Making a family vacation during the school year educational

I've been meaning to start this thread, now after seeing some comments
on another thread, I worry I might be opening up a hornet's nest with
this question, but here goes anyway.

We are planning a 10 day trip to Japan this Spring, taking the kids out
of school to do so. This is something we've dreamed about for a few
years, and are finally making the dream come true. I have not told the
school yet, but I have already booked the tickets so there is no
backing out, so don't even try to guilt me. :-)

I do feel a little bad because since booking the tickets my kids have
both had bouts of illness and so they've already missed a few days of
school. We also missed a day when we had to drop everything and fly out
to my grandmother's funeral. The girls have always had nearly perfect
attendance records until this year, and adding the vacation time into
this, it is quite a departure from their usual track record.

With that said, both girls are getting excellent marks this year, and
it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We will be staying with close
friends of ours who have kids the same age. The girls will even get a
chance to attend a Japanese school with their friends for a day or two.


We are all very excited and have been studying up on Japanese culture
and customs, and planning out our must-see's while we are there. In
addition, DD12 happens to be doing a unit in social studies on Asian
cultures, and she's chosen Japan as her country to study. Nice fit!

Here is where I need suggestions. I have been wondering if I should
approach the teachers, explain our plan, and ask that they help me make
the trip as educational as possible, by assigning some homework that
complements our trip and what they will be missing out on in class
while we're gone. We will have plenty of downtime on the plane to and
from during which they can do these assignments.

I've already suggested to the girls that I get them each a journal, and
that on the plane going, I suggested they write down in it what they
imagine Japan will be like, based on all they've heard and researched
before our trip. Then after the trip, on the plane ride back, they can
re-read this essay and write a new one that talks about what surprised
them most, what was different than they expected, etc. The girls liked
this idea and they said they would also spend 10-15 minutes each night
journaling to record their adventures while we are there.

The goal is not to overload them with busy work that interferes with
enjoying and making the most of our time there, but rather, think of
little "assignments" that help them be more observant while we are
there, connect the dots by experiencing what they've already learned in
a book, etc. I am looking for things DF and I can do on the trip to
make the adventure not just fun, but educational too. For example,
we've already considered that money exchange would be a good place for
an informal teaching opportunity on economics and currencies, etc.

Suggestions?

jen

I definitely would make sure that they weren't missing anything vital. And
yes making the trip as educational as you can is certainly a good idea.
Alert the teachers that you are taking them out and then you can see what
their reaction would be. We only have three months of school left, for the
next two months at least they are in full gear of stuff they had to miss
because of the MEAP testing. The last month of school is a blow off. We have
a spring break next week, do you not have a spring break that you could have
used for this trip?
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

"shinypenny" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been meaning to start this thread, now after seeing some comments
on another thread, I worry I might be opening up a hornet's nest with
this question, but here goes anyway.

We are planning a 10 day trip to Japan this Spring, taking the kids out
of school to do so. This is something we've dreamed about for a few
years, and are finally making the dream come true. I have not told the
school yet, but I have already booked the tickets so there is no
backing out, so don't even try to guilt me. :-)

I do feel a little bad because since booking the tickets my kids have
both had bouts of illness and so they've already missed a few days of
school. We also missed a day when we had to drop everything and fly out
to my grandmother's funeral. The girls have always had nearly perfect
attendance records until this year, and adding the vacation time into
this, it is quite a departure from their usual track record.

With that said, both girls are getting excellent marks this year, and
it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We will be staying with close
friends of ours who have kids the same age. The girls will even get a
chance to attend a Japanese school with their friends for a day or two.


We are all very excited and have been studying up on Japanese culture
and customs, and planning out our must-see's while we are there. In
addition, DD12 happens to be doing a unit in social studies on Asian
cultures, and she's chosen Japan as her country to study. Nice fit!

