Homeschooling but not at home?

[Jungle Mama]

I am wondering if anyone has ever considered homeschooling somewhere else that isn't home.

 

I am finding myself so distracted at home by messes and projects and housework. If I was to pack up the kids and I with our school "workboxes" and a box of toy for the 4 year old and headed to the library or the park we could work without the electronic distractions, projects and housework at home. And quite frankly I wonder if the house would be easier to keep clean if we weren't here all the time creating more mess.

 

Is this too wild an idea? Any suggestions on how to make it work?

 

Thanks

Jen in Oz

(crosspost in an Australian forum)

[EducationX2]

We do schoolwork in places other than home all the time. At the public library, at my university library, in the lobby before dance class, at the park, waiting for doctors appointments, etc.etc.etc. :D

 

I simplify things by getting the subjects done at home that have a lot of extras. We don't bring All About Spelling out with us, because it would be too much work to bring the whiteboard, the cards, and the tiles out with us. We don't usually do art out because, well, it's a mess. :lol: If we're using math manipulatives, we do it at home.

 

Pretty much the only things I take out are workbooks. We *may* do a little cutting and pasting, a little coloring, but for the most part if it doesn't fit in DD's bookbag, it doesn't go.

[mumto2]

A friend rented a small retail or office space years ago and then went there for school. Her dd is autistic and many of the therapist went there as opposed to their home. I think she liked it but it was for the one year she did home ed.

 

We have done school in many different locations. Parks, hotels, cars, etc. The hardest part for me is getting my son to concentrate in the park. He would rather run and play!

[freerange]

We've occasionally gone to the library or a cafe to work, but I don't think it would work for us on a regular basis. Good for the blahs when we just need something to break up the routine & get us through the last couple of weeks before a break.

[Night Elf]

I tried the library a few times but didn't feel comfortable. The environment is stuffy because you have to be quiet and not distract others. Plus the kids and I would get distracted ourselves by people watching. We didn't have much stuff that was workbook only that the kids could just open and work in. I always had stuff to talk about so I felt weird. I grew up being told that the library is not a place for talking. I'm not sure people feel that way anymore.

[Plink]

We call it destination school, and my crew (including my DD with attention struggles) loves the variety, but I wouldn't do it every day.

[GoVanGogh]

I tried the library a few times but didn't feel comfortable. The environment is stuffy because you have to be quiet and not distract others. Plus the kids and I would get distracted ourselves by people watching. We didn't have much stuff that was workbook only that the kids could just open and work in. I always had stuff to talk about so I felt weird. I grew up being told that the library is not a place for talking. I'm not sure people feel that way anymore.

Many libraries now have study rooms that you can rent out for a few hours. You can talk away all you want in those. :D

We just toured a library in a neighboring city a few weeks ago and they have study rooms with giant whiteboards. :w00t: Can't wait to go school there!

 

We have schooled at Starbucks, cafe, library, picnic table at nature center... This fall I anticipate we will school out of the home quite a bit, as a subdivision is being built directly behind our home. We had to leave when they were laying the new roads, due to the noise level. The houses will be a worse distraction. :glare:

[Jungle Mama]

For those of you who went out do you think you could have taken all of your school stuff with you (except desks and whiteboards lol) if you were travelling in a car?

 

Thanks for the ideas. I will need to check out my local libraries.

 

Best wishes

Jen in Oz

[Bang!Zoom!]

Last year I used a carry on sized suitcase on wheels plus a full size 17 laptop.

 

This year, we use a backpack and iPad.

 

We are out at the library 4 to 5 days a week. It's a huge commitment.

 

There are days I want to be committed with this routine. It's not easy.

[mrs.m]

I tried the library a few times but didn't feel comfortable. The environment is stuffy because you have to be quiet and not distract others. Plus the kids and I would get distracted ourselves by people watching. We didn't have much stuff that was workbook only that the kids could just open and work in. I always had stuff to talk about so I felt weird. I grew up being told that the library is not a place for talking. I'm not sure people feel that way anymore.

 

I don't think people think the library should be quiet any longer. There are quiet rooms in our library and people that "shhh" others are directed there. :lol: We do school in the children's area all the time. Not many coming through on a school day!

[mrs.m]

For those of you who went out do you think you could have taken all of your school stuff with you (except desks and whiteboards lol) if you were travelling in a car?

 

Thanks for the ideas. I will need to check out my local libraries.

 

Best wishes

Jen in Oz

 

Yes. I do it. But we don't do a lot of hands on stuff.

[GoVanGogh]

For those of you who went out do you think you could have taken all of your school stuff with you (except desks and whiteboards lol) if you were travelling in a car?

