Home Schooling Getting Started

Well we eventually got down to some work with the boys. A big part of this journey is to be able to home school the boys while travelling. We are able to enjoy the flexibility of working when we need and taking it easy when it suits.

After a few weeks we have settled into a bit of a routine. The boys have a swim in the pool for 30 minutes and then get down to some work. We have tried to make it as fun as possible, not always easy when teaching maths! But they seem to be enjoying it. We have found if the boys concentrate they can get most of the work done in about 2-3 hours. The views help.

I have made resources, used online resources and have also got the boys writing up articles for the website. They have also used the internet to research work, such as finding out about volcanoes and then making a poster for us. It helps that you can see five volcanoes on Java from the beach in front of the villa!

Yogi, who works at the villa, has taught the boys some Balinese phrases, this has been mighty impressive when meeting new people. Just like other countries, if you make an effort to talk in their language they can be very encouraging. The problem arises though if they think you are fluent!

I have also been lucky to have help from parents back in Belfast: Michelle, Jude, Simon and Mandy have all taken the trouble to send me copies of the work the boys would have been doing at Strandtown. Not too sure the boys are as happy about this as I am. This helps to keep the links going with school and I hope the boys will not feel they have missed out because we are travelling.

That’s all for now. School is finished for the day....the pool is calling.