Here is where I need suggestions. I have been wondering if I should
approach the teachers, explain our plan, and ask that they help me make
the trip as educational as possible, by assigning some homework that
complements our trip and what they will be missing out on in class
while we're gone. We will have plenty of downtime on the plane to and
from during which they can do these assignments.

I've already suggested to the girls that I get them each a journal, and
that on the plane going, I suggested they write down in it what they
imagine Japan will be like, based on all they've heard and researched
before our trip. Then after the trip, on the plane ride back, they can
re-read this essay and write a new one that talks about what surprised
them most, what was different than they expected, etc. The girls liked
this idea and they said they would also spend 10-15 minutes each night
journaling to record their adventures while we are there.

The goal is not to overload them with busy work that interferes with
enjoying and making the most of our time there, but rather, think of
little "assignments" that help them be more observant while we are
there, connect the dots by experiencing what they've already learned in
a book, etc. I am looking for things DF and I can do on the trip to
make the adventure not just fun, but educational too. For example,
we've already considered that money exchange would be a good place for
an informal teaching opportunity on economics and currencies, etc.

Suggestions?

jen

"shinypenny" wrote in message
oups.com...

We are planning a 10 day trip to Japan this Spring, taking the kids out
of school to do so. This is something we've dreamed about for a few
years, and are finally making the dream come true. I have not told the
school yet, but I have already booked the tickets so there is no
backing out, so don't even try to guilt me. :-)

I wouldn't feel bad at all about something like that.

Here is where I need suggestions. I have been wondering if I should
approach the teachers, explain our plan, and ask that they help me make
the trip as educational as possible, by assigning some homework that
complements our trip and what they will be missing out on in class
while we're gone.

As a former teacher, I would say no. It's a busy job
and a lot of thought (hopefully) goes into the assignments
for their students. IOW, it's an added work burden that
I don't think would be appreciated.

Instead, I'd come up with a cache of ideas and, when
informing each teacher of your plans, ask him/her if any
of your ideas might count towards homework, or if you'd
like them to complete their regularly scheduled assignments.
If it's the former, the teacher might be able to point you
in some good directions, or perhaps help hone your
assignment idea to better fit the class goals.

That's my early morning, foggy-headed reaction, anyway. ;-)


P. Tierney

In article .com, shinypenny
says...

I've been meaning to start this thread, now after seeing some comments
on another thread, I worry I might be opening up a hornet's nest with
this question, but here goes anyway.


bzzzzzzzz - bzzzzzzzzzzzz - bzzzzzzzzzzzz

(OK, bad imitation of hornet sounds)


We are planning a 10 day trip to Japan this Spring, taking the kids out
of school to do so. This is something we've dreamed about for a few
years, and are finally making the dream come true. I have not told the
school yet, but I have already booked the tickets so there is no
backing out, so don't even try to guilt me. :-)

I do feel a little bad because since booking the tickets my kids , have
both had bouts of illness and so they've already missed a few days of
school. We also missed a day when we had to drop everything and fly out
to my grandmother's funeral. The girls have always had nearly perfect
attendance records until this year, and adding the vacation time into
this, it is quite a departure from their usual track record.

Since I'm the official bitch who goes on and on about the Evuls of Taking Kids
out of School, I'll ask just one question because truly, I have only one - - is
there a reason why this couldn't happen in the summer??


With that said, both girls are getting excellent marks this year, and
it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We will be staying with close
friends of ours who have kids the same age. The girls will even get a
chance to attend a Japanese school with their friends for a day or two.


We are all very excited and have been studying up on Japanese culture
and customs, and planning out our must-see's while we are there. In
addition, DD12 happens to be doing a unit in social studies on Asian
cultures, and she's chosen Japan as her country to study. Nice fit!

Here is where I need suggestions. I have been wondering if I should
approach the teachers, explain our plan, and ask that they help me make
the trip as educational as possible, by assigning some homework that
complements our trip and what they will be missing out on in class
while we're gone. We will have plenty of downtime on the plane to and
from during which they can do these assignments.

