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As more families experiment with homeschooling post-Covid, many are finding that they love the flexibility of not being tied to a school district. They’re free to set their own hours and schedules and many families are using their newfound freedoms to travel more. In fact, digital nomad families are on the rise as many parents are choosing to slow travel the world while they work remotely and worldschool their children.
There are many benefits to worldschooling, which is a term that really just means homeschooling while traveling. However, there are a lot of logistics to consider! That’s why authors Julie Frieder, Angela Heisten, and Annika Paradise wrote Wonder Year: A Guide to Long Term Family Traveling and Worldschooling.
This new book details important things to consider when planning long-term family travel. Readers can use it as a checklist and a springboard to help plan a year-long trip, which the authors call a “Wonder Year.”
Below is an excerpt from the new book. All of the authors are veteran worldschooling moms with a desire to distill their knowledge to help new families discover the benefits and joys of living an alternative lifestyle. The excerpt has been edited lightly for brevity.
We’ve spoken with many parents at all stages of worldschooling, and strong sentiments emerge. Before parents leave, they often feel pressure to have their whole worldschooling plan figured out. While on the road, they worry that they’re not teaching enough or that their kids haven’t mastered the academic milestones.
Good news, though: you already have the three most important ingredients for educating your kids: 1) you love and want the best for them; 2) with every question you ask and excursion you take, you model curiosity; and 3) having chosen to travel as a family, you recognize that the world is a very good teacher.
Even more good news: most parents return home proud of all the growth they see in their children.
There are as many paths to worldschool as there are paths in the world. Some parents want more structure, academic focus, and alignment with traditional school standards, whereas others prefer spontaneity and freedom.
There are as many paths to worldschool as there are paths in the world. Some parents want more structure, academic focus, and alignment with traditional school standards, whereas others prefer spontaneity and freedom. Our suggestions are guideposts for you to create your own approach, knowing that the alchemy comes from diving in and interacting with each other, with learning, and with the world. Be prepared to pivot as you, your children, and your map will likely evolve.
STEP 1: Consider logistics
Every family has a unique situation with regard to their school district, their children’s educational history, and other practical needs. All of these considerations should be looked at when tackling the educational logistics of a Wonder Year. It’s best to address any specific requirements or constraints up front so you can leave and come back without disrupting or complicating enrollment status, academic credit, or advancement. Considering the following parameters can help illuminate options so you can build a workable game plan.
Enrollment Parameters
If your kids are in public school, you may simply need to register each of them as a homeschool student for the time period they are away. The forms don’t include worldschooling as an option. Yet. So, in most cases, worldschooling families are homeschoolers in the eyes of your US public school district.
Practical Considerations
There are a host of other factors that can inform how you approach worldschooling.
For example, you’ll need to be realistic about how much access you will have to digital resources, Wi-Fi, and technology. Be sure to investigate the speed and capacity of Wi-Fi connectivity. Knowing what you will need for everyone’s work and school, as well as what’s realistically and reliably available at your accommodations, is essential.
If getting off the beaten path and unplugged is your goal, then online education may not be the most suitable option for you, and we offer plenty of other approaches in this chapter. You might also consider your desire for English-speaking libraries and local tutors.
What do you want your child to know about the world?
Physical space is also a factor for some families. How much can you carry, and where will you store school materials as you travel? There may be dates or milestones that influence your academic approach, such as ACT or SAT dates, entrance exams, or placement tests. Keep these practical considerations in mind so you don’t invest in options that are impractical for you and your family.
STEP 2: Examine your vision and values
There are so many educational opportunities beyond what’s listed in your state’s learning standards. Is it important to learn long division? Absolutely! But the experience of visiting with a Native American elder or tasting fresh mangosteen at the Chiang Mai night market just might be the catalyst to ignite a passion for learning itself.
Does your child intend to go to college? If so, this will shape their worldschooling curriculum, and they may have to navigate the application process differently. But worldschooling kids do it all the time, even if they’ve been on the road for most, or all, of their high school years. So, before diving into the nitty-gritty, let’s consider your family’s education vision and values, knowing they may look different before, during, and after your Wonder Year. This is big-picture thinking; we’ll get to specifics as we move through the process.
Spend some time thinking or writing about these defining questions:
• What do you wish you did more of as a kid?
• What were the most powerful lessons you learned as a child?
• What do you want your child to know about the world?
• What do you think will matter most to their educational future?
• Is it important for you to have a plan, or do you like to be spontaneous?
• What do you wish you could learn about if you had more time?
Keep these inspiring values close to your heart as you begin to braid goals and objectives into your vision.
