10 tips for regional and rural homeschooling
The best part of homeschooling is learning anywhere at any time. But if you live regional or rural there are some extra unique challenges and opportunities. Big distances, shonky internet, and lack of services can be the norm. But geography doesn’t have to stop you from home educating your kids in the bush.
I am a mum of four living in Outback Queensland. Previous to living out west, we lived in a few regional towns, and before that in Brisbane city. My kids started off in mainstream school but when my husband changed careers, we started moving a lot and homeschool became very appealing. As my husband progressed in his career, he started taking more work in regional and rural settings. So with each new position, we moved more and more remote.
Today we live in a little rural town situated on the highway on the edge of the outback. Picture a town with a classic old pub and a scattering of houses. I’m talking about a town so small that as you drive through, if you sneeze you might miss it. Friends have said they can hold their breath as they drive from one end of my town to the other. But we have a good life here and while it is quite isolated from friends and services, we love what the country has to offer.
The perks
I asked some home educating parents what they love about homeschooling in regional and rural Australia. Here’s what they had to say:
· I love that regional communities are pretty laid back and open to including everyone.
· The amazing wildlife and scenery.
· We love all the nature, farms, and beaches.
· An abundance of space.
· Real life and practical skills.
· Less hustle and bustle.
· A deeper appreciation of weather patterns, seasons, and crop production.
· The unique country culture.
· Incorporating our garden, animals, and farm life into our programs.
· Basing our learning on our surrounds and country life.
The challenges
These same families also shared some of the challenges they face home educating outside major cities. The diagram below summarises into four areas - Distance, People, Resources, and Weather.
My top 10 tips for regional, rural and remote (RRR) home education
Here are some tips and practical ways to develop rich education experiences despite location. Including how to incorporate resources, competitions, education providers, virtual excursions, and funding great for regional and rural kids, including teens.
Tip #1: Love your library
We don't have any shops in my rural town, but we do have a library. A small collection open to locals for 4 hours a week. But I still love it and libraries in general. Libraries are my go-to resource for free content. If your library is small like mine, check out their online extras. For example, Borrow Box and Libby apps for ebooks and e-audio books, Story Box Library for early learners, and access to LinkedIn Learning short courses for youth and adults. Don't forget to sign up to other libraries including State libraries. Some councils will allow online access to members living outside their region. Multiple memberships can increase your borrowing power and access to online tools. Check out their virtual workshops and events too.
Tip #2: Book a virtual excursion
How far is your nearest big museum or science centre? Mine is about 7 hours away! Sometimes we take a big road trip to a capital city and visit as much as we can. But more often we save the trip and book virtual excursions from home. Some of our excursions have been facilitated by DART Learning, State Library NSW, Sydney Opera House, and Virtual Excursions Australia. Look out for a Virtual Week in Canberra too.
Tip #3: Find an online course
Country kids are resourceful when it comes to making do. They know living in a small town often means fewer opportunities. Access to specialist programs can be limited and this can be a big challenge! So, what if your child has a talent or interest in a particular area? Furthermore, what if you as a parent can’t help because you know little about it? In this case, online curriculums and courses can be a great solution. In the past, we have used Domestika for art, Udemy and Grok Academy for coding and IT, LinkedIn Learning for web building, Education Perfect and Kahn Academy for general curriculum, a writing program with Story Factory, and an online RTO for a Cert III course. Other course providers we have investigated for high school include UniLearn, TAFE, Codecademy and Open Universities.
Tip #4: Join a club
Chances are if you are rural or regional, your child is already in a sporting or interest club. And chances are as a homeschool parent, you are driving huge distances, staying in cheap motels or perhaps swagging at various carnivals. Then if your child is extra talented you probably travel even further for state and national events. So why bother? Clubs and community groups are the hubs of small towns. This is where we connect with peers, mentors, and coaches. Clubs foster commitment and team building. Clubs develop skills, and talents and encourage volunteering. It's a healthy way to get out and stay physically and mentally fit. You may even be eligible for state sports vouchers such as FairPlay QLD. Other programs for teens include The Duke of Edinburgh Award, and Scouts and Girl Guides associations. Read my son’s blog post about his Duke of Edinburgh Award adventures.