What can easily be carried and done out of the house.

I probably wouldn't take our writing book, as it is two large volumes and we often need a dictionary and thesaurus. (Now, if I had an iPad... ;)) If I wanted to do writing, I would do a different approach - like have DS write a summary from his history book.

I wouldn't take a chemistry or physics lesson that requires a lot of supplies, but might include a nature/science book that can be read outside.

We do have a small whiteboard, so I might take that and a dry erase marker or two.

I wouldn't take a number of books that required reading aloud unless we were going somewhere that we could read and not disturb those around us. (A bit of reading is fine, but I don't plan on reading - say - a chapter of SOTW and a chapter of Tom Sawyer at Starbucks. That is just me, though. It may not bother others.)

[Farrar]

If we've had a bad day the day before or just need a shake up (or happen to need to be somewhere off the subway early in the morning) then we do Panera School. It's good. Children are less whiny while eating bagels for some reason. And one time some random lady saw we were homeschooling and bought us cookies! It totally made my day.

 

I've tried to do library school and it's an epic fail every time in every library. The librarians ALWAYS interfere. It's so bizarre. Like, leave us alone with our Math Mammoth printouts and stop trying to talk to us/suggest things/rope us into activities! And for some reason the children are more whiny at the library doing school (not at the library in general though) than they are at home.

 

ETA: Oh, and as for stuff, I usually do this carless so it's got to be all stuff I can carry. Workbooks are light, a couple of pencils, the iPad, a couple of books for reading. No math manipulatives or messy projects - just the basics when we're schooling away.

Edited August 14, 2012 by farrarwilliams

[Dobela]

My daughter receives 8 hours of therapy a week so we do lots of school outside of the home. Sometimes we do it at a restaurant, sometimes the library but both are pretty distracting. A friend of mine several years ago would go to her church 4 days a week. They let her use one of the classrooms for her lessons. She said it worked great and made it feel more important somehow. But most of all she didn't have any distractions.

[elegantlion]

We will occasionally go somewhere, but we're highly distractable. Our library doesn't have a study room. It's a nice change of pace, but on a regular basis it would be too distracting.

[KungFuPanda]

I am wondering if anyone has ever considered homeschooling somewhere else that isn't home.

 

I am finding myself so distracted at home by messes and projects and housework. If I was to pack up the kids and I with our school "workboxes" and a box of toy for the 4 year old and headed to the library or the park we could work without the electronic distractions, projects and housework at home. And quite frankly I wonder if the house would be easier to keep clean if we weren't here all the time creating more mess.

 

Is this too wild an idea? Any suggestions on how to make it work?

 

Thanks

Jen in Oz

(crosspost in an Australian forum)

 

Have you tried making one of your rooms a school area and just treating it like it's not at home? If you just keep a schedule and forbid yourself from doing Mom work during Teacher hours, you may get the effect you want. You can pack lunches and have a bell and recess and everything. It's certainly easier to ignore the lau dry than it is to do it. :D

 

I know a lot of homeschoolers don't like to recreate school at home, but if it works for you you win :-)

[Jungle Mama]

I think that with 4 boys I could very easily end up with a situation of lots of distractions if we were out, just like at home. The idea of a designated space at home may work. Hmm, lots to ponder.

 

Best wishes

Jen in Oz

[JaneP]

Sometimes I go and help out in the family business during the busy season and we have an office to do our school in. You may not feel the same way, but I am never really relaxed, worrying dds are making too much noise and making a mess etc. Of course if you find the right environment, why not give it a try?

[elfgivas]

we do an hour of household chores, outdoor chores, etc before school. it helps me not worry about the other things. and i have convinced myself that this is my job, and if i were working outside the home, i wouldn't get anything done anyway, so anything i do get done is bonus.

 

our latest idea is to turn off the phone AND internet during school hours. we use the internet for some things, so that is going to be tricky. but having to deliberately turn it on, and having one of the dc do it rather than me worked yesterday. time will tell.

 

we do the occasional "panera" school (panera is an american soup and sandwich healthy food chain). we did starbucks school yesterday afternoon while one of the dds danced.

[LucyStoner]

We do math, cursive, some Latin and some history and science reading at the library 3-5 days a week. My house is in order but with my son's HFA it is easier to get through the material without the distractions of home. I keep a book bag in the trunk of the car so we are always ready. After his schoolwork, he can look at books and then use the computer for a bit. Sometimes we set up school on a picnic table at the park instead. It is also way easier to keep my 3 yo happy at the library or park while his big brother works.

Edited August 15, 2012 by kijipt