4TH Grader missing school for WDW/USF? -LONG!-

[catwho]

You know your family best! We've taken our kids out of school in the past without one thought of doing it. We always take a winter vacation (DH is in the insurance business and can't be gone from the office during hurricane season so we have no choice but winter vacations as a family) We usually know that we are going the first week of Feb or the last week of Jan so we tell the teachers as soon as we know for sure. I don't ask for permission I just say, "We are going to be gone this time. I will work with you as we get closer to our vacation to work out assignments so that our child doesn't fall behind." I've never been asked for more than a postcard to the class written by the child and to keep a journal or ABC book.

Of course I homeschool now so it isn't much of a struggle talking the "principal" into our annual vacation

 

[Jordan's MOM]

This past year when we took DS out of school for a full week for WDW, that was the quarter that he had the best grades of the whole year. He responded well to our explaining the information and working on his own. He is a good student and we think it is so worth it to take him out.


Jordan's mom

 

[lisaost]

NJ statewide assessment testing schedule

Looks like your fourth grader will be tested on 4/28 & 29/03 so that means pretty much all of March and April and probably late February will be intensive study for the ESPA.

Its a pretty important test in NJ, and although I agree that too much emphasis is put on these silly tests these days, I also would not want to take a vacation that would jeopardize my child's ability to prepare for the exam if I had flexibility as to when I was taking my vacation.

So bottom line is by all means take your vacation - it IS important but this is just a heads up as to what the teachers are going to be concerned about, since fourth graders are a hot testing commodity here in NJ. LOL!

Enjoy!!

 

[lisaost]

Cathyz have you considered that first week in Nov when the kids are off anywhere from two to four days depending on the school district? Nov 7th & 8th I believe everyone is off. Mine are also off on Tues the 5th but some others are off on Mon the 11th also. It may be too soon but its just a thought....its a very popular week for pulling kids out of school in NJ.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

This is getting off subject BUT, does anyone else here think that the testing of our children has gotten totaly out of hand? In our school district, the 3rd grade is the target year. My DS just finished the 3rd and the presure was unreal for everyone. Now DS is a bright kid but the testing just about worried him to death. His wonderful teacher was so stressed out that she passed it on the the kids. In NC ,3rd is a gateway point in which the children must pass the end of grade testing to procede to the next grade. No matter what the grades have been all year, it all comes down to the test. The whole year is geared toward what will be on these test. Skills that are adressed in 3rd grade, but not stressed on the test are skimed over. I do think all teachers and students need to be accountable, but there has got be be a better way. Just venting and wondering what others think. BTW. Did take DS out during the year but stayed away form our original thought of going during May, the testing month.


Jordan's mom

 

[mamamia]

Jorand's Mom: I agree that the testing has gotten out of hand. Here in NY the state testing begins in 4th grade. In January they have an ELA test which lasts a few days, in May its a 2-day math test, and then in June it's a 2 day science test. If they were actually testing them on what they learned it might not be so bad. But here the teachers have been teaching for whats on the test. The math is the worst. When my dd was in 4th grade I think they learned a new math concept every week - which wasn't enough time to master it. And here they don't count towards your childs grade and they have no bearing on the childs placement for next year. It basically is being used to test the school district itself. They did say that the test is supposed to be used to identify kids that won't pass the regents exams in the upper grades and by catching it now, they can offer them extra help. But they take the test in 4th grade and we don't get the results until the end of 5th grade - and if they do badly they are put into an extra math class in 6th grade. The kids that need the extra help should be identified right away - not have to wait until 6th grade. Our ELA's are horrible. the kids have to listen to a story read by the teacher for 45 minutes. The first time the story is read they just listen, the second time it is read they have to take notes. Then they have to answer questions on the story. Then there is a written part. My son who is going into 4th grade has very poor hand writing. He can create a story and retell a story but to actually write it is difficult. What he does write is hardley readable. I have complained to teachers about this since 1st grade - they keep telling me it'll come. So now on the ELA's he won't score as high as he should because its not even where its his teacher grading it and knows his handwriting style - its a teacher from another district scoring this. And again it has no bearing on his grade, but I still think it will be stressful for him. Which is sad - a 9 yr. old should not be stressed over school.

