# HOME SCHOOLING CHILDREN



## TSOJOURNER

I HAVE RECENTLY WORKED ON BOARD A BOAT AS A TEACHER. IT WAS A VALUABLE EXPERIENCE TO ALL. THE PARENTS LEARNT A LOT, I LEARNT TO LIVE WITH A FAMILY AND THE KIDS WERE THE BIG WINNERS. PREVIOUS TO MY JOINING THE BOAT SCHOOL WAS A PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO GET THIS DONE ATTITUDE AND TOOTH AND NAIL TO GET IT DONE. AFTER ONE WEEK THE CHILDREN WERE GETTING UP AT SIX THIRTY TO START SCHOOL. THEY WENT FROM 15 HOURS A WEEK TO 25 HOURS. THEY HAD A LOT OF RESPECT FOR ME AS THEY NEW I WAS A TEACHER. IT IS A REAL OPTION THAT I ENJOYED. I WILL BE LOOKING FOR A BOAT TO SAIL AGAIN DOING THIS BUT CAN ALSO HELP NETWORK YOU WITH OTHER TEACHERS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. THIS IDEA GOES ALONG THE LINES THAT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOOD TO ME AND HELPED ME SO I ENJOY DOING THE SAME. EMAIL ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE IDEAS OR SUGGESTION. I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD REPORTS ABOUT THE NEW ZEALAND HOME SCHOOLING. I AM NOT A BIG FAN OF CALVERT. AUSTRALIA HAS HAD SOME REALLY GOOD HOME SCHOOLING IN PLACE FOR AGES BUT HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH RESEARCH.
GDAY
MIA


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## TSOJOURNER

MIA,
Im just finishing a 20 year carreer with the US Marines. My wife and two boys ages 5&6 are investigating living on a boat in Austrailia. We want to buy, or rent or lease a boat and work in Austrailia for a year before returning to California. When you homeschool on a boat, did you live aboard or did you show up on school days? What is an average cost of schooling? Can you help?


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## TSOJOURNER

WHEN TRAVELLING I LIVED ON BOARD. I WOULD OF HAD THE PREFERENCE TO SPEND MORE TIME OFF THE BOAT AS I THINK IT IS BETTER FOR RELATIONSHIPS ALL AROUND. I SCHOOLED IN RETURN FOR PASSAGE. I HAVEN''T HEARD OF MANY PEOPLE DOING IT SO I DON''T KNOW EXPECTATIONS. YOUR CHILDREN COULD GO TO SCHOOL IN AUSTRALIA. HOW WOULD YOU GET WORK VISAS? YOU MAY FIND IT EASIER TO GET WORK VISAS IN NEW ZEALAND. IT IS CHEAPER TO LIVE THERE, A LITTLE COLDER BUT GREAT CRUISING GROUNDS.
MIA


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## TSOJOURNER

I have a fourteen year old whom I will be home schooling for the first time. She has been sailing for weekend trips and a nine day vacation and did wonderfully. I am seeking information on how to get started with home schooling and what is the average cost? 

We are going to the Florida Keys in October and I may put her in school there for a short while. 

Any info would be helpful

Thanks
wildpony


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## rakuqueen1

Did you ever get any information. I have a 15 year old. She will be 16 when we leave. We plan to be gone for 1/2 of her 10th grade year and all of her 11th grade year. We will return for 12th, prom, sat''s, etc.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Jane


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## staceyneil

Hi all.

home schooling kids on board is great. My parents took us all on 1-2 year voyages when we were in school. We simply used our regular school materials (met with the teachers beforehand) and tailored the curriculum to where we were traveling, to get the most out of the experience. It was wonderful. 

We''re taking our 7 year old on a 1-2 year trip and plan to do the same.

You can get some good ideas and advice at:http://www.kidsaboard.com/Homeschool/index.htm

Stacey


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## TSOJOURNER

We have been homeschooling our kids aboard for 5 years and homeschooled for their entire life. Daughter is 16 and going to college next fall. Son is 14. It is a great experience for them, but cruising school not be like regular school. It takes less time and you should take advantage of where you are. If you''re transisting the Panama Canal, study that, not ancient China. Calvert is OK, but too much like regular school. For a year, you can buy the books you need and give it your best shot - they''ll do fine.

