The Case for Worldschooling

 

You may not know this, but as a parent you have the right to withdraw your child from traditional school and choose an alternative means to educate them. What happens when your concept of education expands beyond the four walls of a classroom? What happens when you notice learning opportunities can be anywhere at any time? The world becomes your school.

 

Worldschooling, simply put, it is learning through direct interaction with the world. It is an educational approach—it is not something you sign up for; there’s no one to register with, no dogma or governing institution. There are many resources to help you design what worldschooling looks like for you and your family, and we’re going to walk you through several of them in this book.

 

Over the past couple of decades, the term worldschooling gained traction. Several traveling families who considered themselves worldschoolers brought awareness to the concept as they shared their experiences online and in popular media. You might also come across the term roadschooling. For clarity, we use the term worldschooling to mean it all. We want everyone to feel welcome whether you are traveling in the US or overseas, full time or part time, following a curriculum or going with the flow.

 

By rolling into worldschooling, you are making a choice to step forward and align yourself with the forefront of innovative educational models. Public and private schools are recognizing the value of travel as part of education. International Baccalaureate (IB) programs promote “intercultural understanding and respect . . . as an essential part of life in the 21st Century.”⁶ Leading universities encourage study-abroad programs. Some people may tell you worldschooling lacks academic rigor, but the evidence will be clear when your kids return to traditional school from a Wonder Year with grit, confidence, and a global frame of reference. 

 

What better way to prepare your kids for a future, more interconnected world than to show them the world? Interacting with the world at a young age plants seeds of inspiration and understanding in our children. We know that young brains are heavily impacted by the experiences they have—so why not share with them the art, architecture, history, food, culture, and texture of societies beside the one in which they were raised? Most of us long for greater connection to both fellow humans and the environment. Ask yourself how our future adults can protect the rainforest when they have not seen the rainforest, or connected with any forest, for that matter? We strive to protect what we know and love.

 

One of the limitations of classroom learning is that we tend to learn about others. With worldschooling, we begin to learn from others. It’s an exchange. Learners begin to create their own opinions based on direct experiences, rather than simply repeating what they hear from others or read in a textbook. You can’t fake a personal interaction. Your kids might come to the conclusion, for example, that countries maligned in the mainstream US media are full of good and kind people. Worldschooling is fact-finding; worldschooling is peace building.

 

We authors believe an early experience of travel is an investment that will deliver a lifetime of social, cultural, emotional, and academic returns. Let your children recognize the cultural lens we all carry. Let them get excited by the real-time lessons that travel presents as they navigate public transportation, breakfasts, schools, and bathrooms. How can biking through Angkor Wat, tapping a maple tree in Vermont, or walking the streets of Madrid not be fodder for future passions and out-of-the-box thinking?

 

A worldschooling journey can also be a time to focus on emotional intelligence rather than grades. Many worldschooling families use this period to explore well-being and happiness, as well as cultivating a rich inner life from various angles; indeed, many families embark on a long-term travel and use worldschooling for the purpose of boosting mental health for the whole family.

 

As parents we can model the search for joy; we can reinvent, repurpose, and remind ourselves that the journey never ends, that education is an exchange, a dialogue of giving and receiving.

 

Worldschooling presents opportunities for risk-taking, personal challenge, and problem-solving—all twenty-first-century essential life skills. In deciding to worldschool, you are standing up and moving in the opposite direction of expectation; heeding the call takes courage. Navigating a medieval village or struggling to make yourself understood in a new language takes perseverance. A wrong turn or a missed bus might uncover the better discovery. The lessons are life changing.

 

Is Worldschooling Right for Your Family?

 

It probably feels like there is no right time to voluntarily disrupt everything and embark on an extended family travel adventure. Your life is busy; your days are full. Work. Friends. Family. Laundry. Grocery shopping. Cooking. Doctor’s appointments. Volunteering. Busy. Busier. Busiest. How in the world could you ever squeeze in a worldschooling adventure?

 

Let’s break it down a bit. Here’s a simple three-question framework to help you examine your thoughts on this existential joyride so you can work through a decision process for choosing a Wonder Year. When you are ready, clear your mind of chatter. Focus on your breath for a couple of minutes, take a walk, and unwind.

Question #1: What are your core values, beliefs, and priorities?

 

Ask yourself: What do I care about most? What do I believe is most important during my time on earth? Professional or personal growth? Financial security?

 

Note that what you care most about now, as a person and as a parent, may be different from when you were younger. Be honest with yourself. Do you want freedom? Do you want a spiritual practice? Do you want security, adventure, or money? Do you want to shake things up?

 

Write about, discuss, or draw it. Sleep on it, and when you are ready, converse with your partner, friend, or journal. What is it that gives your life purpose?

 

This articulation of values will give you something to fall back on during your travels, a safety net of sorts. And if you are doing this exercise with a partner, you may find that the two of you have a shared vision. That’s a great place to build from.

 

If you realize you do not have a shared vision or common goals, it may be an indication that planning and executing an extended road trip together could be tricky. It’s probably a good idea to have the conversation sooner rather than later in your process.

Question #2: What are the expectations that weigh you down?

 

What are the “shoulds” that tell you what “right” things you are supposed to be doing? Maybe you were brought up to believe you need to be the breadwinner or the stay-at-home parent. That you need to sacrifice. That life is supposed to be hard.

 

Maybe you believe you are not worthy of the good life, that you don’t deserve to take some time off. Can you identify expectations that start from sources other than yourself? Just list and name them. We are not purporting to be therapists; it’s your prerogative to go deeper if and when you want to. We’re merely suggesting that it’s helpful to identify these potential pressures and separate them from your innate desires. We want you to be able to put aside external influences and instead listen to your own voice so you can thoughtfully answer question #1.

Question #3: Why are you considering worldschooling, and is anything holding you back?

 

When you tiptoe to the edge of your comfort zone and take a look, what comes up for you? Would you like to change something in your life, or are you searching for something new? Does your heart start to race a little when you think about taking a leap?

 

We have heard a lot of people say, “Oh, I would love to travel for a year, someday, when the time is right . . .” or “I wish we had done a trip like that, but now our kids are too old.”

 

We know it might be really hard to take this kind of step. But take a look at what is holding you back. Are you worried or afraid? Identifying what’s lurking in your pit of uncertainty—concerns about education, employment, civil unrest, or public health—can help you devise a way over, around, or through it.

 

Tackle your fears by creating a contingency plan. That way, you can quiet your worries and take them out of the equation. You can break out of the what-if loop that keeps you stuck in place. You’ll no longer need to ask, “What if we are making a huge mistake?” or “What if something happens and our house is rented and we’ll have nowhere to live?” or “What if we can’t find a new job—OMG what will we do?”

 

A contingency plan could include putting aside reserve funds to support an unplanned return home, arranging with friends or family for you to live with them if necessary, or nurturing professional relationships throughout the year to keep future employment opportunities alive. 

 

Now that you have reflected on the possibility of a Wonder Year, the next step is to envision what it may look like for you and your family. This blog helps you do just that.