A Movable Feast: for some the world is a classroom

[katty]

more: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39328391/ns/today-parenting/

By Laura T. Coffey

TODAYshow.com contributor TODAYshow.com contributor
updated 9/30/2010 7:23:15 AM ET

Evidence suggests that home-schooling in America is a growing trend. In a weeklong web-only series, TODAYshow.com reports on the challenges and creative opportunities presented by this approach to education.

Niall Gifford, 11, attends school on a sailboat in the South Pacific. Markos McFerrin, 7, has done countless math and spelling lessons on the back of a tandem bicycle. Jen and Maddie Farmer, 12-year-old twin sisters, have completed curricula in Greece and England.

These typical American kids are having exotic educational experiences for the same reason: Their parents have chosen to home-school them so they can travel.

For such families, “travel” doesn’t mean frantic vacations to Disneyland.

[Odin2005]

1. The anti-homeschool nuts will be here in 3, 2,1...

[katty]

2. hah! probably, however, some of these people appear

(in the article at least) have a sense of balance in their approach to home-school and of course they have the money to travel or their job requires travel.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. Do they get special field trips to the Creation Science Museum?

:hide:

[Riley18]

4. Typical Kids? Not from where I live they are not typical. Most of the kids I

teach rarely get far from our own little town. It takes money and freedom from a typical workday for the parents in order to travel around.

[Maat]

5. Proud homeschooling mom here.

We actually "homestudy" through a charter school, meeting with a teacher once per month. My kid participates in the annual school testing. We didn't enroll in the program due to reasons related to travel, but we do get to take marvelous field trips and plan really engaging projects.

I follow the typical curriculum for her grade, for the most part; we do, however, have plenty of time to plan projects in her specific areas of interest.

[clyrc]

6. I'm trying homeschooling this year

because I want my girls to get an American style education and homeschooling was the best option at this point. In the spring, I am thinking about spending a month with my girls in Sri Lanka, just because I can. Travel is an education, in itself, and I am grateful beyond words that my girls get to travel.

[nemo137]

7. I'm sure it's lovely if you're privileged enough to be able to do it.

Or willing to make immense sacrifices.