The full-time RV lifestyle is becoming more and more popular! This lifestyle is becoming common for every age group and family. This means that parents are taking their kids out on the road with them! These kids are needing some sort of schooling that they can go through while RV living – roadschooling! There are a few different aspects parents need to address when thinking about homeschooling their children while being full-time RVers. Some of these aspects include what homeschooling type you would like to conduct, certain requirements in your state of residence, and other small details to think about.
Homeschooling Styles on the Road
There are many different styles of homeschooling. Some forms work better on the road than others! It also depends on different family dynamics and their preferences. The most common homeschooling types for kids on the road are unit studies, unschooling, eclectic education, and online school. Unit studies are when all standard subjects (Math, English, Science, History, and Art) are embedded into one topic at a time. This topic can be a certain location, a book, a recent event, etc. This works great for traveling families because curriculum can be worked into the different location visits. Unschooling is a very hands off, less structured form of schooling. It is great for traveling families since the environments are always changing and more independent exploring can be done. With this form parents facilitate and provide resources for children, but besides that it is student lead. In a quote from FulltimeFamilies.com it states, “when living in an RV, children are usually more a part of the day to day running of the home, which provides natural learning through repairs, cooking, trip planning, and more.” The next tactic is considered the most common and well suited for fulltime RVers and it is called eclectic education. This style is a mix between multiple different styles and is very adaptive to the environment and content. Sometimes this form can imitate traditional school at home, while other times it can look like unit studies. It really depends on the family, their location, the topics being taught, and more. This is said to be one of the best forms for traveling because it is so adaptive. The last common form is online school. This is most common within highschool and college students because it takes discipline and control to focus on schooling all through online curriculum. Online formatting is becoming more and more common throughout the world whether it is for fulltime RVers or not! Again, the style that parents choose will vary and depend on the children, traveling habits, and more. There is no right or wrong answer; the only thing that matters is what works best for each family and child!
State Requirements
Each state has different requirements when it comes to homeschooling and state curriculums. A little bit of research is needed in order to understand the requirements in the state you are an official resident of. Some states require testing, reports, or grading for homeschooling, while other states don’t require any of this. Another item to think about is high school diplomas and moving onto college classes. Some states and colleges let kids start taking college courses for credit before earning diplomas. Other states don’t allow advancements until a high school diploma is achieved.
Other Details to Keep in Mind
It is important to think about a homeschool space within the RV. Although there may not be enough space to section off just for schooling, it is important to try and be consistent with the area chosen. Creating a space that schoolwork and teachings are always completed will help separate school from home life. Take advantage of all traveling opportunities that children in regular school would never be able to experience. Whether it be a national park, museum, zoo, historic landmark, there are endless teaching moments! Homeschooling communities are a very common occurrence within standard homeschooling, but can also be taken advantage of as a roadschooling family. There are multiple Facebook groups and programs specifically created for RV schooling. These are great resources for both the parents and children! Parents can use teaching ideas from one another, and children can develop friendships and connections.
Roadschooling is a priceless experience that many families are deciding to switch over to. With the development of technology and schooling programs, roadschooling is educating children outside of the classroom or traditional home style. Children that learn on the road receive many benefits and experiences that are different from any other education!
For more information on schooling with an RV lifestyle visit FulltimeFamilies.com.