What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right?

Getting my head around home schooling (or distance education as I prefer to call it) was probably my biggest challenge when planning this trip. It was something I just had never imagined in my wildest dreams I would do or be capable of doing. If you had asked me if I would ever considered it, I would of absolutely laughed and said, “YOU’RE JOKING RIGHT?”

So when Derek casually said “oh we’ll just home school them,” my anxiety started to soar! Terrifying thoughts of lesson planning, trying to take on a role so foreign, requiring patience and the risk i could screw up my kids education.

It seemed like such a romantic idea. We could just pack up and have a mobile classroom. The reality was we were serious about doing this and we were not planning on being in one location long enough to attend an international school. So I had to get a grip and figure out a plan that would work for us.

I would need structure! None of this airy fairy lets wander the planet and see what lessons we can find within… I needed set lessons, deadlines of when things needed to be done and support. I needed to not feel like I was going to ruin their future!

Welcome to Sydney Distance Eduction Primary School. A NSW public school set up for expats or families just like us. The kids are in fact in their year class with a teacher and fellow students, following NSW curriculum. They are on the iPad program where 75% of the work is done on the device and the other 25% would be making videos, photos of handwritten work and zoom room teaching calls. It is also stressed to the parents, that we play s supervisor role not that of a teaching. Even better! 

After 10 ​weeks we have found our school routine. My kids are early risers, so I knew to get the best out of them we needed to start the day early and then we break the day into chunks. Roughly 2 x 40min sessions in the morning and 2 shorter sessions in the afternoon. We are always doing something fun in between and often find a way to incoperate learning. Pearl was doing Charlie and the chocolate factory for English and we were in Switzerland and managed to go on a chocolate tour that related to the project she had to do. 

They read at various times in the day and Miles had less work than Pearl so he will read while she is still working. The work is uploaded every 2 weeks and we work at it at our own pace. Meaning if the kids choose to do it all in the first week and then be free the 2nd, we can. 

At least once a week they both have ZOOM classes (like FaceTime but with screen share). These could be one on one, with just their class or a whole stage lesson call. Its cute seeing all the other kids calling in from bedrooms, cafes or beaches. There are usually videos to accompany a new topic or a supervisor handbook. Being an online program, they also talk to their teacher or classmates via messages through the app when they have questions. It’s actually amazing. 

We decided before we left that we would have a reward system. Similar to Lugarno Public School’s “Garnoes” we have “Lanoes” these are given for various things from good work to being helpful getting off the train etc. For 10 Lanos they receive a Lano Merit certificate and $10 in their accounts (beacause money talks) After 5 merits they recieve The Lano Grand Adventure certificate and $100 in their account. We also have made up a song that we add verse to after each country we go to. We sing it at our assemblies. The kids love it, we all have a giggle and it keeps morale high. 

There are moments when I feel frustrated and overwhelmed. There are moments when the kids are not motivated. In these times I only have to ask if we would rather be back home in a classroom and normally their heads go back down and they get their work done, eager for the next surf or adventure. 

It definitely helps having two parents supervising, when one needs help or one has questions. Having said that when Derek had to nip to the US for work, i was able to keep it going. Initially I was really nervous about this but we stuck to our routine. I set one up with an independant activity, while I worked with the other and we managed to get all our work done and had a 3 day weekend. 

We are only one term in but we have a handle on the work and what’s required and the kids are actually enjoying it. We all enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Anzac spirit topic. It helped us feel close to home. Today we had a suprisingly fun maths game, who knew maths could be fun! 

I’m now almost certain that it won’t kill me and it may teach me patience and even some knowledge along the way.  The kids are getting more independent every day. It’s a win-win! I am also in awe of teachers who do this with 20+ kids. I tip my hat to them.
 Our first class room on Hiriketiya beach Sri Lanka. I loved working here. 

Pearls first zoom call with some help from the locals. Free wifi in cafes is really helpful

Morning tea break Hiriketiya beach.

What break time looks like. 

Maths games and afternoon beverages. 

Bliss

Miles first zoom call, he was actually terrified and I had to sit with him the whole time.

Miles classmate Emmy. We found Emmy and her mum Evie coincidentally on social media and the kids had a fun two days togeather. 

Kalpitiya 

Pearl had to do naplan while in Sri Lanka. So we made it as fun as possible. 

One of our most spectacular classroom. Miles kept getting distracted though. 

Pearl reviving her first Lano Merit award.

Miles recieveing his first Lano Merit award.  

Long train trips are the perfect classroom.