Can anyone tell me the reason why teachers can take leave for vacation during school year?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| I'm a teacher and there is no way I could go on a vacation. I get 2 personal days per year and 3 sick occurrences. If you are sick for more than 2 days, you need to bring in a note from the doctor to prove you were sick. I guess a teacher could take unpaid time off but since I earn so little, I wouldn't even think about doing that. I was out of the classroom for 5-6 days this school year at PD days. Just because a teacher isn't in the classroom doesn't mean she is on vacation. My son's teacher was out of the classroom more than that but I know for a fact she was out of the building for PD. I was also out of the classroom for another 1-2 days for more training for our new testing system. |
Anonymous
|
" Substitutes do not teach. They simply manage the class and ensure the teacher's work is assigned and completed."
I'm a sub, with a VA teaching license and a master's in education. I am subbing while job hunting. At the high school level, it's mostly being a warm body in the room. At the elementary level, you are indeed teaching. The teachers I sub for know my background and leave a framework, knowing I actually do the teaching while I'm there. |
Anonymous
If you could read you would undersrand that I never said teachers should not be able to take off during the year for major ane important events. What I did say was referring to them as "indentured servants" is a little rich, given that they have so many other vacations throughout the year. Lets face it, of all the careers in this world, teachers are the ones least starving for vacation time off work. How do I know this? I was a teacher. My mom was a teacher. Teachers have many job related challenges. Vacation days are not one of them To act like vacation days are one of the sacrifices teachers are making for our children is completely laughable. |
Anonymous
I am not sure where you work that you claim 8-12 weeks occur each summer for teachers. It is more like 5 weeks...July essentially (plus part of end of June). In my district our last day is June 23rd and most of the staff returns the first week of August; a few teachers return the 2nd week of August. In addition during the summer all are creating new lesson plans, as the curriculum changes and/or grade level assignments change. Yes, there is spring break and winter break..Thanksgiving is pretty much standard for all companies, not just schools so no need to include that (excluding retail, who probably work more during Thanksgiving). I honestly don't think you are a former teacher, or if you are it has been a decade or so since you retired. Each summer gets shorter and shorter in terms of time off, and expectations increase...including creating lesson plans for all levels in one class..for example 2nd grade leveled readers with college level readers in one "open" honors class...it is up to the teacher to figure out how to teach Animal Farm to these extremes...and that does require extensive work during the summer to plan for all of the novels, writing assignments etc... But back to the issue at hand...sometimes life happens, and folks take off from work.... |
Anonymous
| Also, when the teacher takes off, she has to leave detailed sub plans. On one of the rare times that I took off during the school year, I was writing sub plans from my hospital bed after having a major unplanned surgery (while also pregnant). Then, in the three days I stayed home, I was grading and working on progress reports. Most jobs, if you're sick, have a sick kid, or a family emergency, taking sick leave doesn't require hours of planning and prep. |
Anonymous
| My DD's teacher was out for 5 days when her son unexpectedly died. She actually came in the very first day after his death in order to talk to the kids about what was going to happen to them for the next 5 days and to write her lesson plans. Most teachers (and I'm not one, but have been privileged to know a number of fabulous ones) are extremely professional. |
Anonymous
Exactly... |
Anonymous
My DW and I both teach elementary students in Fairfax County. We put in plenty of hours and don't take much leave (I mentioned I have almost 1000 hours saved), but FCPS teachers' last day is June 25 and we don't go back until the last week of August. To be honest, we won't even think about work from the time we leave on June 25 until we go back at the end of August. |
Anonymous
Says who? Students can miss school for whatever reason. Even if it's just a 'personal' day. |
Anonymous
|
My mom and aunt were teachers, most of my parents friends growing up were teachers, and I know many teachers my own age. I have never heard of a teacher taking planned vacation during the school year. Most teachers get 1 or 2 personal days and use them for things like going to an out of town wedding or attending their own kid's event at another school. Usually the rule is that you can't take a personal day the day before or after a holiday and if you are sick before or after a holiday, you need a Dr's note.
I am thankful teachers arrive at their post every day, on time. I arrive at my job within a 30 min window, take lunch when I choose based on my schedule that day, and take Dr appointments close to my office during the day and just take leave or stay late. I can't imagine being on a rigid schedule like a teacher - how nursing teachers pump I have no idea. I am thankful for all they do and 2 personal days seems very reasonable. |
Anonymous
|
I resent the idea that the public is ignorant of a basic fact:
Winter, Spring, and Summer Breaks are UNPAID. I DO NOT GET COMPENSATED. They are not paid vacations. You did not pay for me to sit on my butt. I am paid exactly for the days I work. If I run out of sick days because I am ill, the sub comes out of my pay. FMLA is unpaid after you used up the sick days. Now, on average I stay about 3 hours after school every day, and work most Sundays. UNPAID - for your children, because I love teaching. Thank you, A teacher. |
Anonymous
| Where I use to teach, teachers took vacations all the time during the school hear and nobody ever thought twice about it. One teacher took two weeks off for her honeymoon. |
Anonymous
|
My first years teaching I used all of my sick leave because I was sick so often from being with all the kids. I've built up resistance and am sick much less frequently now. Often I left DC home alone and came in to teach not because I didn't have the sick days, but bc I hate making up crap for subs to do; I'd just rather teach. Sometimes I take a sick day to catch up on grading, bc there really isn't enough time during the school day.
After many years of teaching, I'm sort of kicking myself for NOT taking vacation opportunities that will never come my way again. I'm am sure there are a few people who abuse the system, there are everywhere. Most of us work pretty stinking hard. When we come home our day isn't over. When the school year ends for your kids, it doesn't end for us. I chose my life and I love my job. Constructively managing kids all day, and then looking for some left over energy for your own family is always a work in progress. I do worry that my own family is short-changed year after year. |
Anonymous
| Sometimes teachers have family issues to deal with, just like the rest of us. My DDs teacher was out for a week while moving her parents into assisted living and has missed other days before/after weekends to deal with cleaning out their house, etc. I don't think she usually misses this much school, but when a crisis happens, it needs to be dealt with, whether you are a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer or a cashier at a convenience store. |
Anonymous
With almost 1,000 hours I often wonder why I am saving up so much leave. I keep thinking I should start using it, but like you said it's more of a hassle to be absent. |