STEP 3: Identify your goals and objectives
Goals can serve as the philosophical underpinnings of what you will do day to day—the principles that arc across the specific content that you’ll teach and learn. On those days when you ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing, goals can be helpful as a compass heading.
Invite your kids to partner with you in making your family’s list. Here’s an example list to get you started.
We will:
• Develop a deep understanding of the world.
• Make connections across subject areas.
• Think critically and creatively.
• Communicate and collaborate with others.
• Learn to analyze data, test assumptions, and draw conclusions.
• Develop street smarts.
• Explore future career paths.
Add more, subtract some, make it your own.
Let’s take goals one step further and articulate education objectives. Objectives are the direct, tangible, specific activities that are born from your goals. They are often measurable achievements that your child can meet during your Wonder Year. Many school districts would love to see this level of specificity after you return.
Here’s an example of an objectives list:
My learner will:
• Trace the alphabet in the sand.
• Follow fourth-grade math curriculum and complete fourthgrade Khan Academy.
• Research one curiosity every month, and teach others about it.
• Meet with an online tutor each Monday, and create a weekly study plan.
• Read for one hour each night with a parent or sibling, and make a list of books completed.
• Learn about foods, trees, and animals that are endemic to a region they’ll be visiting.
STEP 4: Determine your approach
You might be saying to yourself: Yes, yes. Alchemy, kindling of flames, and blossoming children, that’s all well and good, but what do I actually do? How do these abstractions translate into what happens when I sit down with my kids, they’re looking at me expectantly, and I need to be their teacher?
How do these abstractions translate into what happens when I sit down with my kids, they’re looking at me expectantly, and I need to be their teacher?
For many worldschooling parents, this is the most overwhelming and the most fascinating pillar of their Wonder Year. Consider this discussion a menu of options to help design your worldschooling approach.
Some families know from the outset that they want to purchase a full-year curriculum already prepared for a third or eighth grader. Or they are just looking for a math or writing supplement. Others build off of what their child would have been studying at home had a Wonder Year not been happening. Still others follow a theme, or globe-trot to locations where they have family members or friends.
We will explore a rich collection of options for you to “try on” and see what fits—school based or not school based, structured or unstructured, print or online, prepackaged or do-it-yourself.
Packaged Curricula
Prior to 2020, there were several big-name education companies and organizations in the online curriculum business—Khan Academy, IXL, Outschool, Charlotte Mason, and Oak Meadow, to name a few. The COVID pandemic contributed to a huge transformation in this space as more educators and businesspeople tapped into the demand for online and prepackaged homeschool offerings.
Some public school districts offer remote options with free online curricula so that you can do self-paced public education from afar, while online private schools are popping up virtually everywhere.
Popular online sources directed specifically at worldschoolers include Outschool, Kubrio, Brave Writer, and many others. For learners on the younger end of the spectrum, Art for Kids Hub or MUZZY language programs are some examples of resources available through online platforms like YouTube.
For older students looking for college credit, consider “CLEPping.” The CLEP test, administered by the College Board (a nonprofit organization that creates standardized testing and is best known for the SAT), costs roughly US$100 per test.36 With over thirty tests available, this can be an economical leg up on a college degree or an inexpensive way to learn at the college level from the road. Modern States offers free online courses that help students prepare. The College Board sells study guides for US$10 each.
Another great resource for older learners is a membership learning hub for creatives called Skillshare.
Many families like the predictability, structure, and modularity of preset resources. You can make it work in so many ways.
Deciding on a curriculum package or a la carte options, apps, resources, and content can get exciting and messy all at once. Our assessment is that the quality varies with off-the-shelf resources. You can find resource hubs that rate curricula, such as Common Sense Media’s reviews and professional opinions on hundreds of options.
As you explore options, be sure you consider the fit with your learner(s). Maybe your Wonder Year is a time to try out something new, or maybe it’s the time to go with what you know will work for your children. To help narrow the field, here are some additional factors and questions to consider in selecting an off-the-shelf curriculum that is right for your learner:
• Are there specific topics that your child requires?
• Do you want to limit screen time?
• Do you need to get your own work done? How much of your involvement is ideal?
• Do you want to be wedded to being on Wi-Fi at a specific time each day or each week?
• What’s your budget? Remember, there are tons of free options out there like Khan Academy, Oak Academy, or educational videos on YouTube.
• Is there a trial period before you need to purchase?
• Does your child do better with independent or more social learning? Some programs offer synchronous learning pods. This provides group planning, goal setting, discussion, and social interaction.
• As mentioned earlier, do you have room to carry and store books?