What is the policy in your school district, and what have you heard of others'
experience with this issue?


I've already suggested to the girls that I get them each a journal, and
that on the plane going, I suggested they write down in it what they
imagine Japan will be like, based on all they've heard and researched
before our trip. Then after the trip, on the plane ride back, they can
re-read this essay and write a new one that talks about what surprised
them most, what was different than they expected, etc. The girls liked
this idea and they said they would also spend 10-15 minutes each night
journaling to record their adventures while we are there.

The goal is not to overload them with busy work that interferes with
enjoying and making the most of our time there, but rather, think of
little "assignments" that help them be more observant while we are
there, connect the dots by experiencing what they've already learned in
a book, etc. I am looking for things DF and I can do on the trip to
make the adventure not just fun, but educational too. For example,
we've already considered that money exchange would be a good place for
an informal teaching opportunity on economics and currencies, etc.

Suggestions?

The missing information is the policy of your school district. That's your
first step.

Just FYI, other than the timing being possibly unecessary, this is the kind of
thing that doens't get my bitch. But unfortunately your way may be paved with
thorns and rocks by those who would put a yearly ski trip in the same category.

Cheers,
Banty

Sue wrote:
We have
a spring break next week, do you not have a spring break that you
could have
used for this trip?

I shoulda mentioned that - I see I gave the impression we were going to
miss 10 days of school, and it's actually not that bad. Yes, the bulk
of the trip is over their spring break. Ultimately they may miss about
4 days of school (I figure the day after we get back they will need to
catch up on sleep and get over their jet lag before going back to
school).

jen

P. Tierney wrote:

As a former teacher, I would say no. It's a busy job
and a lot of thought (hopefully) goes into the assignments
for their students. IOW, it's an added work burden that
I don't think would be appreciated.


Thanks - I was worried about that and it's why I've hesitated. I don't
want to add to the teacher's work burden.

Instead, I'd come up with a cache of ideas and, when
informing each teacher of your plans, ask him/her if any
of your ideas might count towards homework, or if you'd
like them to complete their regularly scheduled assignments.
If it's the former, the teacher might be able to point you
in some good directions, or perhaps help hone your
assignment idea to better fit the class goals.

Yes, that was what I was thinking, too. For example, if one of the
assignments is to write an essay for English, perhaps the essay can be
about the trip. Easy fit for something like that.

Another nice fit is that they have been studying Maglev trains, and we
hope we can take this opportunity to ride on one! And, as I mentioned,
they are already doing a unit on Asian cultures (except this unit ends
right before the break and our trip).

I'm not opposed to taking along regularly scheduled homework, either,
since the plane trip is so long. The only concern is that DD12's
backpack weighs something like 35 lbs, and I would not want her to have
to haul all her textbooks along with us. She's going to have enough to
juggle with her luggage and carry-on bag. Math and spelling worksheets
we can certainly bring, but textbooks, no.

jen

"shinypenny" wrote in message
oups.com...

I'm not opposed to taking along regularly scheduled homework, either,
since the plane trip is so long. The only concern is that DD12's
backpack weighs something like 35 lbs, and I would not want her to have
to haul all her textbooks along with us. She's going to have enough to
juggle with her luggage and carry-on bag. Math and spelling worksheets
we can certainly bring, but textbooks, no.

Oh yeah, I certainly wouldn't lag along textbooks. Maybe they
could get the textbook-related work completed before the trip
so that they only need notebooks/workbooks, at most. As
you mentioned elsewhere, it's only four days, so it shouldn't
be *that* much homework. Were I the kid, I might be an
incentive to knock out as much of it as possible before the
trip so that I could enjoy it more.


P. Tierney

shinypenny wrote:


We are planning a 10 day trip to Japan this Spring, taking the kids
out
of school to do so.

P.s. any advice on traveling with 10 and 12 year olds also much
appreciated. We have traveled before with them, but never this far and
this long. Keeping them occupied on such a long flight is a concern.

