retired teacher whose words you have conveniently twisted. You skipped the part about the detailed plans and the materials for the lessons that were left on my desk. The folder of "busy work" was "just in case."

But, the part I really don't understand is the parent who thinks that lessons go in "lock step." This assumes that every lesson is a complete success and that all of the students clearly "get" it. Gee, sometimes a lesson needs repetition and more practice--and sometimes, the kids get it so quickly that you can skip along to the next one.

But, PP has decided that the teacher is supposed to anticipate exactly what her child needs.

And, as preparing the lesson for the kids with "strep." If she cannot see the difference here, then she cannot be helped. And, kids are seldom out sick for weeks--and, believe me, most teachers would lovingly do as much as possible to help that kid. But, traveling mom thinks this is the same thing. And, FWIW, a sick child definitely suffers and a really sick child is going to need lots of extra help on return--because they likely have not been able to keep up because he does not feel well.

As for the doctor--sounds like a quack if he is giving excuses for travel.

If you don’t know how over FCPS most local pediatric practices are you’re living under a rock. There are memes about them printed out in the nurses station of ours.

I would be highly disappointed if I asked my Doctor for a note to excuse my kid from school for health reasons when I took them on vacation. The fact that there are families that look for Doctors like this is sad.

Send your child to school. Accept that there are academic consequences if you don't because you want to go on vacation. Your kids teacher should not be working extra time in order to provide your kid with busy work to do on the plane so you can pretend like they are not skipping a week of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If I encountered it I would probably discuss our plans with our pediatrician and see whether they thought the kids socioemotional health was best served by being in school or with family.

If your child does not need the instruction and is not missing anything important--then why are you worried about it being excused? Why are you demanding that the teacher provide work if she is not teaching? PP claims her child will be just fine academiclally.

If she’s not teaching there wont be any assignments to provide.

If i was taking a long flight or had significant downtime I’d ask for the material. If i got pushback id seek an excused absence. I wouldn’t follow an arbitrary rule so a teacher felt powerful not doing what others do hsppily.

So, who is the one here claiming to be powerful?

What a weird reaction— parents get work for their traveling kids every day. Isn’t this what you want? Parents working with their kids out of school?

Really nothing will satisfy you. Don’t take kids out — even if there is a sub or non important materials. Don't fall behind but don’t keep up!

Your kid actually can’t “keep up” with 4 weeks of packet work. What we can’t send along is all the instruction and activities we do to help them learn the content and master the skills that work should assess. At BEST we can send 4 weeks of busy work which is pointless to ask us to put together and pointless for your kid to do. We can’t send the next 4 weeks of lessons and new content. I’ve mentioned in this thread before the kid who went to India for over a month last year and the dad wanted us to have 1:1 Google meet lessons (this was denied). But we did post all the work for him online, even though in my class no assignments are even done online. Nevertheless I did it. He emailed us saying his son was having trouble understanding the material posted in Schoology. No duh!! He was not here to be taught it!

Wait a second— we just had a retired teacher tel us that busywork was SO IMPORTANT that kids should come to school to receive instruction from her pre-positioned busywork folder instead of spending time with their families.

LOL! I'm the retired teacher whose words you have conveniently twisted. You skipped the part about the detailed plans and the materials for the lessons that were left on my desk. The folder of "busy work" was "just in case."

But, the part I really don't understand is the parent who thinks that lessons go in "lock step." This assumes that every lesson is a complete success and that all of the students clearly "get" it. Gee, sometimes a lesson needs repetition and more practice--and sometimes, the kids get it so quickly that you can skip along to the next one.

But, PP has decided that the teacher is supposed to anticipate exactly what her child needs.

And, as preparing the lesson for the kids with "strep." If she cannot see the difference here, then she cannot be helped. And, kids are seldom out sick for weeks--and, believe me, most teachers would lovingly do as much as possible to help that kid. But, traveling mom thinks this is the same thing. And, FWIW, a sick child definitely suffers and a really sick child is going to need lots of extra help on return--because they likely have not been able to keep up because he does not feel well.

As for the doctor--sounds like a quack if he is giving excuses for travel.