Many families like the predictability, structure, and modularity of preset resources. You can make it work in so many ways. For instance, your child might be in second-grade math and first-grade spelling. Or you might use a print workbook for cursive and an online class for coding.
When using a packaged curriculum as the fulcrum of your approach, you can think of worldschooling as a set of massively cool field trips.
Theme-Based Curricula
There are many families who see a Wonder Year as a time to untether from academic prescriptions and structure and feel freedom in designing their own curriculum. If this do-it-yourself model is for you, consider these themes as brushstrokes on your blank canvas.
Subject-Driven
Some families “take a page” out of what would have been their kid’s school syllabus for the semester or year they are gone and turn it into the experiential equivalent. Traditional subjects can come alive in the world.
Here are some ideas to consider:
• If your child would have been studying the ancient Mayans, you could check out the ruins and visit museums in the Yucatan.
• If your first grader would have been studying biodiversity, you could get down and dirty with living things in the Olympic Peninsula tide pools.
Some families “take a page” out of what would have been their kid’s school syllabus for the semester or year they are gone and turn it into the experiential equivalent. Traditional subjects can come alive in the world.
• Geometry in the cards for your eighth grader? How about some time on a sailboat or comparing arc length to arc measure at Arches National Park in Southern Utah?
• If your student’s classmates back home are all learning about US government and politics, you could easily spend a month or two in and around Washington, DC, and not only read, study, and discuss government, but also see it in action: meet with your representative, go to the National Archives, see what groups are rallying in Lafayette Square, or do research at the Library of Congress.
To get subject-specific ideas, you can review your school district’s website for curriculum details by grade. For a snapshot of expectations, you can pull up grade-level report cards to see what your child would be expected to learn during a year. You can also browse state standards by subject area or dive into the Common Core Standards, a set of national guidelines meant to provide consistency and maintain high benchmarks for all children living in the US.
Itinerary-Driven
The places you visit or want to visit drive the discovery and provide the material for your educational journey. Maybe you’ve found an uber-cheap flight to Miami or you’re incorporating a professional conference overseas. If you know that you will go to Argentina, for example, think about topics that naturally sprout from visiting South America. Is it the rainforest? Impact of colonialism? Tango? Catholic iconography?
Here’s a list of what other families have done:
• The Langenegger family relocated to Guam for Chris, the dad, to do a four-year stint with United Airlines. Elissa, the mom, decided to worldschool instead of enrolling their fifth-grade son in a local school. They leveraged their family-of-a-pilot perks to worldschool across the South Pacific, with a deep study of local culture and history, sailing, navigation, and the effects of climate change.
• The Horton family studied the Renaissance while in Europe, using the lenses of geography, history, literature, and art. When they traveled to extreme latitudes like Iceland and Argentina, they wove together questions of global warming and receding glaciers.
• The Blew family was consciously working through the parents’ destination bucket list. Their son was fascinated by art and architecture, so they seamlessly wove in an organic lesson plan wherever they went.
• While Jake’s family was settled in Spain for his work leading banjo workshops, his daughter, Zinnia, became fascinated by the sea creatures that washed up on shore or found their way to the seafood markets. This spurred her research report on jellyfish, squid, and octopi.
The Horton family studied the Renaissance while in Europe, using the lenses of geography, history, literature, and art.
Curiosity-Driven
Passion and curiosity bring learning to life. You might have a daughter who loves architecture or a son who loves monkeys. How might you build this into your plan? What are you curious about?
Consider a yearlong inquiry of passion for your family that encompasses the places you go. For example, your primate-loving son might research monkey business in various countries by visiting native habitats, sanctuaries, and reading fiction and nonfiction books. This gives you a set of questions and observations to thread through the year across locations,cultures, and languages.
Here are other examples to inspire you:
• The Simon family chose to research and visit the places where their ancestors were born. They traced family roots in Hungary and tried to understand the reasons for emigrating. This inquiry helped with both education and creating a Budapest itinerary that included the Jewish Quarter, the Dohany Street Synagogue, the Holocaust Memorial Center, and the Shoes on the Danube Promenade.
The Simon family chose to research and visit the places where their ancestors were born. They traced family roots in Hungary and tried to understand the reasons for emigrating.
• Annika’s family paid attention to plastics. How ubiquitous were plastic containers and bags? Were they recycled? Was there plastic waste in streams, on beaches? Was the recycling symbol the same in China as it was in Costa Rica? They even searched out the local dumps.
• Margot wanted to study fashion design, so her family used fashion as the basis for her educational approach and designed a curriculum that looked at international styles, textile supply chains, slow fashion, thrifting, silk in China, and lace in Croatia.