I could also especially use advice on how to accomodate a picky eater.
DD10 says she will gladly eat nothing but white rice the entire time
without a single complaint, but this is something we're a little
worried about. My friends tell me there are plenty of American fast
food chains, and we're imagining it's a simple thing to grab her lunch
at one of those, and bring the bag along to someplace more interesting
for the rest of us. I have already decided I'd rather do that, than
ruin the trip by engaging in conflict at every meal trying to encourage
her to try the local fare! If she does, great, but otherwise I'm going
to turn my head.

Also, since we're staying with friends, I imagine we will eat breakfast
at home and probably a fair amount of dinners too. And, per my friend's
request, I'm already bringing along an ample supply of Kraft Mac &
Cheese for her kids - they miss this, tacos, and American candy.

jen

Sue wrote:
We only have three months of school left, for the
next two months at least they are in full gear of stuff they had to
miss
because of the MEAP testing.

Eek, I hadn't thought of that. I don't believe it affects DD12, but
DD10, probably yes. I have a parent/teacher conference on Monday and I
will be sure to ask about that.

jen

My sister and her husband periodically take their now 12 year old son on
extended vacations that fall within the school year and also coincide with
spring break. Like your two children, he misses several days of school to
do these trips. He has been to Greece, Italy, Istanbul, Finland and some
other countries. My nephew's teachers have always been extremely
accommodating and asked him to keep a journal of his travels as a project.
Like your two kids, my nephew has excellent grades in school and the time
missed in the classroom does not seem to have been a problem.

Have a great time!!!!!

--
lisa
micksmom
mick: 7-12-02
noah: 1-24-05

"shinypenny" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been meaning to start this thread, now after seeing some comments
on another thread, I worry I might be opening up a hornet's nest with
this question, but here goes anyway.

We are planning a 10 day trip to Japan this Spring, taking the kids out
of school to do so. This is something we've dreamed about for a few
years, and are finally making the dream come true. I have not told the
school yet, but I have already booked the tickets so there is no
backing out, so don't even try to guilt me. :-)

I do feel a little bad because since booking the tickets my kids have
both had bouts of illness and so they've already missed a few days of
school. We also missed a day when we had to drop everything and fly out
to my grandmother's funeral. The girls have always had nearly perfect
attendance records until this year, and adding the vacation time into
this, it is quite a departure from their usual track record.

With that said, both girls are getting excellent marks this year, and
it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We will be staying with close
friends of ours who have kids the same age. The girls will even get a
chance to attend a Japanese school with their friends for a day or two.


We are all very excited and have been studying up on Japanese culture
and customs, and planning out our must-see's while we are there. In
addition, DD12 happens to be doing a unit in social studies on Asian
cultures, and she's chosen Japan as her country to study. Nice fit!

Here is where I need suggestions. I have been wondering if I should
approach the teachers, explain our plan, and ask that they help me make
the trip as educational as possible, by assigning some homework that
complements our trip and what they will be missing out on in class
while we're gone. We will have plenty of downtime on the plane to and
from during which they can do these assignments.

I've already suggested to the girls that I get them each a journal, and
that on the plane going, I suggested they write down in it what they
imagine Japan will be like, based on all they've heard and researched
before our trip. Then after the trip, on the plane ride back, they can
re-read this essay and write a new one that talks about what surprised
them most, what was different than they expected, etc. The girls liked
this idea and they said they would also spend 10-15 minutes each night
journaling to record their adventures while we are there.

The goal is not to overload them with busy work that interferes with
enjoying and making the most of our time there, but rather, think of
little "assignments" that help them be more observant while we are
there, connect the dots by experiencing what they've already learned in
a book, etc. I am looking for things DF and I can do on the trip to
make the adventure not just fun, but educational too. For example,
we've already considered that money exchange would be a good place for
an informal teaching opportunity on economics and currencies, etc.

Suggestions?

jen