What is the deal with kids being gone from school for one day here and one day there? I have 15 this year and there has not been one day that every student has been here besides the first day of school. It is so frustrating! It takes more time and stress to catch a student up, than it would to just have them there. As a teacher, this is not appreciated. Especially when they come back to school boasting stories of eating out, shopping, and playing. Yesterday I told them there would be a reward if no one was absent for a whole week. Of course, they were quick to say, "What if I'm throwing up?" I said, "There are some really good reasons to stay home, and there are other reasons that are not good."
What was it like for you when you were growing up? Would your parents let you have days off from school every once in a while? My mom would not. So, this is very foreign to me and a frustrating way to start the day when you see that three are gone. Ugh.
3 comments:
The only time I remember missing school for personal enjoyment was for one of my birthdays in HS, my mom took me out to lunch at the Pizza Ranch. I didn't miss any actual school, just lunch and maybe part of a study hall. And she called for permission first.
There were days I stayed home from school when I wasn't sick - but was overworked from being "involved" and my mom and dad (also a teacher) understood that rare necessity. And it was those days that I would have been better off not in the classroom anyway. Those didn't start until at least late Middle School and happened maybe once a school year. And we didn't go shopping.
I'm sorry that student absences are causing unnecessary frustration in your classroom. I hope your promise of a reward will stay in the back of their heads the next time their parents suggest a weekday outing.
As a child I would maybe miss one school day a year for reason other than being sick. Since I can't remember why, I'm guessing it was family stuff, and it was definitely not for a "fun day." I have many kids who are repeadedly "sick." Our district also has several students who do not see attendance as a priority and they simply don't make it in to school, sometimes several days in a week. I'm frustrated with students who don't do what they are asked, when it comes to homework and projects. When I was a student I didn't realize there was a choice. You simply did what you were asked. Things are different now... and we aren't even that far removed from their shoes ourselves.
Grr... I feel your frustration, Deb. I had a student last year who was "sick" 67 days! Getting her caught up was always such a task!
Also- I rarely missed school when I was growing up. My absences were almost always for really being sick. Even when I was gone for 2 weeks straight in junior high. Like Jackie, I didn't ever even think about going to school being an option. It was a like my job, I had to go.
Also- I remember my mom having strict rules that if you were sick during the day, you were sick all day. No staying home from school and then miraculously getting better after 3:30 and wanting to go to a friend's house or the home football game. :)
I can still hear her voice today, "If you're sick, you're sick ALL DAY!"
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