Teachers—How do you like parents to handle missed days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I were a teacher I’d be incredibly pissed by this disrespect.

“Because we are richer and more important than you and don’t respect your classroom calendar, we are taking a longer vacation than the school calendar dictates.”

They can make it up whatever way they figure out. Teacher needs not make concessions.

WHOA. I -am- a teacher and I would in NO WAY interpret OP's message the way you have above.

I think family time is very important and that it is a parent's prerogative to do what is best for their family and children, including scheduling visits or trips that may take longer than has been planned by the school system. The school system, of course, must accommodate a myriad of special interests and the allocation of days isn't necessarily proportionate to the level of importance of some of the scheduled time off. In short, as long as a child isn't excessively absent I would not quibble with any parent who told me that they are taking a few extra days.

OP, the only thing that grates for me is when I'm told 3-4 weeks out about an absence and there is the expectation that I prepare a complete package for the child. I've even had parents request that the package be provided a week in advance so the parent could review it. I've complied to keep the peace. Out of approximately 30 packets like that, how many do you think I've had returned either fully or partially completed? Exactly zero.

So please go on the vacation. If you're really curious about what your child is missing, check out my Google Classroom and my Canvas pages while you're gone or after you return. If your child misses a test or quiz, I will administer it to your child 2 school days after she or he returns. Other than that, please enjoy the vacation, and enjoy my best wishes that you and your family return home safe, sound and happy. I promise I will welcome your child back with wide open arms and a hearty smile, and without any demands for a bunch of worksheets to be completed!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. I’ve been thinking about it and I have decided we will all be heading back Sunday. I don’t want to make waves, it’s just not worth it for a couple more days when Christmas is around the corner. I appreciate your honesty.

Do not change your travel plans because of anonymous posters online. I’m another teacher and do not care. Family is more important. Go spend time with them or spend time on your vacation. I’m not going to give you things ahead of time if they are not already copied and easily accessible, I’m not going to personally tutor your child to catch up afterwards but I’ll give them the homework they missed when they return. I’ve pulled my own kids out for various reasons over the years. Lots do this. Plenty of teachers even take off to extend vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were a teacher I’d be incredibly pissed by this disrespect.

“Because we are richer and more important than you and don’t respect your classroom calendar, we are taking a longer vacation than the school calendar dictates.”

They can make it up whatever way they figure out. Teacher needs not make concessions.

+1

What if the teacher sent YOU that email about taking vacation?

They’d plan for a sub, I guess? Which is what I’m trying to do, plan. How, as a teacher, do you suppose we make up the work without involving you? I mean no disrespect and I’m asking for no special concessions, but if you’re printing the worksheets anyway, why can’t one be printed for my kid also? Aren’t you printing for the whole class anyway? I guess I’m confused. I appreciate all your replies.

NP. You don't make up the work. You miss it. Vacation travel is an unexcused absence and that is what that means. I would let the teacher know that Larla is going to be absent so they don't worry where she is, but I would not ask for any makeup work and just deal with the pile of missed papers (if they have been nice and saved it for you) when you get back. Asking for work in advance that you're not entitled to per the absence policy either makes the teacher feel obligated to go out of their way when they technically don't have to, or puts them in the position of referring you to the policy and telling you no and risking a negative reaction from parents who think they are above the rules. Just inform of the absence, don't ask about work, and let the teacher figure out what they want to do.

This is how it works in our school. We've had two times we have pulled our kids out. We were not given any of the work they did either before or after. It was NBD - kid didn't struggle being behind. But we are in ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were a teacher I’d be incredibly pissed by this disrespect.

“Because we are richer and more important than you and don’t respect your classroom calendar, we are taking a longer vacation than the school calendar dictates.”

They can make it up whatever way they figure out. Teacher needs not make concessions.

+1

What if the teacher sent YOU that email about taking vacation?

They’d plan for a sub, I guess? Which is what I’m trying to do, plan. How, as a teacher, do you suppose we make up the work without involving you? I mean no disrespect and I’m asking for no special concessions, but if you’re printing the worksheets anyway, why can’t one be printed for my kid also? Aren’t you printing for the whole class anyway? I guess I’m confused. I appreciate all your replies.

