Bon Voyage: Taking School Along

By Vicki Pitts

Incorporating travel into your curriculum adds a unique experience of adventure and excitement to your homeschooling! You can supplement any subject and cater to any interest. Who else gets to enjoy their school while participating in a mission trip or boating on a canal, riding a camel, or zipping through the country on a train? What other kids get to travel to archaeological sites, experience eighteenth-century life, or follow in the footsteps of their favorite historical character as part of their school day? Who else gets to travel during off-peak months, taking advantage of great deals. You are a homeschooler. You are in charge of your curriculum and your schedule; you have flexibility and authority—take advantage of it! Yes, you will spend time and money, but dismiss your apprehensions for the next ten minutes and read on.

GO ON DAY TRIPS. Think about starting with day trips. Virginia is full of historic sites, world-class museums, and beautiful scenery, and there are many free resources available that will enable you to gain experience and confidence before you embark upon something more extensive. Consider the interests of your children and how to get them involved. Do you have an aspiring event planner or communications major? Get him engaged in planning the logistics or making the reservations. My oldest daughter and her four homeschooled children regularly take advantage of local nature centers, museums, farms, concerts, historical sites, national monuments, parks, theater, etc. For example, did you know that there is a government initiative called “Every Kid in a Park” that gives families of fourth graders a free yearly pass to our national parklands? Check it out at www.everykidinapark.gov. My daughter’s family has jumped on the bandwagon, and the kids are earning Junior Ranger badges.

Once back on American soil, our experiences can help us show empathy to first-generation Americans in our neighborhoods and churches, thereby building bridges for sharing Christ. It may even encourage a desire to serve internationally. As a language teacher, I place a high value on learning a second language. By visiting a foreign country instead of just learning the language in the classroom, we can observe how the language and culture mesh. When we speak their language, we can much more easily interact with the local people and learn of their joys and struggles. If your children have been studying a foreign language, perhaps their schooling could include helping to plan a trip to a corresponding country and journaling in that language while they are there. For tips on saving money, and logistics for travel, read Have Kids — Will Travel by Dale and Michelle Bartlett. For information about each country and suggested sites to visit, get The Rick Steves guidebooks. STAY SAFE! Of course, in these days there is the question of safety. Safety is not guaranteed even in our own neighborhoods, and when we consider security during travel as well as in our hometowns, common sense is the key. Avoid places where there is unrest or where the State Department has issued a warning. Purchase travel insurance. Stay in groups, or organize a buddy system. Stay alert.

CONSIDER AN ORGANIZED TOUR. You may want to investigate a tour company, especially if you are traveling to another country. A huge benefit of an organized tour is maximization of time in the country. For example, there is no difficulty in locating a museum and no precious time lost waiting in line at palaces or museums, choosing a restaurant, or understanding the train schedule and making arrangements. Everything is planned, and you skip the lines. A tour company handles all logistics, driving, reservations, and more, eliminating much of the work as well as providing an excellent educational experience. Tour companies closely monitor the situation in any country where they conduct tours and can give you peace of mind regarding safety issues. And when an unexpected situation arises—as it did for my group in 2011 when we could not get back to Spain from Morocco because of inclement weather—your tour director will arrange for dinner and a hotel. I am thankful this responsibility did not fall on my shoulders. A tour can be pricier—but not always—so check out all your options. Any extra expense might even be worth it, especially for the beginning traveler or those who would appreciate the convenience.

CONSIDER AN ORGANIZED TOUR. You may want to investigate a tour company, especially if you are traveling to another country. A huge benefit of an organized tour is maximization of time in the country. For example, there is no difficulty in locating a museum and no precious time lost waiting in line at palaces or museums, choosing a restaurant, or understanding the train schedule and making arrangements. Everything is planned, and you skip the lines. A tour company handles all logistics, driving, reservations, and more, eliminating much of the work as well as providing an excellent educational experience. Tour companies closely monitor the situation in any country where they conduct tours and can give you peace of mind regarding safety issues. And when an unexpected situation arises—as it did for my group in 2011 when we could not get back to Spain from Morocco because of inclement weather—your tour director will arrange for dinner and a hotel. I am thankful this responsibility did not fall on my shoulders. A tour can be pricier—but not always—so check out all your options. Any extra expense might even be worth it, especially for the beginning traveler or those who would appreciate the convenience.

HAVE YOUR KIDS EARN SCHOOL CREDIT. Our children didn’t receive formal credit for our trip out West; however, if you plan your own curriculum, you can give your kids credit for their related assigned reading, projects, and papers. Having your students do some initial research and then write about their experiences will also help enhance the learning process. Some tour companies such as Education First provide the opportunity to earn high school or college credit for projects approved and begun prior to travel.

BROADEN YOUR KIDS’ HORIZONS. Want to stretch your ability to be spontaneous? Want to add some adventure and excitement to your curriculum? Think outside the box and add some real-world learning to your home school. Travel! You’ll make memories to last a lifetime, and you’ll never regret it! Vickie Pitts homeschooled her five kids and still teaches homeschool Spanish classes. She loves Spain and Spanish speaking people and their culture, and she warns her students that her goal is for them to love all things Spanish, too. Vickie travels to Europe with Education First tours.