Choosing a homeschooling style is one of the most exciting and sometimes overwhelming parts of educating your children on the road. As a full-time RV family, you have unique needs—flexibility, portability, and a curriculum that matches your travel lifestyle. While there are many homeschooling approaches out there, not all of them are created equal for life on the road.
In this blog post, we’ll break down the most popular styles of homeschooling and highlight which ones are especially great for families living in an RV and traveling full-time.
1. Eclectic Homeschooling: Flexibility is Key
Best for: Families who love customization and flexibility.
Eclectic homeschooling is one of the most popular styles among full-time RV families. Why? Because it’s flexible and adaptable to your family’s unique needs and interests. Instead of adhering to a single curriculum or method, eclectic homeschoolers mix and match different resources, curriculums, and teaching styles.
- How It Works: You might use a structured math program but take a relaxed, hands-on approach to science through your travels to National Parks or museums. Essentially, eclectic homeschooling allows you to tailor education to fit your children’s learning styles and your travel plans.
- Why It Works for RV Families: The flexibility allows you to plan around travel days, incorporate field trips, and change up the curriculum based on what’s working for your family at the time. It’s perfect if you want to combine different homeschooling philosophies into a custom-made experience.
2. Unschooling: Learning Through Life
Best for: Families who embrace child-led learning and want education to flow naturally from everyday experiences.
Unschooling is all about trusting your child’s natural curiosity and allowing them to explore the world at their own pace. Instead of following a set curriculum, unschoolers believe that children learn best through real-life experiences and pursuing their own interests.
- How It Works: If your child is fascinated by geology, for example, you might spend time visiting geological sites, reading books, or watching documentaries about rocks and minerals. The focus is on letting your child guide their learning based on what excites them.
- Why It Works for RV Families: Unschooling fits perfectly into the full-time travel lifestyle because you can turn every adventure into a learning opportunity. Whether you’re hiking in a National Park, visiting a historical site, or interacting with locals in a new town, the world becomes your classroom.
3. Charlotte Mason: Focus on Nature and Living Books
Best for: Families who value literature, nature, and gentle learning.
The Charlotte Mason method is a classical approach to education that emphasizes the use of “living books” (books that engage and inspire, rather than dry textbooks) and spending time in nature. It also focuses on short lessons, narration (children retelling what they’ve learned), and developing good habits.
- How It Works: This method involves reading high-quality literature, exploring nature, and cultivating an appreciation for the arts. Short lessons are key, so your child can focus and absorb more from each subject. Nature walks and journaling about what they observe are also important aspects of this approach.
- Why It Works for RV Families: The emphasis on nature study pairs perfectly with the travel lifestyle, especially if you’re spending time in National Parks or exploring different landscapes. Plus, many RV families appreciate the short, focused lessons that leave more time for outdoor adventures.
4. Classical Education: Structured and Rigorous
Best for: Families who want a more structured and traditional approach.
Classical education is based on the ancient idea of the trivium, which divides learning into three stages: the grammar stage (facts and memorization), the logic stage (critical thinking), and the rhetoric stage (communication and persuasion). This method is more structured and often involves studying classical languages, history, and literature.
- How It Works: In the early years, children focus on foundational skills like reading, writing, and memorization. As they grow, the curriculum shifts to critical thinking and logical reasoning. Classical education also emphasizes the great works of Western literature and history.
- Why It Works for RV Families: While this method is more structured, it can still be adapted for life on the road. Many classical curriculums are available online or as downloadable resources, so you can take them anywhere. However, it may require more planning and a consistent routine, which could be a challenge on travel days.
5. Unit Studies: Deep Dive into One Topic
Best for: Families who enjoy thematic learning and hands-on activities.
Unit studies focus on a single theme or topic and integrate multiple subjects like math, science, history, and art into that theme. For example, if your child is interested in space, you could create a unit study where they learn about astronomy (science), read books about space (literature), study the history of space exploration (history), and even calculate distances between planets (math).
- How It Works: You choose a theme or subject that your child is interested in and build lessons around that topic. This approach is highly engaging because it allows kids to immerse themselves in a subject, and it’s also flexible in how long you spend on each unit.
- Why It Works for RV Families: Unit studies are great for traveling families because you can plan your studies around the places you’re visiting. For example, if you’re visiting Yellowstone National Park, you could create a unit study about geology, geysers, and wildlife. It’s an immersive way to blend travel and education.
6. Roadschooling: Tailoring Homeschooling to Travel
Best for: Families who want their travel experiences to be the cornerstone of education.
Roadschooling isn’t exactly a “style” on its own, but rather an approach that emphasizes using travel experiences as the foundation for learning. Many full-time RV families adopt a roadschooling mindset, weaving geography, history, science, and culture into their lessons as they travel across the country or the world.
- How It Works: Your travel destinations dictate your curriculum. If you’re in the Southwest, for instance, you might study Native American history and desert ecosystems. If you’re exploring the East Coast, you could dive into early American history or marine biology along the coast.
- Why It Works for RV Families: This method is ideal for families who are passionate about hands-on learning and want to take full advantage of the educational opportunities that travel provides. It’s flexible, adaptable, and aligns perfectly with the RV lifestyle.
Final Thoughts: Finding the Right Homeschool Style for Your Family
The beauty of homeschooling while living in an RV is that you’re not confined to one approach. Many families blend different styles to create a customized learning experience that fits their unique needs. You might start with an eclectic approach, incorporating elements of Charlotte Mason and unit studies, or you may find that unschooling best suits your child’s interests and the rhythm of travel life.
The key is to remain flexible and open to change as you and your family adapt to the full-time RV lifestyle. No matter which homeschooling style you choose, remember that the world is your classroom, and the adventures you have on the road will provide your children with a rich, hands-on education they’ll never forget.