Millions of families around the world have recently found themselves thrust into the world of home schooling with the closure of schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But for families who cruise long haul with their kids, boat schooling has always been a necessity, writes Erin CareyPre-purchasing work books and reference books allows for periods of home-schooling offline rather than relying on the internet. Photo: Bruce HalabiskyFor many, the opportunity to trade a bricks and mortar school for classes on deck or on the beach is part of the appeal of a cruising lifestyle. Here we take a look at some of the different approaches favoured by liveaboard and cruising families, and discover some tips that temporary home teachers can benefit from.
\nLearning outside of the classroom has been proven to bring benefits including increased self-awareness, confidence, creativity and imagination. However, the endless juggle of fitting in education, boat maintenance, socialisation and online employment can create a challenging dynamic while living in the close confines of a boat.
\n\u201cFulfilling the triple role of parent-teacher-playmate can be intense for all members of the family at times,\u201d commented Philippa Steventon, who is home educating her boys on board their Bowman 40 Bella as they overwinter in Spain.
\nHands-on lessons using a sextant. Photo: Kate Hall
\nMy husband and I also recently spent two years living aboard our Moody 47 Roam, with our three young boys. It certainly wasn\u2019t easy. Educating our kids was the hardest element of our entire journey, including sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.
\nHome-schooling styles
\nUnschooling: An informal style that advocates topics and activities should be chosen by the children themselves.
\nEclectic: A popular approach to home schooling where parents pick and choose the best parts of several different systems and resources.
\nPrepackaged curriculum: Also known as \u2018school in a box\u2019, preplanned curriculums can be used as supplied or supplemented as you see fit. Examples include Calvert, Timberdoodle or Oak Meadow.
\nDistance learning: Where teachers use online instruction (or a variation) to teach students.
\nArticle continues below\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tSailing with teenagers: Honest advice from cruising families<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSailing with teenagers. Did that thought prompt you to wince or shake your head? Conventional wisdom steers many long-term cruisers\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tHow this family made their two-year round the world sailing dream happen<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSurreal. Not a breath of wind tonight. The sea\u2019s surface is flat and unbroken. The sky is utterly cloudless and\u2026<\/p>\n
What method is best?
\nTo decide what style of schooling is best for you and your family, it\u2019s essential to be honest with yourself. What type of parent are you? Are you creative, crafty and excited by the idea of teaching your children? Or, like me, would you prefer to follow a pre-written curriculum to take the fear and doubt out of an already challenging exercise?
\nI quickly discovered that I didn\u2019t enjoy the pressure of piecing together a curriculum. Initially our plan was for an eclectic style of home schooling, as I loved the idea of my children learning about the world around them. I envisaged teaching fascinating lessons about the history of the countries we were visiting and the science behind the weather systems through which we were sailing.
\nIn reality, it was far more complicated than I expected to create studies for my children that were age-appropriate, engaging and fun. The point is that most people don\u2019t get it right the first time and it\u2019s important to remain flexible, continually assess what is and isn\u2019t working, and be willing to pivot if required.
\nHaving a small microscope on board makes for fascinating learning for young and old alike. Photo: Jennifer Dawson Sampica
\nBoth Megan Waitkoff Downey and Jennifer Dawson Sampica are boat-schooling mums to seven-year-olds. They too have found home educating more difficult than they anticipated.
\n\u201cWhile parents understand their own child best and dedicated one-on-one learning is amazing, I also recognise there are a lot of skills and strategies that teachers learn in their studies that I simply don\u2019t have in my toolbox,\u201d admits Megan.
\nPutting some strategies in place can make learning more enjoyable: Jennifer has found that things run more smoothly when there is a set schedule. \u201cEach Sunday I create a lesson plan for the week. That way, my son and I can check it off together,\u201d she explains.
\nFinding other experts to teach your children is another great way to engage your child. \u201cWhether it\u2019s a scientist giving a shark talk, a photographer explaining his turtle images, or a tour guide at a nutmeg plant, it\u2019s always better when it\u2019s hands-on,\u201d said Stacey Paczkoski Brassington.