If you don’t know how over FCPS most local pediatric practices are you’re living under a rock. There are memes about them printed out in the nurses station of ours.

I would be highly disappointed if I asked my Doctor for a note to excuse my kid from school for health reasons when I took them on vacation. The fact that there are families that look for Doctors like this is sad.

Send your child to school. Accept that there are academic consequences if you don't because you want to go on vacation. Your kids teacher should not be working extra time in order to provide your kid with busy work to do on the plane so you can pretend like they are not skipping a week of school.

Nope! Tell that to the teacher who went to Orlando over a regular weekend a few years ago. Have a nice day!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If I encountered it I would probably discuss our plans with our pediatrician and see whether they thought the kids socioemotional health was best served by being in school or with family.

If your child does not need the instruction and is not missing anything important--then why are you worried about it being excused? Why are you demanding that the teacher provide work if she is not teaching? PP claims her child will be just fine academiclally.

If she’s not teaching there wont be any assignments to provide.

If i was taking a long flight or had significant downtime I’d ask for the material. If i got pushback id seek an excused absence. I wouldn’t follow an arbitrary rule so a teacher felt powerful not doing what others do hsppily.

So, who is the one here claiming to be powerful?

What a weird reaction— parents get work for their traveling kids every day. Isn’t this what you want? Parents working with their kids out of school?

Really nothing will satisfy you. Don’t take kids out — even if there is a sub or non important materials. Don't fall behind but don’t keep up!

Your kid actually can’t “keep up” with 4 weeks of packet work. What we can’t send along is all the instruction and activities we do to help them learn the content and master the skills that work should assess. At BEST we can send 4 weeks of busy work which is pointless to ask us to put together and pointless for your kid to do. We can’t send the next 4 weeks of lessons and new content. I’ve mentioned in this thread before the kid who went to India for over a month last year and the dad wanted us to have 1:1 Google meet lessons (this was denied). But we did post all the work for him online, even though in my class no assignments are even done online. Nevertheless I did it. He emailed us saying his son was having trouble understanding the material posted in Schoology. No duh!! He was not here to be taught it!

Wait a second— we just had a retired teacher tel us that busywork was SO IMPORTANT that kids should come to school to receive instruction from her pre-positioned busywork folder instead of spending time with their families.

LOL! I'm the retired teacher whose words you have conveniently twisted. You skipped the part about the detailed plans and the materials for the lessons that were left on my desk. The folder of "busy work" was "just in case."

But, the part I really don't understand is the parent who thinks that lessons go in "lock step." This assumes that every lesson is a complete success and that all of the students clearly "get" it. Gee, sometimes a lesson needs repetition and more practice--and sometimes, the kids get it so quickly that you can skip along to the next one.

But, PP has decided that the teacher is supposed to anticipate exactly what her child needs.

And, as preparing the lesson for the kids with "strep." If she cannot see the difference here, then she cannot be helped. And, kids are seldom out sick for weeks--and, believe me, most teachers would lovingly do as much as possible to help that kid. But, traveling mom thinks this is the same thing. And, FWIW, a sick child definitely suffers and a really sick child is going to need lots of extra help on return--because they likely have not been able to keep up because he does not feel well.

As for the doctor--sounds like a quack if he is giving excuses for travel.

If you don’t know how over FCPS most local pediatric practices are you’re living under a rock. There are memes about them printed out in the nurses station of ours.

I would be highly disappointed if I asked my Doctor for a note to excuse my kid from school for health reasons when I took them on vacation. The fact that there are families that look for Doctors like this is sad.

Send your child to school. Accept that there are academic consequences if you don't because you want to go on vacation. Your kids teacher should not be working extra time in order to provide your kid with busy work to do on the plane so you can pretend like they are not skipping a week of school.

You’re right, they should be drawing from their already prepared materials and busywork folder.

You can fight parents or work with them. Other teachers request materials like current magazines and snacks from foreign travel. Be the outlier who thinks family time doesn’t matter— you’ll still have to print the packets.

[Anonymous]

No, teachers aren't required to "print out packets" . LOL!

