That parents who take their kids to festivals....

[englishteacher78]

In term time, would soon complain if their child's teacher took 5+ days out of school to go and listen to music?

Genuine question: precisely what educational element do you think festivals offer that surpass school?

I can imagine! Tech is a nightmare. I'm dangerous enough just walking round a class room (I'm covered in bruises from walking into tables!).

Travelling, camping, camp cooking, experience of camping in a crowd, culture, music, possible theatre, comedy poetry, crafts, circus workshops etc etc etc depending on the festival.
Just being in a differ environment is educational.

It's interesting that you don't think holidays should be authorised during term time - I don't think DC should be watching DVDs or the other classes rehearsing their plays for the umpteenth time, at the end of term. So I'm not bothered about DS1 missing the last few days of term this year to go on holiday.

Someone up thread suggested that festivals shouldn't sell tickets to under 18s in term time, term times are different all over the country. Many private schools have considerably longer holiday than lots of state schools.

When I worked at a school there were some children taking time off 'ill' maybe once or twice a week. Children would come in with notes saying that they had temparatures, headaches etc. Maybe they were genuinely ill but twice a week, every week, for only one day at a time and then fine the next day? Hmm!

These children were the ones that meant the class and teacher suffered due to having to catch the child up, not the ones that took a couple of day off a year for a festival.

I agree they shouldn't be watching DVDs! I've had my first 'can we watch a film in the last week?' request. I always ignore them.
In the last lesson I do a speaking and listening activity based on what we've doing. Interestingly, after asking to watch DVDs they usually prefer what we do.
I fully agree that to hold my opinion on holidays I must 'teach through' and I do.

Yy, depends on the festival. I wouldn't take our DCs to just any festival, only those that are family friendly. Kidzfield at Glastonbury is packed with high quality culture for children. Storytelling, theatre, dance, music, lots of things that they gain from. If I weren't teaching I'd be there at the drop of a hat.

Mine would have seen their DDaddy at work too.

Sorry double posted! Thought I hadn't as text was still in box [face palm]

YANBU. DD and I spend most of August in our tent at various festivals but I don't take her to anything in term time (bar the odd local one where we can leave straight after school on a Friday and be back Sunday evening). There's plenty going on our of term time if festivals are your bag :)

you're right. Students like that are a bigger problem. Very difficult if parents 'sign them off' as ill.
Particularly with how Controlled Assessment works!

You could choose an educational DVD couldn't you? Helpful for the visual learn ears. We watched the Polanski version of Macbeth in year 11.

Camping is not something educational that surpasses schooling

I show 'educational' DVDs when relevant. So, when doing Macbeth we watched the DVD of the RSC version (year 9 a bit young for Polanski!). However, I'm doing persuasive writing with Year 9 so we'll have a lesson of making our own adverts and seeing what they've learnt

Stunt girl, depends on your priorities. If you want a career as an outward bounds educator, it's pretty essential.

My son is taught by an NQT who has a day off week training. Science is taught by a teacher that job shares between that and an older class and PE and music is taught by the head. Literacy and maths is taught is ability group.

So YABU ...my son wouldn't notice if the teacher was off for week.

Taking children out term time teaches them that school is optional, not a great thing to teach them. It disrupts others when work is being caught up and the reason for leave is rarely exceptional circumstances. Holidays and festivals are luxuries.

Plenty that moan re unauthourised absence or think term time school doesnt apply to them are very likely to have used the same ofsted reports when choosing a school. If you dont like the rules, you can choose to home educate.

As someone who has just had 4 of my Year 12s bugger off to the Isle of
Wight festival this weekend (took Thurs to Mon off, yet parents happily phoned in sick for them) and has only just got back home tonight after trying to catch them up after school on starting their A2 project, right now, I totally agree with englishteacher!

My brother used to take days of school to go fishing. You'd have hated him.

There are lots of child friendly festivals that run in the summer holidays - attend one of those.

Back in the day it was Glastonbury or bust, now there's a festival (or two) every single week from May-October somewhere in the British isles. many bands spend 1/2 the year on the festival circuit, so if you miss your favourite at one, chances are that they'll be playing elsewhere again soon. If you really wanna push the boat out you can even go to one of the European or American ones!

Glastonbury is heaving with drugs and drink - not the best environment for children, despite the kids area tbh. You attend these events with your 14 year old, then don't complain when they are rushed to hospital after taking the latest designer pill with friends, a few years later - you introduced them to "drug culture" yourself, & tis the nature of the young to experiment!

We are parents, NOT our kids "buddies", and at times we need to remember that and behave accordingly. Their education is important.

I'm amazed how so many can't see the potential educational possibilities of attending festivals. I'm aware there's a move to push the arts out of schools and a general attitude in our society that if its fun they can't be learning, so I guess it's to do with that.

Yes. I'm sure it will damage their education. And everyone's life should completely revolve round the schools timetable. It sounds like you're jealous.

The arts are not the be all and end all of everything. We need kids in school to learn technology and science and stop the brain drain. That's not going to happen if their parents take them out of school to attend festivals (in term time - out of term time is fine) and learn how to weave.

I have done this Doesn't seem to have done ds any harm! Life is not all about sticking to every bloody rule rigidly.

Hi there
We will soon be deleting this thread.
Thanks

Morticia, if the kids really like the arts though, then what we discourage them to meet some tech quota?