World as my Middle School - The Atlantic & Soultravelers3
April 03, 2014
Are there advantages to homeschooling with travel around the world? Do you have to be rich to homeschool around the world? Can you homeschool high school and middle-school combined with world travel?
SOULTRAVELERS3 IN THE ATLANTIC
I loved this brilliant article in The Atlantic, "Paris Was My Middle-school classroom" and appreciate that they mentioned and linked to our Soultravelers3 blog.
WHY TRAVEL AND EDUCATION WORK SO WELL TOGETHER
I thought the author, Ms. Burton made some excellent, specific points about how that experience had enhanced her learning and life path, thanks to the advantages and freedom of travel schooling.
IS WORLD TRAVEL JUST FOR THE RICH?
I was quite surprised by the many negative comments. Although they acknowledged that this was indeed, an amazing way to learn, most said it was ONLY available for the very rich who are born with a "silver spoon".
WORLD AS CLASSROOM -LITERALLY
It saddens me that even today, so few realize how possible and easy this is if one WANTS to give their child this kind of exemplary education. They should listen to our travel kid's advice in 13 year old Mozart's inspiring speech at the Global Education Conference or her opinion on why travel with kids.
So of course, I had to comment from our experience and hope it encourages others to think differently to find their own way for more freedom in educating their kids..even on a tiny budget.
This is what I wrote:
TRAVEL THE WORLD TO EDUCATE YOUR CHILD
You certainly have a valid point, but I can tell you that this and more IS available to MANY more ordinary people than is often realized and is a growing trend. I just discovered this because we were mentioned in this article.
Today, most can work, live, school ANY where if they want to ( if you can work at home, you can work in Rome!) and traveling the world to educate your child can actually be MUCH cheaper than living in the USA.
PRIMARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AROUND THE WORLD
We're not just doing middle school in Paris and Italy, we've been on an open ended world tour to educate our daughter around the world ( 46 countries on 5 continents) the last 8 plus years ( her entire primary years from 5 years to 13) on just $23/day per person!
TRAVEL AND LANGUAGES
We're monolingual parents and she is fluent-as-a-native trilingual/triliterate in Mandarin, Spanish and English and will soon add French.
MUSIC, MOZART AND TRAVEL
She is a talented musician too, so the first kid since Mozart to do extensive world travel with a violin and piano ( and just added the didgeridoo in Sydney and a guitar in California).
TRAVEL AND ENDLESS EDUCATIONAL POSSIBILITIES
She is already far beyond age peers in her education ( just completed a senior year high school class online in Asia with Johns Hopkins University CTY ...on a scholarship...and got an A, will soon easily test out of AP Mandarin and AP Spanish classes for both high school and college credit), has much more free time than most tweens, has become a budding entrepreneur teaching her 3 languages to adults and kids around the world since 12 with a long waiting list, is writing a kids book series about each country she has been to and got her first paid singing gig at a huge Chinese wedding in Asia singing in Mandarin, won a Mandarin Elocution contest in a 1000-kid Chinese high school and recently was the youngest presenter at the Global Educational Conference.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE RICH TO TRAVEL
It's true that many wealthy folks are putting their kids ( like Suri Cruise) in traveling immersion schools that focus on Mandarin, Spanish fluency and cultural advantages of long term travel as an educational aid for 21st century kids in our shrinking world, BUT if you don't happen to have the 80 grand a year that takes, with a little creativity and open mindedness, you can do even better on your own, have more time with your kid and enjoy a more free life... living outside of the box.
FAMILY TRAVEL CAN BE CHEAP
Neither world class travel or a world class education has to be expensive. I didn't know this was possible before we did it, but I can tell you that it was absolutely the best decisions of our lives! Instead of assuming it can't be done, start reading things like the 4Hour Workweek ( we were case studies in it) and finding ways to make it happen if you have this kind of dream for your child.
Trust me, this great Goodman quote is NOT normal ( and you don't have to be rich to live a rich life):
“Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and
driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in
order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and
the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.”
What do you think? Do you find ways to use travel and multicultural experiences to enrich your child's education and life experience? Or is this only for the most wealthy?
Like every life, not every moment has been perfect bliss with nary a problem, but we are all extremely grateful for the risks and choices we have made as an ordinary family, to educate our child and have more time together.
Are there advantages to homeschooling with travel around the world? Do you have to be rich to homeschool around the world? Can you homeschool high school and middle-school combined with world travel?
SOULTRAVELERS3 IN THE ATLANTIC
I loved this brilliant article in The Atlantic, "Paris Was My Middle-school classroom" and appreciate that they mentioned and linked to our Soultravelers3 blog.
WHY TRAVEL AND EDUCATION WORK SO WELL TOGETHER
I thought the author, Ms. Burton made some excellent, specific points about how that experience had enhanced her learning and life path, thanks to the advantages and freedom of travel schooling.
IS WORLD TRAVEL JUST FOR THE RICH?
I was quite surprised by the many negative comments. Although they acknowledged that this was indeed, an amazing way to learn, most said it was ONLY available for the very rich who are born with a "silver spoon".
WORLD AS CLASSROOM -LITERALLY
It saddens me that even today, so few realize how possible and easy this is if one WANTS to give their child this kind of exemplary education. They should listen to our travel kid's advice in 13 year old Mozart's inspiring speech at the Global Education Conference or her opinion on why travel with kids.
So of course, I had to comment from our experience and hope it encourages others to think differently to find their own way for more freedom in educating their kids..even on a tiny budget.