NP. You don't make up the work. You miss it. Vacation travel is an unexcused absence and that is what that means. I would let the teacher know that Larla is going to be absent so they don't worry where she is, but I would not ask for any makeup work and just deal with the pile of missed papers (if they have been nice and saved it for you) when you get back. Asking for work in advance that you're not entitled to per the absence policy either makes the teacher feel obligated to go out of their way when they technically don't have to, or puts them in the position of referring you to the policy and telling you no and risking a negative reaction from parents who think they are above the rules. Just inform of the absence, don't ask about work, and let the teacher figure out what they want to do.

This is how it works in our school. We've had two times we have pulled our kids out. We were not given any of the work they did either before or after. It was NBD - kid didn't struggle being behind. But we are in ES.

Agreed. I teach high school and am one who responded about how frustrating it is when parents do this (because I am stuck with extra work...I don’t want the student to suffer because of something that wasn’t their decision). In elementary the stakes are lower.

[Anonymous]

Child should ask a classmate for the notes and the homework and make it up with the least imposition on the teacher.

[Anonymous]

I try to strike a balance between the fact that middle schoolers do not have a choice in family travel plans and the fact that I don’t want to do worksheets or videos for two or three days just so it is easy for a few absent kids to not fall behind. I teach a rigorous course. It isn’t fair to those kids present to water the course down.

[Anonymous]

The teachers posting that it doesn't matter and that family time is more important must be Elementary School teachers. My children's high school teachers are not that compassionate. And, they follow the rules to the letter. Unexcused absences, which is what family travel is, do not allow for any makeups. Not missing assignments, not quizzes, not tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teachers posting that it doesn't matter and that family time is more important must be Elementary School teachers. My children's high school teachers are not that compassionate. And, they follow the rules to the letter. Unexcused absences, which is what family travel is, do not allow for any makeups. Not missing assignments, not quizzes, not tests.

I’m a high school teacher. I allow makeups. If we do a graded assignment I do expect the student to do that assignment. I don’t excuse them from the work. But what I don’t do is pull little Chloe aside and do 1:1 teaching of everything she missed while she was gone. That’s really on her to figure out. I have kids who will be absent for an entire week and then come back like “what did I miss can you show me.” Nope. Go look at the google classroom. It’s all there for your enjoyment.

Kids whose grades are bad at the end of quarter are very often the ones who will miss 2-3 days of class in a row, and I do point that out to parents. “Liam’s grade is a 70 this quarter due to many missing assignments and 16 absences.”

In high school, we move at a fast pace and have to hit standards and prepare for high stakes tests. If your kid misses a lot, they’re probably going to fall behind.

[Anonymous]

Honest question: Why don't teachers put their slides, work, and/or home work on a portal and let kids catch up within a few days and learn the material? If they don't then they can come to office hours or whatever? I just don't understand why this is such a big deal? This is what is going to happen in college if they miss a day. Heck, some of those profs even video the lectures (this obv wouldn't work for all classes).

I know I'll get a million reasons why this isn't possible. IMO it's kind of BS. We had teachers in ES who did this. And so does some of our MS teachers. It makes their life easier. It makes our life easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can I show this thread to my MIL? She is annoyed that we won't pull out of school for a couple days before break so that she can visit before the holidays and avoid traffic. I was raised that unless you are ill, you are in school, so it seems offensive to consider.

The only reason that I'm considering it is that sometimes the classes do end up just watching movies a day or two before winter and spring breaks (a whole other issue). But there's no way I can ask the elementary teachers if they plan to do anything substantive, right?

I think you would know if you had the relationship with them to do this, and it's probably harder to do in public than in private school. My son had just missed a ton of school for medical reasons and is going for a half day today. I emailed the teacher to ask if they had any "special programming" or activities planned as I was trying to figure out what part of the day would be best for him to attend. She totally read between the lines and let me know which academic times had been replaced with crafts and other activities.

