A year travelling w/ school age kids

[parkerco]

My wife and I have 2 kids aged 5 and 7 and we have a plan to save for 3 or 4 more years and then just spend a year travelling around Europe. Start in the Summer in a country up north, move to a new country every month or so (renting a place as a base of operations in every new place) and working our way south for the winter months.

Anyone here ever done something similar or known someone that has and have any advice on this? Specifically:

1. How much time does home schooling take to keep them up to date on their work? They are not currently home schooled, but I figure since they will not be sharing class time with 20 other kids we should be able to get most of it done in the morning, leaving afternoons free for other stuff. Is this way off base or will more time be needed?

2. How much would we need to save? We would not be looking for luxury but also would not be staying at hostels. I also realize that England, for example, is going to be more expensive than Portugal. Any advice on how to get safe, yet cheap rental properties overseas?

3. Finally, and most importantly, I assume we would be able to access all Longhorn football games via the internet, though of course we would be up very early in the morning to watch. Is this correct?

 

[pike]

Games for you in Europe would generally be in the middle of the evening. 6pm games would start at midnight or after depending on where you are.

 

[GHoward]

If it were me, I would wait until your kids are out of school, they might appreciate it more.

But other than that, I would consider just not doing the homeschooling at all, and just let them be a year behind when you return "home". It'd be a pain to have to carry materials around everywhere, on top of doing the actual schooling. Assuming you or wife are not experienced teachers.

For football games, get someone to set up a Slingbox here in Texas.

 

[BigWill]

the "education" that your children will receive is much greater than they would ever get from home schooling.

How about making it a goal that your kids return from Europe fluent in at least one foreign language? That's something that is valuable, relevant, and could be fun.

 

[bevocbs]

I realize I'm a little late in responding, but you still have a couple years to prepare:

There are lots of ways to incorporate your home schooling into your travels. About the only subject you might need to do formalized "schooling" in is math, although even math concepts can be introduced through traveling/field trips. But so much of math at that age is memorization and practice, I would probably want my kid doing some more formalized lessons. Everything else (science, history, English....) can easily be taught based on your travels. Lots of reading about the places you are visiting, reports on people, places, cultures, historically significant events etc.... There are lots of home schoolers who do their entire curriculm, from K-12 in this manner.

If you aren't confident in teaching in that manner and would rather have more structured lesson plans etc., yes you should be able to complete the schooling in the morning, especially if you are disciplined in your routine.

And sorry, I have no idea on your other questions.

Talk to other home schoolers and figure out what you are comfortable with. If you don't know any personally, there are several big conferences throughout the state(s) and there will be plenty of home schoolers there who would be happy to talk to you. Who knows, you might even decide you like it so much you want to home school your children even when you return.

 

[brntorng]

Personally, I'd wait until the kids are at least 10 and 12 and old enough to better appreciate the experience. An ideal time might be just before they enter junior high and high school. I don't remember much from early elementary age, but maybe others do.

You could definitely do homeschooling while you were there. I'd emphasize reading with topics that related to the history, literature, social studies, science, etc. that they'd be missing in school. Getting them each an iPad might be a nice portable platform for reading, entertainment, and staying in touch with friends. By then I would expect there to be complete curriculums available on the platform. Then I'd get a math curriculum (such as Saxon) that they can work through on a regular basis.

 

[orangecat]

love the idea of learning a foreign language. Do your trip sooner rather than later. The brain will take the new language easier the younger they are. if you were to leave when kids are 9 and 11, then come back they are 10 and 12, they stay interested in the language, boom a year later the oldest enrolls in that language in middle school, he/she's off and running, probably end up biliterate. Hopefully younger one tries to keep up with older one, same thing happens.

I would only buy materials for math, as others have suggested, and the foreign language. It would be really great if the kids could pick the language they want to learn, obviously make them both choose the same language.

You might be giving your kids the best gift they will ever receive, their entire life.

 

[Dionysus]

Great idea, and I agree with the comment that the trip itself may be the best year's education the kids ever get. One suggestion: you might think about documenting the trip, both in photos and with some kind of journal. Maybe just write a couple times a week, but log the experience somewhere. I think it would make an interesting book/guide for others who might want to do something similar. Lessons learned, things to consider, things to avoid, etc. If nothing else, it would be a priceless family document your kids will treasure when they're grown. Or maybe do it in a blog format, just log in once in a while and post your experiences and some photos or video. I would love to see something like this.

Good luck!

 

[FridayNiteLites]

Great idea, on all fronts. As an educator I don't think you will be putting them behind the eight ball by not schooling them for a year. I think most kids start school too early and another year would be good for them to wait. If I were going to spend a year in Europe, I would most likely choose to learn French. I have taken my children to Europe 4 different times and I believe they learn so much from the experience that I wouldn't trade it for a semester of learning in the classroom. Good luck, and have a great time.

 

[orangecat]

agree about the blog, what would also be interesting and really fun to look back on years from would be to have a handwritten blog from both the adults point of view and the kids point of view.

Both kids can write a journal, gives them practice on their handwriting, which is one thing that we don't teach in school. At our house we have a typewritten version of a journal my older sister wrote about our two week trip to Washington D.C. and it is really fun to look at occasionally.

I can't imagine how much fun an entire year would be.

And pretty long, too, one page twice a week would be pretty good, over a 100 pages. add in pictures and sure enough you've got a book.