What is Worldschooling? How have we found it after 15 months on the road?
We have already wrote a blog on worldschooling sharing our first impressions after a few months of travel. Click here and have a read.
This blog shares how we feel after more than a year of travel and educating our children as we move. After deregistering our children from the UK school system in July 2022, we took a deep breath and came to the sudden realisation that our children’s education was now firmly our responsibility.
Did we become full time teachers? No.
We don’t even like the idea that as parents, we should automatically become their teachers. How do we feel about the last 15 months? Pretty good. We have become facilitators for their own self development. We will guide them towards becoming the best versions of themselves. We create opportunities for our children to be curious, interactive and most importantly enjoy the concept of learning something new. The beauty of worldschooling is that there is no manual. There is no right or wrong, high or low standard. We have moved away from traditional out of date academic system. We have watched our children blossom in ways they never could have if they had stayed at school in the UK. We are confident of that.
Are you new to Worldschooling?
Try not to worry too much. We have seen so many posts on social media from curious parents asking about it? Is it a complex and structured curriculum that we need to sign up to? Which text books do the kids need and how do we prepare for it? How do we bridge the gap from kids leaving the school system to becoming part of worldschooling? We had similar questions ourselves. This blog will surprise those parents who are worried about it and pleasantly surprise them.
Think of it this way. Instead of their classroom being confined to four walls. It is now the world. Think of it as a field trip that doesn’t have an end date. There is no start or stop time. Every time we travel and leave our home bubble, we encounter a new place, new experiences. The world is their teacher! Instead of text books, it’s real life experiences and visiting places. History is now in the form of a museum or memorial site. Geography is now about the places we travel to. Languages/culture is about ordering food in a restaurant using the non-english menu, saying hello/goodbye/please/thank you and listening to local people talking all around you. Religious education is visiting places of worship across all faiths/beliefs. Physical education is the day spent at the beach learning to surf or trekking up the local mountain. It's about immersing children in the diverse cultures, languages, and landscapes our planet has to offer. Instead of relying solely on textbooks, worldschooling encourages hands-on experiences, fostering a deep understanding of the world and its people.
Can anyone Worldschool?
Absolutely! Worldschooling isn't reserved for a select few; it's a mindset, a way of life that any family can embrace. Whether you have one child or four, whether you're a seasoned traveler or new to globetrotting, worldschooling is a path open to all families seeking an unconventional but enriching educational journey.
How is Worldschooling different from homeschooling?
While homeschooling provides the flexibility to teach at home, worldschooling takes education a step further. It intertwines learning with travel, allowing children to witness history, culture, and nature up close. It's an education of the senses, where textbooks are replaced with real-life experiences. We have tried both and would choose worldschooling everytime!
Isn’t Worldschooling just travelling with kids?
Not quite. Travelling with kids is an adventure in itself, but worldschooling incorporates a deliberate educational approach as you travel. It involves planning and facilitating experiences so that your children can try new things or purse interests and subjects that they prefer or are good at. It's about turning every new place into a living classroom with no walls or text books.
Unschooling before Worldschooling
It’s a big change to homeschool or worldschool. Not just for the children but also for the adults. We were nervous and excited. We had lots of questions buzzing around in our heads. Do we need to set up online subscriptions? Bring loads of books? What if we fail!??! At first, Dionne and I were over thinking it and it was partly because we felt like we had a point to prove to not just ourselves, but also the wider community especially those who said it was not a good thing to do. We actually decided to stop stressing and follow our own instincts and let things take their course naturally. And thats when we discovered that we had inadvertantly followed a natural path of unschooling.
What does “Unschooling” mean?
It’s very simple. We were overthinking it. It literally means letting the kids be free everyday to choose when and how they learn through natural curiosity. This would slowly help them to shake off the structured state school routine they had been part of since they were 3yrs old. It also took the pressure off us as parents. We knew that with our journey, everyday is a learning day.in some shape or form.
"What we want to see is the child in pursuit of knowledge, not knowledge in pursuit of the child." - George Bernard Shaw
In this ‘unschooling’ period, we started to see gradual improvements to their mental/physical wellbeing, their relationships with each other and with us as parents. We had a lot of fun.
How do you start Worldschooling
Throughout our time in the unschooling phase, we started to gain an appreciation (coupled with research) of how Worldschooling would work for us and the kids. We found that the first step is to embrace a open mindset of curiosity and exploration. No one day has to be the same or follow a structure. We leave room for spontaneity and instincts. . Remember, worldschooling is about flexible learning, not rigid schedules. And it’s not a one size fits all for every family.
Do the Parents Need to do the teaching when Worldschooling?
While parents often play a central role, worldschooling encourages learning from a variety of sources. DId we become full time teachers? No. We don’t even like the idea that as parents, we should automatically become their teachers. How have the last 15 months gone where we haven’t been there teachers? Pretty good. We have become facilitators for their own self development. We will guide them towards becoming the best versions of themselves. We create opportunities for our children to be curious, interactive and most importantly enjoy the concept of learning something new. The beauty of worldschooling is that there is no manual. There is no right or wrong, high or low standard. We have moved away from traditional out of date academic system. We have watched our children blossom in ways they never could have if they had stayed at school in the UK. We are confident of that.
Do kids that are World-schooled fall behind?
On the contrary, worldschooling often accelerates learning. By experiencing subjects in real-life contexts, children develop a deep and lasting understanding. They learn to adapt, problem-solve, and think critically, skills that are invaluable in today's rapidly changing world. Also, when you decide to worldschool, you effectively choose to move away from the curriculum and all the expectations that come with that system. So there is no definitions or benchmarks to try and keep up with. As long as you feel that your children are progressing with their English, maths and reading as well as developing as people, we don’t really care if they are behind when compared to a National curriculum.
What are the challenges of Worldschooling?
Balancing education and travel logistics can be a juggling act. Adapting to new environments and handling cultural differences can also pose challenges. However, these hurdles are opportunities for growth, teaching invaluable life skills along the way. We have found that striking a balance of being settled in a community with lots of other like minded families really helps. The childen have friends which makes them happier and the families will often do things together to help educate the kids.
World Schooling hubs
These are starting to become more and more popular all over the world. South East Asia and South America are the most popular areas for the hubs due to the lower cost of living. The hubs can range from informal and free where one or a few people or a family set it up and bring families together in an environment that’s conducive to play and learning. It can be more formal where there is a structured daily/weekly programme and a charge per child. These can still be organised by other worldschooling families. And the most formal structure is where companies such as Boundless Life have a selection of hubs all over the world and you enter their programme moving from hub to hub staying in their onsite accomodation with the children attending their on site schools.
A journey through South East Asia with four young explorers
Our journey through South East Asia has now clocked up a hell of a lot of miles. We have lived in 6 different countries stayed in 34 different places since we left the UK. Our adventure together over this time has been nothing short of transformative. From the busy city and bright lights of Kuala Lumpur to the serene beaches of Lombok, each day has been a new lesson, a new adventure. Worldschooling has not only enriched our children's education but also deepened our family bonds and broadened our perspectives. It's a lifestyle that challenges us, inspires us, and reminds us that the world is our greatest teacher. Embrace the adventure, and let the worldschooling journey begin!