\nThe rich experiences my family were fortunate enough to gain were beyond educational. In Grenada, we watched giant leatherback turtles laying eggs on the beach and learnt how chocolate is made. While exploring Martinique, we climbed an active volcano and visited a slavery museum. Bequia taught us about the history of whaling \u2013 and on we went, each location teaching us something new.
\n\u201cWhen we left Cowes, the advice we were given by our head teacher was to make sure we keep them up to date with the relevant stages in the English and maths curriculums and that everything else would come from what we were doing on the boat,\u201d adds Philippa Steventon.
\nLearning alongside local children at Bequia in the Grenadines. Photo: Erin Carey
\nRegarding duration and frequency, around two to four hours a day, over four or five days a week seems to be common practice and enough to keep kids on track. It will also depend on how long you plan on cruising, the age and temperament of your children, and whether or not you want them to integrate back into the school system.
\n\u201cOur children were five and seven when we left the dock and I tried to replace the school day with a boat schooling day. It didn\u2019t work,\u201d recalls Kate Hall, who is currently in the Caribbean with her boys aboard their Hallberg-Rassy 46 Kathryn del Fuego.
\n\u201cThere are days when workbooks work perfectly. There are days when they don\u2019t and we play games, use dice, counting and do mental times tables and spelling games instead.\u201d
\nWhen children are old enough step by step tutorial books take some of the pressure off parents. Photo: Sailing Nikau
\nTeaming up
\nAnyone with children knows that bringing other people into the mix usually improves the dynamic for the better.
\nThe Hall family paired up with two other family boats when their schedules aligned, and organised a \u2018boat school\u2019 rota. \u201cWhile in the Windward Islands in the Caribbean we sailed with three family boats for a period of three glorious weeks. Between us we had seven children and created a Year 1, Year 2 and joint Year 3 & 4 classroom for the three yachts,\u201d recalls Kate Hall.
\n\u201cEach morning the \u2018school bus\u2019 (aka one of the dinghies) took the children to each boat at anchor for the morning\u2019s lessons. At 11am the school bus collected the children for a swim before lunch and then a play on the beach afterwards.
\n\u201cFor parents and children alike it was bliss. No tears or shouting (parents included!); the children even looked forward to their lessons.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s amazing the difference in teaching other people\u2019s children. They listen and are keen to learn from you; you aren\u2019t their parents! Swap the children round and teach theirs or just mix them up (one of yours and one of theirs).
\n\u201cI was nervous about asking or offering, but once you\u2019ve done it, you would want to do it every day. As parents we all came from different backgrounds and experience (plumber, vet, physiotherapist, civil engineer, stay-at-home mum) but we all had something different to offer when teaching and the children thrived on it.\u201d
\nIf your child loves snorkelling, develop their passion by studying marine life. Photo: Kate Hall
\nSoft skills
\nOne misconception about home-schooled children is their lack of socialisation. On a boat, addressing this largely depends on what part of the world you are cruising in and how willing you are to put yourself \u2018out there\u2019 when it comes to social media and tracking down other children.
\nThe popular Facebook group Kids4Sail is full of like-minded families who are located in different areas all over the world. Each month they have a location roll call, where people can find other boats with similar aged children in their area. The No Foreign Land website is also useful.
\nIn my experience, a common trait of boat-schooled children is their confidence. Our boys learnt to speak to people of different cultures, backgrounds and ages. As a result, they\u2019re now mature for their age and outgoing.
\nKeeping a daily boat diary can help improve both writing and drawing skills. Photo: Kate Hall
\nStacy noted the same: \u201cMy boys are confident in meeting new people, asking for directions, negotiating with market vendors. Being out in the world with people gives them social skills and increased self-esteem.\u201d
\nWas teaching effective?
\nAfter four months on land, it has been interesting to watch my children integrate back into the schooling system. Our youngest didn\u2019t receive any formal schooling while on the boat, and is doing well in his first year of primary school. He\u2019s notably more worldly and confident than his peers.
\nOur two older children have settled in reasonably well, but there have been a few speed bumps along the way. Not surprisingly, sitting still for six hours a day was one of them.
