Roadschooling 101: A Beginner’s Guide to RV Homeschooling
Taking a trip in an RV is a fun way to vacation, but also an exciting way to live. While living on the road may be easier when traveling solo or as a pair, doing so as a family isn’t impossible. As an RVer, you may be wondering how to provide your children with a quality education while on the road. With roadschooling (homeschooling on the road), you can live the RV lifestyle and ensure your children receive their required education.
In this article, we’ll look at what roadschooling is and how you can get started.
What is Roadschooling and How Does It Work?
Roadschooling is simply another word for homeschooling done while on the road. However, what makes it so unique is having the ability to travel while teaching, which can make for some rewarding lesson plans. But before you begin roadschooling, it’s essential to understand the homeschooling requirements in your state.
Homeschooling is perfectly legal, but every state does have different homeschooling laws and requirements. While some states may require minimal to no check-ins or testing, others are a bit stricter.
As an RVer, how do you determine your home state? As a full-time RVer, you’ll need to establish a domicile if you don’t already have one, which creates a legal connection between you and a state. When it comes to roadschooling, your domicile will determine what requirements you’ll need to follow. Among the RV community, families that choose to establish domicile in a new state for roadschooling tend to select Texas or Florida.
For a complete list of state requirements, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has an interactive map that provides information to help you decide.h
Choosing a Curriculum Model
After deciding on a state, you’ll have to determine what curriculum model your child will follow. While there are plenty of resources and options available, we’ll be covering three standard methods for roadschooling.
Online Programs
Following an online curriculum is a popular option that serves as a smooth transition into roadschooling. Online programs tend to be guided by an instructor and can help your child learn at their own pace.
A significant advantage to online schooling is that parents aren’t expected to be the sole teachers, as the programs are led by a certified instructor. For new RVers, this can provide an extra level of comfort, knowing your child will still receive their required education. However, keep in mind that an online curriculum will require a reliable internet connection, which can be tricky (but not impossible) on the road.
Workbook Based
Workbooks are another popular option for teaching your children on the road, especially if you won’t have access to the internet on a daily basis. With this route, children follow a set curriculum taught by parents that follows a traditional school format.
An advantage to workbook-based curriculums is that parents can feel confident teaching from pre-packaged lesson plans. Because it follows a traditional teaching format, it also provides an easy transition for students who have already attended school.
Workbook curriculums help ensure your child is on pace with other children their age, making it easier to reintroduce them to a school setting later on. However, please remember that this route often requires multiple books, which can often be heavy and hard to store in an RV.
Unit Studies
A unit studies approach to roadschooling involves teaching children about one topic while incorporating multiple subject areas into the study plan. Unit studies are popular amongst homeschooling communities due to their hands-on approach to learning. With this curriculum model, your child can dive deep into any given topic to promote proficiency. In addition, by exploring a topic from multiple angles (historical, mathematical, scientific), the lessons learned are more likely to be retained.
Suppose you’re traveling with children of different age groups. In that case, unit studies can make teaching easier for parents as you’ll be focusing on subjects as a whole and not individual lesson plans.
How Many Hours a Day Is Required for Roadschooling?
The number of hours required for roadschooling will ultimately depend on your curriculum model, your child’s age, and any state regulations. However, you will find that roadschooling days are significantly shorter than typical school days. Why? Well, for one, your “class size” may just be one or two students instead of the usual 15-20. Also, you’ll be able to accurately gauge your child’s learning speed, helping you to adapt to how they learn best.
Generally speaking, pre-k children should do around 30-60 minutes a day of roadschooling, elementary-aged children should do about 2 hours, and high schoolers about 4 hours.
What Supplies Do You Need for Roadschooling?
Before beginning roadschooling, it’s crucial to provide your children with everything they’ll need to succeed. While your roadschooling list may include additional items, here is a list of essentials you should have on hand:
- A laptop or tablet if choosing online learning (plus internet access).
- Access to a printer to print out lesson plans and activity worksheets.
- General school supplies (paper, pencils, pens, crayons, markers, folders, etc.).
- Notebooks and binders for each subject.
- Textbooks, workbooks, and curriculum guides.
- A learning station with ample room to write on.
- Daily calendar to visualize lesson plans and goals.
Keep Your RV Protected
No matter where your home on wheels takes you and your family, it’s vital that you keep your RV protected with the proper insurance coverage. If you’re a full-time RVer, consider looking into full-timer coverage options such as Full-Timer’s Liability and Expanded Personal Effects coverage, which can work together like a homeowners policy. Not sure where to start? To speak with one of our RV insurance specialists, call (866) 501-7335.
The information in this article is obtained from various sources and is offered for educational purposes. Furthermore, it should not replace manuals or instructions provided by the manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.