There is a good book, called Fun Afloat by Theresa Fort that has lots of good educational and fun stuff in it. You can get it through Amazon or Good Old Boat.


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## rakuqueen1

Thanks for your suggestions. The one thing our daughter wants to do is learn Italian.
I speak a little Spanish. Does Calvert do languages? I''ll check out that book.


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## TSOJOURNER

I AM LOOKING FOR AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I CAN ON HOMESCHOOLING WHEN I START MY WORLD CRUISING MY DAUGHTER WILL BE 14 YRS OLD SHE IS NOW 11 BUT IT IS NEVER TO EARLY TO FIND OUT ALL ONE CAN. IF YOU HAVE GOOD RECOMMENDATION ON GOOD HOMESCHOOLILNG PLEASE ADVICE


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## seame

Hi,
Home schooled and sailed with my children from birth until 13 and 15. They are both now in University. We used Calvert School, independent home schooling and the New Zealand home school. 

All went well. Sailing is the best education you can give your children. Most people switch to University of Nebraska after Calvert.

Good luck.


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## seame

Check Calvert School and University of Nebraska. 

Home schooled my children most of their lives until high school. They are in University now.

All the best.


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## TSOJOURNER

we are trying to start a family run charter with our 2 sons. We need to find a home based computer school that is affordable Do you have some suggestions? We have 3 weeks to do this (today is 9/3/04) Our local schools were going to offer a digital program but did not check out the legalities of the district till now and now we are stuck. Thanks


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## TSOJOURNER

You might consider *K12*, a computer-based private school.


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## TSOJOURNER

MY EX AND I HOME SCHOOLED 4 KIDS. DON''T DO IT. WE DISCOVERED THEY MISS TOO MUCH. SOCIAL INTERACTIONS ETC. ALSO UNLESS YOUE A PHYSICIST OR ENGINEER (I AM), THE MATH AND SCIENCE MAY WELL BE WAY OVER YOUR HEAD. NOT TO MENTION COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY ETC.

SECONDLY, COLLEGE ENTRANCE AND SAT TESTS WILL BE OUTRAGEOUSLY DIFFICULT. 

IN MY EXPERIENCE, TOO MANY PARENTS WANT TO HOME SCHOOL FOR THEIR OWN EGO''S. YOUR KIDS ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE, LET THEM HAVE IT.

GJ ARLOTTA
CAPT. US NAVY


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## seame

Well, both my children were born on board and home schooled much of the time and are now in US Universities . . . I would not change the experience for them or myself. We are all better people for it and a very close family. Cruising life is so rich and full of all the things that land locked life can not offer, would be a shame to deny your children that terrific and unique experience.


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## TSOJOURNER

Aloha,
I am a teacher working on my PhD (yes I live aboard & sail) and have been doing some research on home schooling. Nearly all the research on academics and testing shows homeschoolers on the average score in the 80th to 90th percentile and above average in the SATs- As hard as it is for me to admit (being a certified, educated science teacher and all!!!)Many Many Many parents with limited schooling are able to teach their children- (especially cruising and in the Marinas)- maybe they admit what they don''t know- maybe it is more motivating for children to be independent learners..I don''t know- ask me in three years when I finish!!!
My recommendation is to go for it- I see college students far better prepared and the socialization is not an issue- There are always kids to interact with-
good luck & Aloha
Orion


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## TSOJOURNER

Our two daughters have been living aboard since they were three years old and have been homeschooled all of their lives. Our oldest daughter just completed her first year of college. She was accepted to and offered full scholarships to every college that she applied to, including prestigious Caltech. She scored a near perfect score on her SATs despite having rarely taken a test before her high school years. Our younger (by three months)adopted daughter is special needs. I believe that cruising and homeschooling offered both girls the best way for them to succeed. I can''t imagine a better way to raise our children. We have a variety of homeschool resources on our website www.TheCruisingLife.com. I would also be happy to answer any questions that anyone might have regarding homeschooling while cruising.
Barbara Theisen
Publisher
www.TheCruisingLife.com


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## TSOJOURNER

rakuqueen1 said:


> Thanks for your suggestions. The one thing our daughter wants to do is learn Italian.
> I speak a little Spanish. Does Calvert do languages? I''ll check out that book.


