Roadschooling: Which method fits you?

Take advantage of your environment as you travel.

There are as many ways of roadschooling as there are families doing it.  Each family has its own unique set of needs, wants, and circumstances which means the children’s education must be tailor made for that family.  These are just a few of the options available to you as you consider those first forays into the wonderful world of roadschooling.

Set curriculum:  Many parents feel more comfortable with a prescribed set of activities.  There are many companies developing curriculums designed for homeschooling and, depending on your circumstances, these may be perfect for you.  They generally consist of a series of workbooks with both instructional pages and worksheets.

Mish mash:  It is possible to put together your own curriculum by mixing and matching materials from a variety of companies.  You may decide you like the science materials from Company A, but reading from Company B. 

Whole language:  The general idea behind a whole language approach is integrated units.  All subjects are centered around a central theme.  For example you might teach about dinosaurs.  Children can read books about dinosaurs and write their own stories about them.  You can study paleontology and geology by studying the strata of the earth where dinosaur bones are found.  Work on big numbers to gain an understanding of just how long ago dinosaurs lived.  Children can learn everything they need to know by working with thematic units.

Utilize the journey:  Roadschoolers have a natural built-in method of education – take advantage of the journey.  As you travel, take advantage of the places you visit and the things you see and build your curriculum from them.  If you are visiting Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, take time to read books about the Civil War time period and seek to understand the causes of the war.  Study food and dress from the mid 1800’s and cook dinner over the campfire.  You’ll find you are never lacking for a topic to expand upon.

The beauty of roadschooling is that kids learn by doing, by seeing, by living.   They gain a much deeper understanding of the world because they have experienced it. 

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You may be interested in these other articles about traveling with children:

Kids on bikes: Yes they can!

50 tips for a long distance family bike ride

Family travel: A life changing event

Extended family travel in tough economic times

How to afford an extended family vacation

 And interviews with these other families who have chosen a life on two wheels:

The Williams family is on a open-ended tour on a triple bike with their 9-year-old son.

Rebekka and Florian traveled the Pan American Highway to Tierra del Fuego with their small son in a trailer.

The Verhage family with sons aged 11 & 13 have cycled south from LA.  They are now in Peru.

My family is currently cycling the Pan American Highway - we've cycled 16,000 km from Alaska to Colombia so far. You can find us at Family on Bikes.

Contact me via email at familyonbikes@gmail.com

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