Schools and taking kids on holidays during school time

[Hefty]

I can agree with and relate to so much in this thread!
As a parent of a year one student and with long service leave also coming up, I've been thinking about this a lot. Fortunately, I'm a teacher at my son's school so I can talk to his teacher regularly. If you are well acquainted with your kid's teacher, even just knowing the general topics they will be studying while you're away can help you to tie these in to meaningful learning experiences while you're on the road. It also means that they will be more likely retain what they learn more effectively because they will associate it with such wonderful memories of your big trip.
As a kid from a family who took long trips occasionally, I still remember simple tasks like keeping a fuel and kilometre journal. To help out my old man, I kept a log of how many km's we covered between stop points as well as how many litres of fuel we put in at each servo and at what price. Simple learning experience but well retained and it gave me something to do on a long trip.
I also did an outback tour when I was at high school and kept a travel journal with a little hand drawn table including the trip day number, location, a description of what we did/saw and photo numbers for which rolls of film were for which places (before digital )
Do it, and don't feel guilty! Your kids will learn and retain so much more out there!!

Cheers!
Jono.

Edit: beat me to it with the travel distances, cruza driver!

[Burnsy]

I am a teacher and while teaching Primary kids, whenever asked by parents to provide work for students going away I would discourage it.  Kids get far more out or actually going places, talking about the history, the environment, what is grown there and why than doing some crappy workbook type sheets.

Get your kids to follow your progress on a map, keep a diary that answers some basic questions for each day such as km travelled, fuel used, towns passed through, agriculture seen, and the most interesting thing they saw or did for the day.  Ideas are limitless. For upper primary kids get them to start their own blogg of their travels along with pictures for their classmates to follow and envy.

My personal opinion is that primary kids get more out of a holiday away from normal school work for up to about 6 weeks if they engage in the holiday than they do doing worksheets provided for the time.  Longer term holidays are a different senario.  Some of the most engaged and willing learners I have taught have been the well travelled ones.  School is only one learning environment, for a short period what is outside of school has far more to offer if it is offered in the right context and from reading most peoples views, interests and experiences here I think most are able to offer that context. 

The department I work for discourages holidays during Term but I can't wait to pull my kids out of school and take off for a term or two in a few years time when I am due Long Service Leave.

[Azz]

There is some great advice in these posts!!!

When we took Miss Grade 4 to Tassie, we organised the trip as a surprise. It was for her 10th birthday.
The gist of it was, every time we finished doing an activity, envelopes would be produced for her to choose one. (She thought each envelope started a different adventure, alas after many many hours of planning, they were all the same, but she shall never know  ) 

Living in East Gippsland we had to break a four trip to Melbourne into fun and educational stops.

The first stop at the favourite park for a run around (PE) The park having a Shakespeare theme..... its in Stratford, also covered some history and english. Then further down the hwy at a lolly shop with $10.00 to spend and the challenge to use every last cent of it.............

And so it continued for the next five days. Public transport timetables, counting money, Airline tickets and getting on and off a plane, security and all that stuff that is a life skill.
Every envelope had to be read out loud for the video camera and on a few occasions to the strangers on a boat trip, hotel staff etc etc

Asking for directions and for help to figure out cryptic clues for the next part of the adventure.

It was so easy to cover everything and more that was going to be covered at school in those few days. Mind you, it cost about 300% more than the very best private education would ever cost!!!! but worth every last cent.

I guess what I am trying to say, is if you spend the time before hand to organise learning activities that are part of your trip, your kids will learn, have fun and always remember it.
You just have to do your homework first 

[WilSurf]

After our little holidays, our kids take some pictures to school and show them on the smartboard with their own story.
Theteacher and class loves it.

[steelman]

Hi,
I'm a teacher, school is important and the pressure is on for attendance, it's all very important! Go camping with your kids, enjoy the time with them and make lifelong memories. School will still be there when you get back.

[chisel]

I have 2 kids in school (3 in a couple of years) and I think we also need to consider that the kids will be missing some school which may or may not be important.  If they are already struggling with something, taking them away for 2 or 3 weeks while the rest of the class continues is hardly going to help for that particular topic.
Also I assume that there are times when assessment is done (tests or assignments) when the kids really need to be at school.  I'm guessing most of these are towards the end of each term (my eldest is only grade 1 so not much real assessment yet).

I am still considering taking my kids on a fairly long holiday soon but it's not a simple decision (and both parents have to be on the same page about it too).

[schmik]

Ours have missed up to a term at a time. All the school asked was that they read everyday. Do maths (from the school books) and write  journal.
We would do the reading part daily.... and the rest in 4 or 5 hour blocks every few days.  Rest days from being so active.

These days the kids do video reports of the places we visit. Convict jails, national parks, museums etc.
They love doing it and the teachers love showing it... Often the kids outdo the teacher on the subject of convicts and Ned Kelly.

Such is life.... oh well, I suppose!