Now, having worked in education for over a decade (both high school and middle school), I have see countless families take vacations during the school year (Disney, cruises and other warm weather locales). Some families approach me ahead of time to find out what their child will miss while away so they can “do” the work while on vacation. The overwhelming majority of students do NOT complete any work that I assign while on vacation. If they miss a test or quiz, or if a test or quiz is scheduled for when they return, most feel entitled to be exempt from the exam because they were “on vacation.”

Sadly, many families do not even let me know that they are going away on vacation. All I know is that a student is absent for several days and when I inquire, classmates tell me that the student is away at Disney, on a cruise or overseas somewhere. Thankfully, the school district where I currently teach has a policy where students are not entitled to make up work missed while on vacation and the absences are marked as “non excused.” If a student approaches me for work during non-school vacation, I do not “have” to provide it. However, I am kind. Just last week a student said she would away at Disney and asked what she would miss. I made sure to spend my own extra time and uploaded all work for this student to my school based website so she could follow what we were doing and informed her we would be having a vocabulary quiz by the time she returned, so that she should be ready and at the very least study on the plane. Did she check my website? Did she study for the quiz. Of course not! In fact, she was quite surprised that we were having a quiz and asked for an extra day to study because she was on vacation. I didn’t grant the extra time.

What an amazing service! While school professionals do their best to assist students, it is also necessary for a tutor to reinforce lessons that are taught to make certain that youngsters are understanding the material. KUDOS!

Thanks so much for the feedback. It is great to hear an educators point of view. I have not made it to Disney but I know the prices are high during the Massachusetts school vacations of February and April!

Thanks again!

Here is an educators perspective:

1. Not all parents will be as proactive as you. I have some that will make learning a priority on a trip but most will let the learning slide and just have fun. I have found that parents are more concerned about the “deal” that they take these trips the week before or after a vacation just because of the price.

2. When planning a trip like this be sure to check with the school about testing periods so you are not scheduling a trip during testing windows. Especially in this time when test scores are becoming part of teacher evaluations.

3. Would you want an educator taking a vacation at this time for the same reasons? (Of course not) Teachers have families and have to plan around the school year. Parents should think the same way. I respect families that want to take these vacations, and school is not the end all be all of education, learning happens everywhere. Schools just help focus it.

Thanks for a great resource!