So, you’d like to go on an extended holiday, but you’re worried about the hole it might leave in your children’s education. Can your children afford to take a year off school while the family travels the country? Do you need to delay the road trip until your children finish their formal school years? The good news is that you don’t need to worry about these problems. All you need to do is… roadschool.
I hope you enjoy reading this blog post. If you want to do my course on how to homeschool, click here.
Roadschooling offers children a rich buffet of learning experiences they won’t be able to get in a school.
It provides them with real-life education instead of textbook education.
Imagine learning about the biology of birds and animals while tramping through the bush with binoculars.
Or imagine learning about the history of your capital by spending a month visiting all the significant sites. This is what you can do when you roadschool!
In this article, we’ll discuss why you can still go on a road trip while continuing your children’s education, how you can do roadschooling, and the advantages of this sort of education.
Affiliate links are used in this post.
What is Roadschooling?
Advantages of Roadschooling
There are several advantages of road schooling. Some of these include:
- The ability to learn new things you can’t learn anywhere else due to your unique road trip experience.
- Increased bonding among family members.
- More excitement about the places you visit as you enjoy them with your beautiful children learning alongside you.
- Increase collaboration between parents and children as children plan educational field trips.
- You can enjoy nature more as you spend prolonged periods outside among the natural flora and fauna.
These are just some of the advantages of roadschooling.
(We have yet to mention many benefits of homeschooling here, which will probably apply to roadschooling families.)
So, how do you educate while traveling?
The trick is to exploit road trip landmarks and attractions as learning opportunities for your children.
For example, instead of learning about America’s history from a textbook, visit your capital and talk about it while looking at portraits of different presidents.
You can also learn how a cotton shirt is made by visiting cotton farms as you pass.
Do some geography mapping while you pass these sites; learn North, South, East, and West as you travel in different directions.
Get a quick math lesson by calculating the distance from Point A to Point B and then calculating where you would be if you went 10x that distance away.
When you roadschool, it is essential to become comfortable with impromptu and unexpected learning opportunities.
For example, if you encounter a bighorn sheep, drop your normal schoolwork and research bighorn sheep.
Get children to sketch them and count the flock as they go.
What Curriculum Should I Use When Roadschooling?
The curriculum you use when you roadschool is up to you and really depends on your preferred homeschooling method (if you’re not sure which method you prefer, take my quiz to find out).
The aim of roadschooling is to educate children using road trip experiences.
However, some parents may not feel entirely comfortable doing this alone.
In this case, the following recommendations may be helpful.
BJU Press
If you’re a new homeschooling family, the BJU curriculum is excellent in content quality, accreditation, and values.
It is based on the traditional homeschooling style and is a Christian curriculum.
Schoolhouse Teachers
If you like something that gives you more leeway to explore, Schoolhouse Teachers offers parents a wide range of curriculum for a minimal price (for the entire family).
It’s a great option if you’re an eclectic homeschooling family.
Unschooling…Not a Curriculum
And then there is unschooling.
To be an unschooler, you must be happy with a lot of flexibility and impromptu learning.
You also have to be comfortable with no formal checks and balances to give you an indication of how your children are doing.
You just go with the flow and facilitate your children’s learning through interest-based and child-led learning.
If you would like a free curriculum, the best is Easy Peasy All-In-One.
Although it doesn’t come with any support, it can be a good option for roadschooling families.
Disadvantages of Roadschooling
While I’m all for learning on the go, there are some possible disadvantages of roadschooling, to beware.
- Instability: Constant travel can make it hard for roadschooled kids to settle down, affecting friendships and a sense of belonging. My cousin experienced this, and she found removal from school for a year a debilitating hit to her social life as a teen.
- Educational Gaps: Travel disrupts learning continuity, potentially leaving gaps in knowledge or struggles to keep up. This isn’t a huge concern, as children can easily catch up when they return (or even when they’re adults).
- Resource Constraints: Access to educational resources like libraries may be limited during travel, affecting the quality of education. Again, not a huge deal. You can get lots of good resources online for free.
- Parental Burnout: Balancing travel logistics and teaching can exhaust parents who aren’t flexible, especially in single-parent or multi-child families. The trick is to keep things easy and not feel you have to tick all the boxes. Let learning happen naturally!
- Extracurricular Limits: Opportunities for activities like sports or clubs may be fewer. Children may have to settle for throwing the ball with Dad or playing cricket with the family.
- College Admissions: Some colleges prefer traditional schooling backgrounds, requiring extra efforts to demonstrate qualifications. However, this can be remedied easily by taking the SAT or STAT (college entry exams).
- Parental Expertise: Not all parents feel equipped to provide comprehensive education, which can potentially hinder academic growth. If you feel this way, go with BJU Press, an accredited school. That way, BJU will be responsible for your kids’ education while you go on a road trip.
While roadschooling offers exciting adventures and diverse experiences, it also presents challenges that families must carefully consider before embarking on it.
Conclusion
Roadschooling is a neat way to give children a unique education they won’t get elsewhere. It’s a wonderful way to grow closer to your family while enjoying the countryside scenery. It’s a great way to get a real-life education instead of a wholly textbook-derived education. If you have the option to roadschool now, you don’t have to wait until the children are older. You can do it now!
