[tonyksl]

I just read an interesting article at allears regarding whether or not you should take your kids out of school to go.

My kids are 9 and 7, 4th and 2nd grade, and they will miss 1 to 1.5 days each trip we take. They have no problem with catching up on the work they miss. I have been taking them out of school on either Thursday at noon or just leaving after school on Thursday. (The two and a half hour difference is the driving time.) I was thinking about doing it Friday's instead of Thursday and having the kids missing Monday.

I have two questions:

1. For those of you who are teachers, if you knew you were going to have a child absent from your class, would you prefer they miss the Friday or the Monday?

2. If you do take those three day weekends, which day do you normally take your child out of school?

[Dana]

Fridays, in my experience, are test days for my DD. The end of the week usually is...that being said, the beginning of the week is when they start either reviewing the tests or starting new material.

I took my child out of school for vacations every year up to 7th grade. It was to hard for her to catch up that year, so we stopped doing it. The years before that, I left on a Wednesday and came back on a wednesday and did the trips so it fell on their "in service days" and she only missed the mon-wednesday. Again, never a problem catching up with missed work until 7th grade. Only you know your children's work habits and whether there will be issue with them falling behind or not being able to catch on to the material that was taught when they were out. I say take them out if they can handle the missed time.

[MissDisney]

We have taken the kids out for as long as a week (when they were in elementary school. They remembeer the trips and the time they spent with their dad, having him all to themselves with no work, so it was worth the effort to catch up to the class!

As for Monday or Friday, I'd go with Monday because if the teacher is beginning a new lesson, all the kids are learning it from the beginning anyway. Have fun!!!

[LynnA]

I teach 4th grade, and I'd prefer a student to be out on Friday rather than Monday, because on Monday I introduce new material. However, it's two days, not a big deal. I'd take my children out for a week to go to WDW if I could. You are making memories that will last a lifetime, it's worth missing school for a few days. Don't sweat it, have a great time.

[smee57]

From my experiences with DS(11) and conversations with colleagues in the district, Friday tends to be a more laid back kind of day and Monday is the day to introduce new material. Like LynnA said, it's only a day or two and no big deal. Enjoy your trip!!!

[Live life]

We always took DD out of school for a week and one time for 2 weeks during her 5th grade year. She had no problem making the work up; the teacher actually had given her some homework to do during the trip so she was able to do it in the car on the way down. I am fortunate that school comes easy for her so when she returned all she had to do was take a few tests. Now that she's in High School, she refuses to miss due to not having to take finals (what an incentive to have perfect attendance).

If you feel that your children will be OK missing a couple of days, I say GO FOR IT!! I'm not a teacher but my DD always remembers those trips to the World and her most memorable trip was the 2 weeks during 5th grade.

[LittleMissMagic]

Well, with my schedule, I'd rather miss a Friday (because it's even-classes and I hate Algebra and AP US History!!! kidding...). I remember from the wonderful elementary days that Fridays were test days. It's not too difficult to make up a test ahead of time or later... maybe after school, as not to miss any more lesson time. Besides, Friday is also the crazy day... everyone's antsy for the weekend, and there really isn't much new material covered.

Also, social-wise, Monday isn't a good day to miss. I don't know... if you miss the first day of the week you might have missed out on something important. Feel out of the circle?

Well, I wish I could leave school right now and head to WDW for the rest of my life. Your kids are so lucky... and there's a good chance they'll learn a lot at Disney, as well. It's an "educational" experience (not to mention a whole lot of fun).

[mairinmaureen]

I agree with Victoria completely!

Fridays you might miss a test or two, but you can easily make those up when you get back....plus have more time to study!!!!

Students (and teachers) are definitely in weekend mode by Fridays too and teachers usually don't start new material because of this lack of focus.

Teachers tend to begin new material on Mondays and I have always thought it harder to catch up if you miss the beginning of a unit rather than the end.

Plus, as Victoria said, Mondays are the days when you dish on what happened over the weekend and you most certainly don't want to miss out on anything juicy.

[dixie]

I'd vote for Friday too just because its the end of the week and everyone is winding down.
We too DD out of primary school and her class teachers would set work to take with us and ask her to make a show and tell diary of things she had seen and done.
DD is now in one of the UK's top 15 Universities so it hasn't done her that much harm!

[FireAngel]

I would say Friday but then I've taken my kids out for a week at a time

[MissDisney]

I wanted to add that one time, the kids were going to be missing a full week in elementary school, and the second-grade teacher told DD that she could make up the homework and even get an extra good grade if she made a presentation to the class about what she learned at WDW... what a cool gesture, because DD really tried to LEARN stuff that she could include in her show and tell presentation!

I remember vaguely that she included some info on how to grow crops, twhich she had gotten from a presentation in a little red barn over by The Land. I think the presentation was by a real farmer and goofy! Adorable!

[gemdisney]

Personally I would do a Friday to get a head start on the game. But I don't have issues taking the kids out of school. My DS is 10 in 5th grade and we only do vacations during the school year. Mostly b/c we try to go when things aren't that busy. DH doesn't have patience for larger crouwds and we share our DVC points with my parents and Dad can only take vacations from November to March. After boats are out of the water here in New England and before he has to get them back in. So it limits us. WE have never had issues. I give the teachers enough notice and they gather things he can do while there and then he stays after once we're back to take care of the things needed to be done in the classrooms.
Hope this helped.

[DisneyTeacher]

If it's only a day or day and a half don't worry much about it, go and enjoy and make up the work when you get back.

[nitaworm]

I always took my kids out on thurs/fri. I asked their teachers what days were best. Usually the week before Thanksgiving. Next year I will have a High School student whose schedule is more rigid with exams for mid-term and finals. So that will all change also with a new year.

[NokeyNose]

OK, so I just remembered this thread was out there and I have a question... My DD's (4 & 5) just started Pre-K and K, and we have "Meet the Teacher Night" next week. When do I speak to their teachers and explain that we are taking them out of school for 7 days after Thanksgiving? I am afraid to approach this conversation, but I know I have to.

If I do it too early will it affect their view of me, and will they treat my DD's differently? What to do, what to do...?