You can help your children wrap their theme-based inquiries into a final project, such as a journal entry, a publication, or a portfolio to share with their school at the end of the year. Alternatively, you could just enjoy the conversation as it unfolds and not worry about a final project at all.
STEP 5: Gather your teachers
In a traditional classroom setting, a teacher does the teaching. When we travel, parents, siblings, locals, our senses, time, space, rivers, maps, and coins can be our teachers. For us, the magic occurred when it all came together into one big, yummy stew.
When we travel, parents, siblings, locals, our senses, time, space, rivers, maps, and coins can be our teachers
Parents as Teachers
At home, parents often don’t have enough time and context for rich discussions with their children about what the kids are learning at school. As a worldschooling family, by virtue of being together in a variety of settings, you can leap right into fluid discussions with real-world learning, leveraging your lifetime of experience and sharing that valuable perspective with your children.
Remote Teachers and Tutors
If you will have access to the web, there’s a world of online tutors at your fingertips. You might choose to use someone you know from home or connect with someone new. More and more curriculum packages, such as Outschool or Oak Meadow, now offer the enhanced options of 1:1 tutors. Angela’s family kept up weekly online Latin tutoring across many time zones for an entire year. Relatives back home can be teachers, too. The Fernandes family had book clubs with their grandma—they decided which chapters to read each week and then had book chats via Zoom.
The Fernandes family had book clubs with their grandma—they decided which chapters to read each week and then had book chats via Zoom.
Learning from Locals
We encourage you to make the most of local resources as potential teachers.
For example, you might hire a kidcentric guide for a day at Pompeii, who teaches your family that the ancient inhabitants ate walnuts to cure a headache. Maybe you join a naturalist-led hike along the Hoh River Trail and learn how the fog and mist make amazing things grow and how an epiphyte plant grows on another plant without harming it. Hiring a teacher is an expense, but sometimes it’s a great relief not to be in charge. In Europe and other more traditional travel destinations, there are travel companies that cater specifically to families, such as Europe4Kids Tours and Global Family Travels, which offer kid-centered activities like curated scavenger hunts, gladiator training, pizza-making classes, and other personalized experiences.
In Europe there are travel companies that cater specifically to families which offer kid-centered activities like curated scavenger hunts, gladiator training, pizza-making classes, and other personalized experiences.
Because of her daughter’s roots in China, Annika’s family wanted to connect deeply to the region, so they prioritized time there. They knew that they needed a guide who was fluent in English and could provide nuanced translations in Chinese if they wanted to get off the beaten path. They splurged on a month with an American PhD student who guided them around China. This was a total leap of faith that worked. Annika put up a request on an alumni board and tapped into her personal network. Her family interviewed their guide online and drafted and redrafted sample itineraries by email. It was a magnificent month.
Internships and Apprenticeships
Internships can simply be an exchange of volunteer work with an organization for access to someone with specialized knowledge. For instance, you can do a beach cleanup in Alabama or help with an olive harvest in California. You can also learn informally throughout your travels by finding a local artist, musician, or tradesperson, maybe even paying a small sum to have them teach their art form to you and/or your kids. A guitarist in Nicaragua? A carpenter in Crete? Play or work alongside them. Learning happens by doing, by observing, by questioning.
Worldschooling Gatherings
Worldschool gatherings can be an excellent way to tap into the larger worldschooling scene and meet potential new teachers. Some traveling families connect in temporary or permanent communities around the world, and often these offer an educational component.
Consider your budget, preferred length of stay, location, and kids’ ages as you explore these programs.
Here are some examples:
• Jake and Gillian’s family spent six weeks in Andalucía, Spain, and jumped in with a worldschool gathering out of La Herradura. Here they had weekly teen meetups, Spanish-language classes, pottery, and other electives that were organized and met their teen’s social needs.
• Stephanie and Scott’s family spent six weeks at a gathering in Egypt. For a fee, their girls learned from local teachers and an English-speaking founder, and socialized with other worldschoolers three days per week.
Stephanie and Scott’s family spent six weeks at a gathering in Egypt. For a fee, their girls learned from local teachers and an English-speaking founder, and socialized with other worldschoolers three days per week
• Viet Nguyen and his family spent three months in a hub in Bansko, Bulgaria. Parents volunteered as teachers and also shared the cost to hire two trained teachers from the Netherlands. And there was plenty of time to ski on the nearby slopes!
If you don’t see the educational offering you’re looking for at one of the existing gatherings, you might create your own. We spoke with several families who established new programs that they now offer to fellow worldschoolers. It’s exciting to watch the evolution of these grassroots, entrepreneurial efforts.
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