This is what I wrote:
TRAVEL THE WORLD TO EDUCATE YOUR CHILD
You certainly have a valid point, but I can tell you that this and more IS available to MANY more ordinary people than is often realized and is a growing trend. I just discovered this because we were mentioned in this article.
Today, most can work, live, school ANY where if they want to ( if you can work at home, you can work in Rome!) and traveling the world to educate your child can actually be MUCH cheaper than living in the USA.
PRIMARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AROUND THE WORLD
We're not just doing middle school in Paris and Italy, we've been on an open ended world tour to educate our daughter around the world ( 46 countries on 5 continents) the last 8 plus years ( her entire primary years from 5 years to 13) on just $23/day per person!
TRAVEL AND LANGUAGES
We're monolingual parents and she is fluent-as-a-native trilingual/triliterate in Mandarin, Spanish and English and will soon add French.
MUSIC, MOZART AND TRAVEL
She is a talented musician too, so the first kid since Mozart to do extensive world travel with a violin and piano ( and just added the didgeridoo in Sydney and a guitar in California).
TRAVEL AND ENDLESS EDUCATIONAL POSSIBILITIES
She is already far beyond age peers in her education ( just completed a senior year high school class online in Asia with Johns Hopkins University CTY ...on a scholarship...and got an A, will soon easily test out of AP Mandarin and AP Spanish classes for both high school and college credit), has much more free time than most tweens, has become a budding entrepreneur teaching her 3 languages to adults and kids around the world since 12 with a long waiting list, is writing a kids book series about each country she has been to and got her first paid singing gig at a huge Chinese wedding in Asia singing in Mandarin, won a Mandarin Elocution contest in a 1000-kid Chinese high school and recently was the youngest presenter at the Global Educational Conference.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE RICH TO TRAVEL
It's true that many wealthy folks are putting their kids ( like Suri Cruise) in traveling immersion schools that focus on Mandarin, Spanish fluency and cultural advantages of long term travel as an educational aid for 21st century kids in our shrinking world, BUT if you don't happen to have the 80 grand a year that takes, with a little creativity and open mindedness, you can do even better on your own, have more time with your kid and enjoy a more free life... living outside of the box.
FAMILY TRAVEL CAN BE CHEAP
Neither world class travel or a world class education has to be expensive. I didn't know this was possible before we did it, but I can tell you that it was absolutely the best decisions of our lives! Instead of assuming it can't be done, start reading things like the 4Hour Workweek ( we were case studies in it) and finding ways to make it happen if you have this kind of dream for your child.
Trust me, this great Goodman quote is NOT normal ( and you don't have to be rich to live a rich life):
“Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and
driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in
order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and
the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.”
What do you think? Do you find ways to use travel and multicultural experiences to enrich your child's education and life experience? Or is this only for the most wealthy?
Like every life, not every moment has been perfect bliss with nary a problem, but we are all extremely grateful for the risks and choices we have made as an ordinary family, to educate our child and have more time together.
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Sounds wonderful!
I don't know if you saw my email, but I made a Skype account, thanks!
Posted by: Abbie | April 03, 2014 at 01:16 PM
Thanks Abbie! Got your email and I hope you and Mozart can skype in Mandarin! ;)
Posted by: Jeanne @soultravelers3 | April 03, 2014 at 02:17 PM
So inspired by this. What a wonderful gift you have given your daughter. We have a 21 month old who loves to learn and we are encouraging his espanol but it can be difficult at times and this has encouraged us greatly.
Posted by: Emma | April 10, 2014 at 04:19 AM
Happy to hear this Emma and thanks for your kind words! Good for you for encouraging language learning with your little one!!
Yes, it can be challenging, but it is worth the effort. You might like my tips for raising a multilingual kid series here:
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2011/06/how-to-raise-a-bilingual-or-multi-lingual-child.html
My Bilingual baby post ( shows Mozart's Spanish when she was about the same age as your son):
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2013/07/bilingual-baby-learning-spanish-as-2nd-language.html
Or about reading in 3 languages:http://www.soultravelers3.com/2012/11/multilingual-learning-reading-in-3-languages.html
I have lots of posts about Mozart's language learning journey that should help you...just use the search feature and I have some in the FAQ part.
Babies and young children can learn languages so quickly, but can also lose them just as quickly, so just keep up daily exposure and commitment.
The days are long with babies, but the years are short, so you will be amazed how fast the time will zip by....your baby will be a teen in a flash...so do it now...and enjoy every moment. ;)
Posted by: Jeanne @soultravelers3 | April 10, 2014 at 06:39 AM
Do you have any thoughts on this type of lifestyle with kids who have learning differences? Have you encountered any families dealing with this on your travels? We have 4 kids and only one of them has difficulties.
Posted by: mamaellie | May 02, 2014 at 08:01 AM
Good question Mamaellie! Mozart has learning differences/special needs and was a big part of our reason to do this lifestyle.
We find this gives us more more flexibility, but I do not have experience with a child who has difficulty learning ( but she does have things like SI issues).
Yes, there ARE other traveling families that have dealt with special needs of various kinds from kids in wheel chairs, to kids who are slow academically and also some autistic.
Here is a good one, she might be able to help guide you:
http://www.autisticglobetrotting.com/
I knew a single mom of 5 adopted bi-racial kids ( born as drug babies) who has done it and I think those kids had some learning challenges.
I don't have personal experience with it, but I would think that whether a child is gifted, average or special needs, they would benefit from this travel lifestyle.
I think if there is a will, there is always a way ( and easier than ever today to find help through tech/social media).
Hope that helps!
Posted by: Jeanne @soultravelers3 | May 04, 2014 at 02:50 PM