During my travels I have seen numerous families who are home educating their children on the road. Speaking to some of these families it became clear that these kids were learning about life's issues and enjoying their outdoor classroom education.
Some families are on the road for a few months but others are permanently travelling and enjoying it by the looks of things. I do wonder how difficult it would be for the parents to have some quality alone time.
Government, Parks and Wildlife, tourism bodies, and private enterprises have established so many areas for your children to learn through play, and self reflection that you don't need a lot of curriculum while travelling. With a good mobile phone or camera you can capture the information on these signs and utilise it afterwards. Check out the information and the lesson plan you could make from the signs pictured below.
The information below is another example homeschooling families on the road can teach to their children. It's from Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. As you can see detailed information about the area: Australia's most northern tip, the bush, culture, history, mining, the port, gold exploration, bush tucker, fishing, hunting and gathering, the overland telegraph line, military involvement, rainforests, heathland, woodlands, wetlands and wild rivers are there to explore, learn about and educate children about.
You don't have to go far though to teach your children using established information, free of charge and possibly attached to a botanical garden, park, or beach front. You just have to do some scouting in your area. There is a limit to outings if you live in a home possibly due to financial limits, transport or other commitments. As a homeschooling family you are the creative brain of the operation. You're the think-tank of activities, projects, programs, outings, goals, objectives and outcomes.
Homeschooling parents need time to learn and resource their materials just like any teacher in public schooling. It's essential to create some sort of program for the year in order to retain your sanity, especially if you have a number of children. Because outcomes based education is fairly standard across many countries it's easier to implement as a homeschool family in my opinion.
I wonder how many of you still follow a set, time-based curriculum though instead of utilising the freedom you chose pursuing unschooling. I also wonder if you're restricted to a set curriculum, set hours, and a set place.
I'm encouraging parents to get their children's brains into gear and get them learning more than the values and social issues pushed through the curriculum framework under the name of outcomes based education. I believe that the following change needs to happen if the system is going to be seriously outcomes based. Home teachers (parents) have to stop being time-based teachers.
WHY! Because many of you still follow a set, time-based curriculum.
I’ll try to explain. Outcomes based education means freedom to teach, time to teach, time to learn, relax, enjoy and achieve the outcomes set before you. Don’t place work in front of your children and not give enough time to finish it properly, and no time to enjoy what they are learning.
Many home educators still fall into the trap of being too curriculum based…. school mentality! For sure... follow a curriculum, a set of standards, a set routine... but take your time.
Allow your children to take their time to finish their tasks. When I taught my children years ago quite often they would only complete one worksheet over the entire morning. I mean from 9am till noon! But did you know that with the one worksheet they covered Maths, English, Science, Technology, Art and quite often, environmental issues, health related areas and more.
HOW!
True outcomes based education is simply like that. Obtaining the right learning material is the key! Did you know that libraries are bursting with books? So, I encourage you again to help your students learn in an interesting way. Not with boring books that have been dusted year after year, decade after decade. As mentioned earlier, grab your camera, explore an area and start learning differently. Information signs are an educational tool... use them! Even cemeteries can be beneficial to teach respect, loss and grief, and history.
Take a look around, there is more to learning than the set ‘approved’ curriculum from your education ‘approved’ department store. There are parks, gardens, zoos, cultural grounds, and so much more.
Take a weekend trip and get away from your routine at home. Go camping, fishing, climb a mountain, or explore the beach. Get outdoors for nature-stimulation, get dirty, hot, wet or muddy. Enjoy Creation to the point of wanting more and wanting less television, online games, or junk food.
To come back onto travelling, homeschooling families... I reckon they've got the best of both worlds. Freedom, and the world is their oyster to explore, teach, learn and live life to the fullest.
I am quite frankly astonished by how many opportunities there are for real education outside the stifling confines of classrooms. I can't recommend real home education highly enough.
I know. One has only to use their imagination and look around.
Hi @ingridontheroad, there is so much we can learn if we stop to observe our surroundings, I imagine your kids enjoyed the walk, the place is very beautiful.
Blessings!
Absolutely. Shame to many people don't take the time out to enjoy life. Maybe they can't afford the time. Sad.
The idea of going out to explore the world seems wonderful to me, nothing better than learning in the open air. It is true that many of us rely on the school plan, an old custom that has been difficult to change. But, I agree with you, you have to be flexible with the schedule and the number of assignments to develop. Likewise, new activities must be implemented so as not to fall into routine and boredom. It was a pleasure to come here. Greetings.
Thanks, if it's possible for homeschooling families to get outside it would be of great benefit.