 

[lisaost]

I do think all teachers and students need to be accountable, but there has got be be a better way.

I TOTALLY agree. In fact, I cringe when I hear the Prez and various other politicians get on TV and say - "We have to have manditory testing to hold teachers and schools accountable". Ugh. Great so the teachers have to cram this test material down the kids' throats or they don't get their bonus/raise/promotion. And what about holding parents accountable? If your child needs extra help and is not keeping up in school, maybe they should think twice about signing them up for baseball or soccer, or letting them watch Spongebob before their homework is done. We can't lay this all at the feet of teacher's either....it's a collaborative process.

mamamia - his poor handwriting should not have made it past second grade. Insist on getting him some help ASAP - the squeaky wheel will get greased, so be that squeaky wheel for your son!

 

[catwho]

Testing is one of the big reasons why I homeschool! I hated them as a child and I hate them as a parent. There is so much emphasis on "teaching for the test" I see in my school district (which is almost a failing district wide!) that they are teaching kids how to pass these tests and I think it is hurting the kids overall. The test scores are getting higher, but in actuality the a lot of the kids are dumber than doorposts! Instead of teaching children and guiding them, I see it as a "test taking strategy drill" up until test time and then try to cram everything we didn't teach all year long into those last few months.

I see kids coming down with more illnesses the closer test time comes. Upset stomachs, headaches, "just not feeling well" all the way to "real" illnesses such as the flu and colds. I really think it has to do with the kids getting so anxious about the tests.

My younger dd was in public school last year for kindy and they were beginning to teach test taking skills in kindergarden!! Oh please, let's start the anxiety earlier and earlier. I think they should stop giving tests to kids and start making the educators take the tests. I envy school districts where you are free to choose where you want to live not based on what school your child might attend because there is only 1 good elementary, 1 good middle and no decent high school where you live! Makes you wonder about the teachers not the students!

Now maybe if they paid teachers what they are really worth.....

Better hush up before I get the Disteachers lashing out at me LOL!! Just to be fair, My oldest dd had 2 excellent teachers before I pulled her out of school. It just takes one bad teacher and an administration that doesn't care to put a bad taste in your mouth.

 

[sha_lyn]

I envy school districts where you are free to choose where you want to live not based on what school your child might attend because there is only 1 good elementary, 1 good middle and no decent high school where you live! Makes you wonder about the teachers not the students!


My oldest dd had 2 excellent teachers before I pulled her out of school. It just takes one bad teacher and an administration that doesn't care to put a bad taste in your mouth.

Amen to that. The county we live in has excelent schools in the south end of the county where the homes run $175,000 and up. Here where the the homes start out in the 60's the schools are some of the worst in the state (and the state ranks in the last 5 in the nation every yr for the last several years). I have looked into the education of the teachers in the various schools. The average yrs of college for a teacher in the south end of the county is 6. The average no. in the north end is 4. We have the law that if you live in a fialing school district you child can attend another school in the county. The only problem is that the school you choose must be at 90% or below capacity. All of the good schools are at 105-130 %

 

[cathyz]

Not to get back to the original subject, but.....

As you can see, I felt really uncomfortable with the 2 weeks in March. We're now considering Thanksgiving instead. If we leave the Sat. before T-day, they have Mon., Tues., Weds. as 1/2 days and THurs., Fri. off. Then, he would only miss 5 full days, the 1st full week of Dec.

Granted, a week is a week, no matter how you slice it. But, I do feel that the timing of the week makes a big difference. That week after T-day with only 9 more days until Christmas Break is really not going to be as intense as a week in Mid-March - IMHO. Esp. if they will have the state tests at the end of April, as someone was kind enough to point out for me.

Plus, that week in Dec. offers all of the great Christmas bonuses at Disney. We did consider NJ Week (2 weeks prior). However, there aren't any 1/2 days around those 2 days off. I'd rather he miss 3 - 1/2 days than 3 full days of a week.

Now as long as we can afford to go 4 months earlier, I think this is what we'll do. Thank you, everyone, for all of your input. And, I do agree that there is a problem with so much emphasis on State Testing!

Thanks!