Anonymous
Post 11/18/2012 09:09     Subject: Re:What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
I'm a teacher in a district with a full day of school on Wednesday. I teach in a Title One school so most of the students are in school on Wednesday. We have a food pantry that is open after school that day when families can come in a pick out canned and boxed food. We also donate some turkeys. I don't teach anything new but I read books about Thanksgiving and do a craft. Most of my students are ESOL kids so they might not all know about Thanksgiving (esp the younger ones).
Anonymous
Post 11/18/2012 06:19     Subject: What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
How many places can you not get to for Thursday dinner with kids in school for a half day Wednesday? Now you may prefer to travel to avoid the traffic or reduce your airfare..but that is a preference. Then presumably you have Friday and Saturday to enjoy with family before heading home on Sunday. The half day Wednesday doesn't mean no time with family. If Wednesday was off, people would start just taking the whole week... Pull your kids out if you want to but don't act like you had no choice.
Anonymous
Post 11/17/2012 19:41     Subject: What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
I agree with 20:44, and cheer on 16:02. Bravo.

16:07 is completely off base in her "ASS-U-ME"-umptions (sic).

Anonymous
Post 11/16/2012 07:42     Subject: What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
Anonymous wrote:The people screwing the children are the dumb parents that are teaching kids that an extra day of vacation is more important than school. School is important. If you don't take it seriously, don't be surprised when your kids don't. If your kids grades suffer because you choose vacation over school, that's your fault, not the teachers'.


The day before Thanksgiving is a 1/2 day. School is important but so is seeing family you might only see once a year. If a child's grades are suffering because they didn't go to school on a 1/2 day, they were probably suffering anyway. I suspect people who are pulling their children from school next Wednesday do not make this a habit throughout the school year.
Anonymous
Post 11/15/2012 10:45     Subject: What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
The people screwing the children are the dumb parents that are teaching kids that an extra day of vacation is more important than school. School is important. If you don't take it seriously, don't be surprised when your kids don't. If your kids grades suffer because you choose vacation over school, that's your fault, not the teachers'.
Anonymous
Post 11/15/2012 06:17     Subject: Re:What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
Anonymous wrote:
We teachers have families, too, and we'd LOVE to head out a day or two early to spend more time with them.

But guess what? We're in school the day before, attempting to teach to a 1/3 of the class.


So out of bitterness you decide to screw the students that aren't there? Why not take the day as opportunity to do review work with a nice sized class where you can actually spend time with the students?


What in the hell are you talking about?

bitterness? I am at school the day before EVERY holiday doing what I do best - teach! And yes, I teach to the THIRD who show up. Am I expected to phone the parents of the remaining 2/3 to remind them that the day before a holiday is a school day?

You are truly an idiot.

Anonymous
Post 11/15/2012 06:14     Subject: Re:What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
Anonymous wrote:
We teachers have families, too, and we'd LOVE to head out a day or two early to spend more time with them.

But guess what? We're in school the day before, attempting to teach to a 1/3 of the class.


So out of bitterness you decide to screw the students that aren't there? Why not take the day as opportunity to do review work with a nice sized class where you can actually spend time with the students?
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2012 23:53     Subject: Re:What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
Anonymous wrote:

So out of bitterness you decide to screw the students that aren't there? Why not take the day as opportunity to do review work with a nice sized class where you can actually spend time with the students?


The people screwing the children are the dumb parents that are teaching kids that an extra day of vacation is more important than school. School is important. If you don't take it seriously, don't be surprised when your kids don't. If your kids grades suffer because you choose vacation over school, that's your fault, not the teachers'.
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2012 23:15     Subject: What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
Anonymous wrote:We teachers have families, too, and we'd LOVE to head out a day or two early to spend more time with them.

But guess what? We're in school the day before, attempting to teach to a 1/3 of the class.



The issue is catering to so many denominations' holidays creates so few full weeks of school that families can't get away for obligations ever! Without pulling the kids out.
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2012 22:28     Subject: What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Take a few days from spring break! No everyone can/needs to go away for 10 days!


Not quite that simple. All Maryland public schools are required to be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday per the State Board of Education. Besides, the kiddies haven't seen the Caribbean for about three months by the time Spring Break rolls around!

http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/holidayp.html
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2012 16:40     Subject: What should teachers do the day before T-giving and Winter breaks?
Not everyone