What Is Worldschooling?
Learn all about wordschooling, the globe-trotting alternative to traditional homeschool methods.
As homeschooling becomes a more popular choice with families across the nation, the different variations of homeschooling are also gaining traction. At Go2Tutors , we have talked in the past about conventional homeschooling as well as unschooling. We have also touched on road schooling. Now, we are going to take the road school concept a bit farther. Global, in fact. It is called worldschooling and it is exactly what it sounds like.
While roadschooling is more of a contained way to school kids, as shown by YouTube content creators Gabe, Garrett, and their family ventures across the United States, Worldschooling opens up the entire globe to families willing to take on that adventure, also shown by the YouTube content creators Gabe and Garrett. If families prefer to travel over staying home, worldschooling is a great option. If parents prefer to teach their children through real-life experiences, then Worldschooling might be the answer.
WHAT IS WORLDSCHOOLING?
The worldschool environment removes curriculum from the equation. It also removes schools, classrooms, and teachers. It allows for the freedom to be taught what the world has to offer with endless possibilities and opportunities. Worldschooling is based on the love of travel. And, instead of sitting in a classroom, the world is the class.
Not one Worldschooling experience is the same. They are tailored around families and what they wish the learning environment to include. They do have certain similarities though that includes the love of travel, a simple wish for parents to introduce their children to the wide world that surrounds us, the idea that flexibility will enhance the exploration of their children’s talents, and a desire to help their children understand and become part of other world views.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORLDSCHOOLING
While using the world as their learning canvas, there are multiple ways one can make worldschooling happen. Some families will travel to a specific country and actually enroll their children in the local schools. In this instance, they wish to fully immerse their children into that country’s culture and language.
Other families who have the financial means may decide instead to travel to a number of different countries for worldschool, opting to introduce their children to multiple worldviews. This way can be very beneficial for families who love to explore but learn as they do. It also comes with its own set of concerns as they jump from country to country.
One more type of Worldschooling comes with a mixture of world and homeschooling. In this case, families choose to only venture out in the world occasionally. Here they tend to focus more on social studies, geography, and world culture. This option tends to be planned specifically for certain countries and offers a little more structure for the children.
HOW TO START WORLDSCHOOLING
The first thing a family must do is decide if Worldschooling is truly the best decision. It is a serious undertaking, one that is not for the faint of heart, and one that could require a considerable financial investment. With that in mind, one of the first decisions to make, if Worldschooling is the prize, is to decide if it’ll be a part-time gig or a deep immersion to a full-time schedule. This decision will probably be based on finances.
A planned savings account would be a good start. Research would be next in determining the where’s and how’s to implement a worldschool regimen. Asking questions like where in the world you would like to study is also vital. Not only where, but checking into those country’s laws, as well as the homeschooling laws in your own state is highly recommended.
Finally, choosing what type of homeschooling curriculum best fits your goals is necessary. These could be as strict or as loose as you wish. You will probably want to have some sort of structure to help guide you and your children. Then, as your family got used to traversing the globe while worldschooling, you can better alter the teachings to suit your family’s needs.
THE BEST CURRICULUM
For the most part, the world is the family curriculum through worldschooling. The variety of experiences is what drives education. Regardless of the curriculum, there are a few things to consider before you begin that adventure. As some families may prefer a more formal education while out and about, they need to determine what type of space or storage they will need to make it happen.
Knowing what types of materials will be needed on the road while worldschooling is vital. On top of that, will they be conducting some learning that will require computer access? If so, will they have proper storage space for their computers? What about getting their computers to their destinations? Will they have to ship materials or would they be able to take them? Of those materials, are they free or would they have to be purchased? Can these materials be shared or will they need separate materials? Will the material in question be a complete curriculum and flexible enough? As you can see, there is plenty to consider before taking that first big step.
IS WORLDSCHOOLING AFFORDABLE?
Good planning is key to making worldschooling a reality. Much as one would plan their regular home budget for food and housing and utilities, the same will need to be done when looking to finance their globetrotting education. Cutting back on unneeded expenses will go a long way in being able to be financially free to hit the road running.
If your family is not independently wealthy, then finding financial options is imperative. Perhaps one parent will need to take on a second job to kick up the savings account. Finding free homeschool materials can greatly cut back on costs for worldschooling. Another way to bring in some cash would be to rent out your home while on the road.
THE CONS
The cons are fairly obvious, for the most part. Finances are the main con as traipsing across the globe, especially in today’s environment, can be a costly investment. But there are some other cons that may not be as noticeable with worldschooling. These ones can affect the children.
Worldschooled students may miss out on being with friends or even making new ones. The constant travel, which appears exciting on the surface, can sometimes be a downer for kids who need socialization. However, they may make friends as they travel, but have to leave them as they move on to their next worldschool destination. Another con could be travel burnout. As those who have traveled for vacations likely know, you can understand how tiring it can be to move around the world. The same goes for worldschoolers.
IT’S ALL IN THE PLANNING…AND DESIRE
Taking on a form of worldschooling education is a huge undertaking. Planning is key as is finding reliable resources. Time4Learning is one good resource to tap into. They can offer the various types of homeschooling curricula that families can consider when planning their world travels. World Travel Family is another resource that offers ideas, tips, as well as destination ideas in case you need those. It’s not easy, and it might not be suited for those who can’t adapt on the fly. But for those who can make it happen, it just may be the best way to educate your children. Good luck, if worldschooling is an option that fits your needs.