\nUnfortunately, being different can also make children an easy target for bullies. Sadly, not being up to speed with the latest trends, video games and YouTubers did create some adjustment issues. Luckily, four months on, life has returned to a new normal.
\nAcademically, we have identified a few gaps, but overall they have adjusted well, and it appears that maybe all of the stress and worry about whether we were doing it \u2018right\u2019 was unfounded.
\nUseful resources
\nWith the closure of schools, the list of remote learning resources is ever expanding. Here are some starting points:
\nMaths
\nSingapore Maths: Highly effective method that has been adopted around the world over the past 20 years. Books from \u00a312.
\nMathsOnline: Australian system of online maths tutorials for all ages. Over 1,400 tutorials available, lasting around 5-10 minutes. Can be studied on any devices, around \u00a324 per month.
\nMammoth Math (USA): A full maths curriculum. Textbooks can be downloaded and printed on the boat, from around \u00a325.
\nKhan Academy (USA): Available in 40 different languages. Free online resources with written lessons as well as video.
\nDragonBox: Maths games app.
\nProdigy (USA): Curriculum-aligned maths game, free parent accounts available.
\nPhoto: Kate Hall
\nLiteracy
\nTeach Your Monster to Read (UK): Free and fun phonics game and app for younger children learning to read.
\nExplode the Code (USA): Bestselling phonics programme for younger children, available online or as a workbook. \u00a355\/1 year subscription
\nAll About Reading (USA): Multi-level programme, with decodable stories, textbooks, and other resources. \u00a3166 per pack. (See also: All About Spelling)
\nEnglish Stars (AUS): Yearly plan for primary aged children, follows Australian curriculum with detailed teaching plans for every module. Around \u00a356 per year.
\nScience & other
\nCode Club (UK): Free coding projects for 9-13 year olds using the Scratch program.
\nMystery Science (USA): Online video lessons for primary years. Each is based on a story and ends with hands-on activities designed to use supplies you already have at home\/on board. Around \u00a320 per month.
\nTwinkl (UK): Wide library of printable resources and worksheets for UK primary school teachers and parents, in all subjects.
\nTime4Learning: Interactive multimedia content including animations, instructional videos, worksheets and hands-on projects. Monthly subscription \u00a316-25.
\nDuolingo: Language learning for Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Arabic and many more.
\nComplete curriculum
\nStructured Home Learning (UK): Complete, timetabled plans and resources from reception to GCSE. Modules designed to be completed in a morning. From \u00a3299 per year.
\nCritical Thinking Company (USA): Books and software for all years, covering reading, writing, maths, science and social studies.
\nTimberdoodle (USA): Comprehensive curriculum delivered on a USB. Christian-based as standard, with non-religious pack options. A full year\u2019s resources range from \u00a3500-\u00a3850.
\nCalvert Education (USA): Online learning with individual and family subscription options, over 45 courses. \u00a3330 per child or \u00a3590 for a family plan.
\nOak Meadow (USA): Complete curriculum for all ages, including 36-week lesson plans, optional craft and activity resources. Uses a Waldorf\/Steiner holistic approach. From around $400.
\nGalore Park (UK): Text books and resources used by UK independent schools for KS2 upwards, including 11+ and 13+ exam prep.
\nOnline tutors
\nIf you\u2019d rather bring in an outside teacher, especially for older students approaching key exam years, several online schools offers correspondence-based teaching by tutors.
\nIn the UK, Oxford Home Schooling and Wolsey Hall teach up to IGCSE and A-levels. In the US Laurel Springs is an online private school with lessons delivered by teachers.
\nAbout the author
\nDespite having little sailing experience, Erin Carey, her husband Dave and their three young sons quit the rat race and bought their boat, sight unseen, on the opposite side of the world. Erin is founder of Roam Generation, a communications business sharing the stories of adventurers and sailors.
\nFirst published in the June 2020 edition of Yachting World.
\nThe post Home schooling at sea: Top tips for tutoring your kids from 6 liveaboard sailors appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Millions of families around the world have recently found themselves thrust into the world of home schooling with the closure of schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But for families who cruise long haul with their kids, boat schooling has … <\/p>\n