Miss school and your kid can struggle to catch up. Shrug. I'm a parent, not a teacher, and don't want classtime or energy wasted on your precious Larla.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If I encountered it I would probably discuss our plans with our pediatrician and see whether they thought the kids socioemotional health was best served by being in school or with family.

If your child does not need the instruction and is not missing anything important--then why are you worried about it being excused? Why are you demanding that the teacher provide work if she is not teaching? PP claims her child will be just fine academiclally.

If she’s not teaching there wont be any assignments to provide.

If i was taking a long flight or had significant downtime I’d ask for the material. If i got pushback id seek an excused absence. I wouldn’t follow an arbitrary rule so a teacher felt powerful not doing what others do hsppily.

So, who is the one here claiming to be powerful?

What a weird reaction— parents get work for their traveling kids every day. Isn’t this what you want? Parents working with their kids out of school?

Really nothing will satisfy you. Don’t take kids out — even if there is a sub or non important materials. Don't fall behind but don’t keep up!

Your kid actually can’t “keep up” with 4 weeks of packet work. What we can’t send along is all the instruction and activities we do to help them learn the content and master the skills that work should assess. At BEST we can send 4 weeks of busy work which is pointless to ask us to put together and pointless for your kid to do. We can’t send the next 4 weeks of lessons and new content. I’ve mentioned in this thread before the kid who went to India for over a month last year and the dad wanted us to have 1:1 Google meet lessons (this was denied). But we did post all the work for him online, even though in my class no assignments are even done online. Nevertheless I did it. He emailed us saying his son was having trouble understanding the material posted in Schoology. No duh!! He was not here to be taught it!

Wait a second— we just had a retired teacher tel us that busywork was SO IMPORTANT that kids should come to school to receive instruction from her pre-positioned busywork folder instead of spending time with their families.

LOL! I'm the retired teacher whose words you have conveniently twisted. You skipped the part about the detailed plans and the materials for the lessons that were left on my desk. The folder of "busy work" was "just in case."

But, the part I really don't understand is the parent who thinks that lessons go in "lock step." This assumes that every lesson is a complete success and that all of the students clearly "get" it. Gee, sometimes a lesson needs repetition and more practice--and sometimes, the kids get it so quickly that you can skip along to the next one.

But, PP has decided that the teacher is supposed to anticipate exactly what her child needs.

And, as preparing the lesson for the kids with "strep." If she cannot see the difference here, then she cannot be helped. And, kids are seldom out sick for weeks--and, believe me, most teachers would lovingly do as much as possible to help that kid. But, traveling mom thinks this is the same thing. And, FWIW, a sick child definitely suffers and a really sick child is going to need lots of extra help on return--because they likely have not been able to keep up because he does not feel well.

As for the doctor--sounds like a quack if he is giving excuses for travel.

If you don’t know how over FCPS most local pediatric practices are you’re living under a rock. There are memes about them printed out in the nurses station of ours.

I would be highly disappointed if I asked my Doctor for a note to excuse my kid from school for health reasons when I took them on vacation. The fact that there are families that look for Doctors like this is sad.

Send your child to school. Accept that there are academic consequences if you don't because you want to go on vacation. Your kids teacher should not be working extra time in order to provide your kid with busy work to do on the plane so you can pretend like they are not skipping a week of school.

You’re right, they should be drawing from their already prepared materials and busywork folder.

You can fight parents or work with them. Other teachers request materials like current magazines and snacks from foreign travel. Be the outlier who thinks family time doesn’t matter— you’ll still have to print the packets.

So you think teachers do not adjust their lessons during the process of teaching. If that were the case, why not just HQ post the entire year online and fire all the teachers.

It may surprise some of you to know that teaching involves a lot more than just preparing lessons.
For one thing, they actually interact with the kids and TEACH. Sometimes, it requires teaching from a different angle the following day and sometimes it requires pulling an individual kid or two aside and explaining the materials further.

These people should subscribe to a homeschooling curriculum if they think it is fine for their kids to miss weeks of school. See how that works out for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools have already lost this issue. Families will continue to travel at the holidays and other times of year to support the needs of the family.

