These two families have been learning U.S. history firsthand — by driving their classroom right up to the story. In this episode, we talk about roadschooling with Kay Akpan, The MOM Trotter, and Robyn Robledo, Co-founder of Nomads with a Purpose.

Is a physical classroom always the best option for your student? Most of us got a taste of at-home learning over the pandemic, for better or for worse. While many turned to online learning, others took a totally different approach. For some, taking their students on the road was a more creative and attractive option. 

On this episode, we talk roadschooling with Kay Akpan and Robyn Robledo, who’ve been “RV schooling” with their families since before the pandemic.

The Roadschooling Trend

At the very beginning of the pandemic, the idea of roadschooling — that is, jumping in an RV to travel the country and do schooling along the way — started to make headlines as so many people were forced into a remote lifestyle. 

For some, however, roadschooling was a decision made well before any social distancing restrictions were put in place.

Driving into Spontaneity, with Kay Akpan

Before her son was born, Kay Akpan, The MOM Trotter, didn’t really take the time to travel much. But that all changed when she realized how much she wanted her son to see what the world had to offer. Making that promise, Kay and her son set out on their adventure.  

But what exactly does the schooling part of roadschooling look like? Is it a structured time in the day where a student sits down and mimics what a regular classroom environment would look like? 

For Kay and her son, learning happens all day long. Anything you’re doing can be a teachable moment, for children and adults alike. The idea of having structured learning time just didn’t make sense. So instead, she’d head to a new state, stay there for a week or two, and truly explore, getting to know the environment at a slower pace to take everything in with her child.

Kay shares the biggest benefits of roadschooling for her family:

1. Visual aids: Students are able to visit Mount Rushmore, and truly take it in — rather than just reading about it. This gives a whole new perspective to the teaching. 
2. Spontaneity: Instead of adhering to a rigid schedule, teaching can become whatever presents itself to students that day — such as encountering a turtle and then spending the afternoon learning all about them.
3. Social education: Because you’re moving around, students gets to interact with many different people from all walks of life.

Advice for Families

For those families considering roadschooling, there’s one thing Kay would like them to think about: Changing their mindset. You might look out at your child playing with a rock and think nothing of it. When really, they could be weighing the rock or figuring out what type it is. Be flexible, ask questions, and let their curiosity lead. 

While you’re traveling, you may start to feel guilty if you can’t keep to a schedule in the same way you could if the student was in a classroom. That’s okay! Just allow them to find their interests and ignite that passion for them however you can. 

Problem Solving Every Day, with Robyn Robledo

For Robyn Robledo, Co-founder of Nomads with a Purpose, traditional schooling just didn’t make sense for her family. Plus, looking at how exhausting it was to keep up with the expenses of Southern California, she was looking for a change. 

After taking a few initial trips, Robyn, her husband, and their daughter took to the roadschooling lifestyle. But then they decided to take it one step further.

Campground or a Nice Meal Out?  

Robyn realized quickly their trip to Europe was too busy for them to keep up with any sort of coursework. Instead, she had her daughter learn to use a budget — keeping to different guidelines with every country that they visited. 

“Along the way I said, ‘If you have 155 euros, you get to pick: Do we get a campground or do we eat out or do we buy a really nice meal tonight?’ We lived problem solving day by day,” Robyn says.

Adapting to Interests and Passions

Different from Kay, Robyn had a home base in San Diego for a few years during the winter, which is where the more traditional learning took place. But when they were on the road, most of the same rules applied: 

Their daughter would always be learning something of their choosing on the road — anything from an instrument to surfing. As long as she was pursuing her passion constructively, Robyn was satisfied.

The biggest benefits of Roadschooling for Robyn and her family included:

1. Adapting to interests and passions: Each student is a little different. Getting to experience the places and things that interest them can give you a new perspective as a parent.
2. Self perpetuating education: The more the student experiences, the more that they want to learn. 
3. Limiting social media: Having such a unique and custom environment allows the parent to tailor it without so much outside stimulus.

Advice for Families

While there are many benefits to roadschooling, it does come with its downsides. One example is there is less chance for student interaction with other people their age. To combat this, Robyn suggests an emphasis on fun. 

This could be making sure you’re leading the way when it comes to hiking, skiing, and more activities to keep your student engaged. Or, if your student needs more intellectual stimulation, ask more questions of them. It’s all about meeting your student where they are and challenging them to be the best version of themselves.

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This episode was brought to you by Art of Problem Solving, where students train to become the great problem solvers of tomorrow. 

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