I homeschooled both my children until high school (when they went to a great prep school that shared all my values) and they have now finished university. After homeschooling, Josh was valedictorian of his graduating class and the teachers thought him a marvel of intelligent conversation. That's what a homeschooling versus peer-controlled environment can give a child.

We used a variety of materials--must have tried them all--and found that a literature-based curriculum did the most to prepare them for prep school and university. Because they read, they could write. Because they read classical literature as well as more modern pieces, they learned to think. And because I made them back up every one of their theories and study logic, they learned to examine ideas instead of swallowing things whole. Which I think will make them better citizens. (Joshua read Doystoyevski's The Idiot at 12 and used it as the basis for an essay that got him into Duke's TIP program to take college classes while in high school.)

In exchange for a scientist friend teaching all the children science, I taught French. This might be hard to manage on board, but I'd suggest usiing whatever resources you can find--and they are myriad. Where you are weak, there are always others who can augment in a certain area if you keep your ears open and ask questions.

As for learning Italian--I speak Italian fluently, and that only came by living in the country. I had five years of French, so I can still read it and teach the basics. But a few months of living and going to school in Italy did more for my language acquisition than all those years of classroom French. If you can possibly do some of your cruising in Italy and get your daughter enrolled in a class or two there--even for a few months--you'll give her a huge gift. The Universita per gli Stranieri in Perugia, while inland, has great 3-month language classes.

Buona fortuna!

Normandie


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## sailingdog

Granted, home schooling children, especially those living aboard a cruising sailboat are going to miss out on certain facets of school and the socialization that comes with it. However, if you are travelling between different cultures, and socializing with people of different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, the experience will probably make up for it quite a bit, if not exceed what they are otherwise missing. 

I think the independence and self-reliance that a cruising sailboat can give a child is a excellent foundation for the rest of their life. They will probably not be as conventional or rigid a thinker as children raised more traditionally.


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## hellosailor

"The one thing our daughter wants to do is learn Italian."
Are you planning to have a ham radio on the boat? You might "accidentally" wind uphaving a lot of fun, and teaching her a lot of science, by getting a ham radio and studying for licenses together. Then, on the boat, she can try to make contacts with Italian stations and actually learn Italian by TALKING with Italians--all over the world.
Ways to make learning fun.


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## TSOJOURNER

ladys and gents my name is drew dunn and i am eighteen and have been to school but i learnt evrything i earn a living of from my dad a fully trained sailing instructor and teacher / mechanical fitter and boat builder and i love it cos well who needs science and pe and germen evan though i dont no it fluenty i can pseak german and french 
so just remember i hated school and learnt more from a guy who has never been to school and now i work for the biggutest steel manufacturer in the world and am a fully trained sailing instructor who next summer is going to build his own boat from scatch


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## sailingdog

drewdunnrespect2006 said:


> ladys and gents my name is drew dunn and i am eighteen and have been to school but i learnt evrything i earn a living of from my dad a fully trained sailing instructor and teacher / mechanical fitter and boat builder and i love it cos well who needs science and pe and germen evan though i dont no it fluenty i can pseak german and french
> so just remember i hated school and learnt more from a guy who has never been to school and now i work for the biggutest steel manufacturer in the world and am a fully trained sailing instructor who next summer is going to build his own boat from scatch


I find it hard to believe that you've been to school when my nephew has a better command of the English language, and better spelling and grammar to boot, and he is just 10. In your one paragraph above, I count over a dozen spelling and punctuation errors alone... UGH.


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## TSOJOURNER

sailingdog said:


> I find it hard to believe that you've been to school when my nephew has a better command of the English language, and better spelling and grammar to boot, and he is just 10. In your one paragraph above, I count over a dozen spelling and punctuation errors alone... UGH.


Oh gawd. It looks like everone's messin' whit eatother 'ere.


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