Tip #5: Attend a school or distance ed activity
Just because you home educate doesn’t mean you can’t mix it up a little. Why not ask a school or distance education school to join some of their in-person and online programs? In my experience, many schools are willing to accommodate homeschooled students in their sports, events and specialist programs. In our case, my daughter was able to participate in cross country and swimming lessons with our local state school. My sons were able to join the Global Tropics Future online STEM program hosted by Thuringowa State High School. My sons also registered to attend an adventure camp with Faith School of Distance Education. Unfortunately, this was cancelled last minute due to the leader contracting COVID-19. In each of these examples, I found the school staff welcoming of my children’s participation.
Tip #6: Choose a podcast or audiobooks for the road
Long distance driving is a give-in for country folk. For rural and remote families this is more so. For example, my closest Woolworths or IGA is 130 km away. So we spend a lot of time travelling for our needs. I have a captive audience and time on our hands. Not always, but sometimes we listen to podcasts or audiobooks together. I admit this was easier when the kids were younger but we have learned some interesting things through podcasts. There are plenty of podcasts to suit all interests. Check out my blog entry sharing 72 Top Podcast Picks for Homeschoolers. Alternatively, download your fave e-audio books from your free Libby or Borrow Box app.
Tip #7: Enter a competition
Does your child get excited by a competition? Do they like receiving certificates, trophies, or prizes, including cash? Mine do! Not all learning needs rewarding but sometimes a little competition can motivate a student. Maybe you don't miss the pageantry of school awards nights, but you appreciate the feeling of being rewarded for effort. If so, competitions are a fun substitute. Our homeschool family love a good competition. We like the challenge of meeting set criteria and deadlines. We only chose competitions based on the kids' interests and talents. Each of my children has enjoyed seeing their work recognised. Including seeing their art hung in galleries, a story published in a book, their documentary published on a museum website, their winning video game featured at a gaming convention, and a trip to Sydney to perform live on stage. Maybe you would like to start by entering your local district show with an artwork, garden sample, or livestock beauty. Download my free resource: Jillina's Hot 5 Tips - Competitions for Homeschool
Tip #8: Foster online friendships
One of the biggest concerns new homeschool parents have is about socialisation. This is one driving factor for rural families sending their children to boarding school. However, if you want to learn at home, you can still have a social life. But what if you live remotely, without neighbours and no homeschool groups in your area? Then you could look to more digital solutions to substitute in-person opportunities. Using safe, supervised and age appropriate online channels of communication can be a great way to maintain friendships. Google Meets, Zoom, Skype, Messenger Kids, email, and even online gaming can help your child connect with their peers and distant relatives. Group schoolwork can also take place online. For example, my teens completed a 6 month project using Google Chats, Meets and Drive, with another home ed boy who lives over 600kms from us.
Tip #9: Build a community
Smaller towns often bring a greater sense of community but also more town talk. It's beautiful and challenging at the same time. Becoming a volunteer is a great way to build your community. You may want to join your local ICPA branch to advocate for better opportunities for rural and remote students. You could join or start a local homeschool group if you are lucky to have other homeschoolers within distance. Often things get left to the small few who repeatedly volunteer. Bring your special talents and ideas to the table. Encourage your teens to volunteer and incorporate it into your education programs. My teens volunteer at our community garden and record their hours towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award which counts toward their QCE high school certificates.
Tip #10: AIC and ICPA support
Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) is a group of payments for parents and carers of children who can't go to a local state school. This could be because of geographical isolation, disability or special needs. If you are doing approved homeschooling you may be eligible for allowances that can help with the costs of education.
Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) lobbies for equity in education for rural and remote children from birth to tertiary with a team of Federal Councillors working on the various issues under specialist portfolios. Find your local branch to get support and help advocate for sustained learning in your region.
So while there are some significant challenges with home education in regional and rural Australia, there are some simple ways to make the journey better. I personally believe what makes home education so great is not one’s location, but rather the love and commitment a family has for each other and for learning.