Now what’s left is to decide what to do about it. Schools can adapt their planning and calendars so their absence levels are not reflected poorly. Teachers can work with students and parents about assignments.

But what will not work is to just continue to shriek about it. No one cares.

Unexcused absence? Drop in grades if they cannot keep up. "0" on missed test. Simple solution. Traditional solutions sometimes work.
It is not the school's job to give extra time off to some students and not others.

School districts got themselves into a mess. Teachers cannot fail students except in very rare circumstances. Very few teachers are bothered by the kids who miss school to travel if the kids are top students, especially at the secondary level. Everything is posted online and the parents don't want to jeopardize college chances so those kids will get the work done and do well on state and division wide tests. The kids who are already academically behind and miss a lot of school probably should fail because they haven't mastered the material or even come close but the optics on that would be terrible.

[Anonymous]

Part of the reason FCPS went to a guaranteed two week winter break was because so many families were taking a 2 or more week break even during the years that winter break was a week plus a day. And many families (especially those traveling internationally) knew that their kids could miss 15 consecutive school days before being pulled from the roster. I had many kids who would take a 3 to 4 week trip during winter break back to their home country but expect that I would give them all the work they needed to do during that time and they could just keep up. Teaching a lab science course this simply wasn't possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If I encountered it I would probably discuss our plans with our pediatrician and see whether they thought the kids socioemotional health was best served by being in school or with family.

If your child does not need the instruction and is not missing anything important--then why are you worried about it being excused? Why are you demanding that the teacher provide work if she is not teaching? PP claims her child will be just fine academiclally.

If she’s not teaching there wont be any assignments to provide.

If i was taking a long flight or had significant downtime I’d ask for the material. If i got pushback id seek an excused absence. I wouldn’t follow an arbitrary rule so a teacher felt powerful not doing what others do hsppily.

So, who is the one here claiming to be powerful?

What a weird reaction— parents get work for their traveling kids every day. Isn’t this what you want? Parents working with their kids out of school?

Really nothing will satisfy you. Don’t take kids out — even if there is a sub or non important materials. Don't fall behind but don’t keep up!

Your kid actually can’t “keep up” with 4 weeks of packet work. What we can’t send along is all the instruction and activities we do to help them learn the content and master the skills that work should assess. At BEST we can send 4 weeks of busy work which is pointless to ask us to put together and pointless for your kid to do. We can’t send the next 4 weeks of lessons and new content. I’ve mentioned in this thread before the kid who went to India for over a month last year and the dad wanted us to have 1:1 Google meet lessons (this was denied). But we did post all the work for him online, even though in my class no assignments are even done online. Nevertheless I did it. He emailed us saying his son was having trouble understanding the material posted in Schoology. No duh!! He was not here to be taught it!

Wait a second— we just had a retired teacher tel us that busywork was SO IMPORTANT that kids should come to school to receive instruction from her pre-positioned busywork folder instead of spending time with their families.

LOL! I'm the retired teacher whose words you have conveniently twisted. You skipped the part about the detailed plans and the materials for the lessons that were left on my desk. The folder of "busy work" was "just in case."

But, the part I really don't understand is the parent who thinks that lessons go in "lock step." This assumes that every lesson is a complete success and that all of the students clearly "get" it. Gee, sometimes a lesson needs repetition and more practice--and sometimes, the kids get it so quickly that you can skip along to the next one.

But, PP has decided that the teacher is supposed to anticipate exactly what her child needs.

And, as preparing the lesson for the kids with "strep." If she cannot see the difference here, then she cannot be helped. And, kids are seldom out sick for weeks--and, believe me, most teachers would lovingly do as much as possible to help that kid. But, traveling mom thinks this is the same thing. And, FWIW, a sick child definitely suffers and a really sick child is going to need lots of extra help on return--because they likely have not been able to keep up because he does not feel well.

As for the doctor--sounds like a quack if he is giving excuses for travel.

If you don’t know how over FCPS most local pediatric practices are you’re living under a rock. There are memes about them printed out in the nurses station of ours.

Is it a school’s responsibility to keep pediatricians happy?

No.