And this was for medical stuff but I would be totally comfortable saying to her we have an opportunity to begin a family trip early and ask what he would miss in school that day. We've had other teachers who would have been offended by the question. I always leave "make up work" up to them. Sometimes they send stuff before or after, or not at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honest question: Why don't teachers put their slides, work, and/or home work on a portal and let kids catch up within a few days and learn the material? If they don't then they can come to office hours or whatever? I just don't understand why this is such a big deal? This is what is going to happen in college if they miss a day. Heck, some of those profs even video the lectures (this obv wouldn't work for all classes).

I know I'll get a million reasons why this isn't possible. IMO it's kind of BS. We had teachers in ES who did this. And so does some of our MS teachers. It makes their life easier. It makes our life easier.

I’ll speak for myself at the elementary level. The lessons are just too varied or hands on to post online. We incorporate lessons into Morning Meetings and my math block consists of number sense routines, student discourse, a focus lesson and four different groups which may not all be working on the same tasks. I have five different reading groups,?some of which are participating in book talks (more in person discourse/discussion). The students are also not yet very adept at using the computers. We just don’t have the resources to get them all used to being that independent online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honest question: Why don't teachers put their slides, work, and/or home work on a portal and let kids catch up within a few days and learn the material? If they don't then they can come to office hours or whatever? I just don't understand why this is such a big deal? This is what is going to happen in college if they miss a day. Heck, some of those profs even video the lectures (this obv wouldn't work for all classes).

I know I'll get a million reasons why this isn't possible. IMO it's kind of BS. We had teachers in ES who did this. And so does some of our MS teachers. It makes their life easier. It makes our life easier.

All of my stuff IS in google classroom but kids can’t learn it just by looking at it. That’s where... the teaching... comes in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teachers posting that it doesn't matter and that family time is more important must be Elementary School teachers. My children's high school teachers are not that compassionate. And, they follow the rules to the letter. Unexcused absences, which is what family travel is, do not allow for any makeups. Not missing assignments, not quizzes, not tests.

No, I previously posted and I’m a high school teacher. Often they miss tests on the last days but they didn’t plan the vacation, their parents did. I will not personally tutor them to catch up on content but notes are online and they can make up assessments at another time. Are you at a private school? Public schools have been allowing make up work for all absences for a decade or more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The teachers posting that it doesn't matter and that family time is more important must be Elementary School teachers. My children's high school teachers are not that compassionate. And, they follow the rules to the letter. Unexcused absences, which is what family travel is, do not allow for any makeups. Not missing assignments, not quizzes, not tests.

No, I previously posted and I’m a high school teacher. Often they miss tests on the last days but they didn’t plan the vacation, their parents did. I will not personally tutor them to catch up on content but notes are online and they can make up assessments at another time. Are you at a private school? Public schools have been allowing make up work for all absences for a decade or more.

Not PP. I teach high school in PG. We don't allow make up work for any unexcused absences. The PGCPS website states: Unlawful absence is defined as the act of a student being absent from school for a day or any portion of a day from an individual class for any reason other than those defined as lawful. Teachers are not required to provide make-up work for students when absences are unlawful. The next section lists denial of make-up work as a consequence for an unlawful absence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honest question: Why don't teachers put their slides, work, and/or home work on a portal and let kids catch up within a few days and learn the material? If they don't then they can come to office hours or whatever? I just don't understand why this is such a big deal? This is what is going to happen in college if they miss a day. Heck, some of those profs even video the lectures (this obv wouldn't work for all classes).

I know I'll get a million reasons why this isn't possible. IMO it's kind of BS. We had teachers in ES who did this. And so does some of our MS teachers. It makes their life easier. It makes our life easier.

High school teacher here.

We have online classrooms where we post all of our work, materials, and class discussions. The problem comes with the second part of your question regarding office hours. We don't have those. We have planning periods, but nine times out of ten I'm either in a meeting or covering classes. On the off chance I'm not, I use that time to make copies, call parents, or actually plan my lessons. Assuming I had the whole 90 minutes free, a student still couldn't come to me without missing the lesson in whatever class they have during third period.

Missing one day won't kill a student's chances, but missing multiple days will. Every day builds on the skills learned the previous day. You'd be surprised how many parents pull their kids for one or two week vacations out of the country and expect us to become personal tutors when they return.