Worldschooling. One Year of Travel. Homeschooling Highlights

It’s really hard to quantify learning. The knowledge the boys have acquired through our 1 year journey, 4 continents and 12 countries, is immense, quite staggering really.

Here are some of our homeschooling, or, if you prefer, worldschooling or unschooling, highlights.

I’m not talking about the personal qualities and emotional development here,  nor the book learning, just the things that most people would recognise as “school” that the kids have picked up naturally without having to attend. That is what is called unschooling, worldschooling or natural learning.

These are just the highlights, the things that spring to my mind right now, a taster if you like. There is so much more.

If you’re anxious about taking your child out of school to travel, please, don’t be, just read and get a feel for the sort of learning travelling kids pick up, it’s pretty phenomenal.

1. Countries, Continents, Oceans and Seas.

We watched our ship cross the Atlantic in both directions on the in-room screens. We took a right in the Sargasso Sea.

They’d beat most adults on this!

They’ve crossed the Atlantic twice and sailed through the Sargasso Sea. They’ve visited the Mediterranean  the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean.

They know where Laos is. ( so many adults don’t)

They know that Central America is part of North America. (same)

They’re good!

A lot of our Geographical learning came from our favourite Explorers book that we read over and over again in Thailand. There is a link to the book in this post.

2. Blogging  and Computer Skills.

Both of them can now use the WordPress interface, write and publish a blog post. That’s not a school skill, it’s a job skill! They also made a video post, planned, produced and scripted themselves. Boo interviewed his brother. His blog is called Boy Around the World and it’s on wordpress.com.

3. Photo Editing Skills.

They can crop, enhance, re-size, add captions and effects. More importantly, they love doing it. This is one of Boo’s efforts for his blog.

4. Languages.

They know a decent amount of Spanish and words of greeting in many languages. It’s a good start. We’ll continue with our Spanish over the summer, maybe work on our French too. They know why so many countries speak Spanish and that there are many variations on the language.

5. Maths

My 7 year old can convert between Baht, Laos Kip and Dollars faster than I can!

6. History.

Central American history graphically illustrated in a museum in El Salvador.

 

The Spanish conquest of Central America has been a big topic.

They know everything they need to know about the Mayans thanks to 7 weeks in Central America and an amazing guide at Tikal. The Mayans are still around today, we stayed in a Mayan town, heard their language and watched them worship.

The spice trade, ancient conquests and trade routes cropped up over and over again.

The history of the USA, slavery and the civil war was something we re visited.

We learnt more about World War II history in Kanchanaburi, at the bridge on the River Kwai and related museums.

Vietnam war history in Laos was inescapable, we saw that the effects of the American cluster bombings still continue today.

Vivid war reminders surrounded us in Laos. Please read this post about the COPE visitor centre.

7. Music and Dance.

Live street Jazz in New Orleans, just WOW!

We have watched classical Kanyan dance in Sri Lanka along with flamenco, jazz, Latin and jive on a cruise ship.

They have seen tribute bands perform Elvis, Katy Perry, Frankie Valley, and the Beatles. D got up on stage to sing with the Fab Four and sang 80s karaoke with his team of lovely backing singers several times.

We have car-sung  our way around the USA, seen live jazz and blues performed on the streets in New Orleans and really got to grips with the development of music in the South from slave days to Elvis.

We sang Christmas carols for pensioners on a wonderful evening with the vicar and her crew in Wales.

8. Art.

A surreal day in Spain. Come up and see me sometime!

 The boys have seen hundreds of works by Salvador Dali at his Theatre Museum in Figueres, Catalonia and watched his movie collaboration with Walt Disney in the art gallery on Norwegian Getaway.

They have briefly visited London’s National Gallery to see the Van Goughs, we ‘ll be back for more.

They know something about Islamic art and why it is as it is.

9. Science.

We spent just 3 hours at London’s Science Museum and recapped simple machines, Newton’s laws, magnetism, electricity generation and circuits. I watched a few dads fail to set up the circuits correctly, we got it right! See the circuits kit we have at home, here.

We visited Petrosains, another science museum, in Kuala Lumpur, it focussed more on the petrochemical industry.

The kids helped care for injured turtles in Sri Lanka. They already knew about the dangers of marine pollution thanks to our work with Tangaroa Blue, but this brought it home even more strongly.

First hand experience of turtle care and the threats they face because of man, in Sri Lanka.

We’ve talked about flower structure and function on a tea plantation in Sri Lanka.

We’ve addressed pollinators and pollination, crop rotation and farming methods.

Is all this science or geography? the division is blurry, it’s great that we can approach subjects as a whole not put them in boxes.

10. Sports and Games.

My baby. I’m as proud of him as he is of himself.

The boys are now good at pool and darts, D even won a certificate for darts in Malaysia. They’re happy to take on adults and have done, often. Say what you will, both games are good life skills.

On both cruises they have played team and individual games with other children in kids’ club.

They became proficient kayakers on Ko Phangan, D is as good as us and just as confident on the water.

They tried real archery in Kuala Lumpur, something they’ve been desperate to try since a friend produced home-made bows and arrows for them back home.

They have played boules, Laos and Thai volleyball.

They tested their physical skills and bravery through tubing, caving and kayaking in Laos and taking on huge climbing walls on both cruise ships. I will never forget them both dancing standing on kayaks as we floated down the rapids while new Korean friends sang Gangnam Style for them.

11. Religion.

These children of mine have visited Cathedrals, Churches, Buddhist Temples, Mosques, Hindu temples and seen ancient Mayan religious practices.

They know which religions belong where on the globe and they know all that they need to know about Jesus , the Romans and Christianity after spending Easter in Guatemala.

We visited with the Amish in Pennsylvania.

They know that you have to dress in a certain manner and respect different religions, each in their own way.

Heck, they even know all about voodoo!

The grave or Marie Laveau, Voodoo Queen in N’Orleans. One of the spooky cities of the dead.

12. Health and Hygiene 

Vaccinations, immune reactions, personal cleanliness and health risks crop up again and again. My scientific background is very handy here, I’d say they were on high school level already.

 

So what do you think, have I convinced you? I can’t post photos of the friends they’ve made, from all cultures and countries and of all ages, but there are many, some, I hope, we will see again.

What do you think, school or travel? Which gives kids the most extensive and amazing education? If I haven’t convinced you, let me know, I’ll keep on trying.