Worldschooling, the act of taking your kids on an extended traveling experience, and using the world as their classroom, is on fire. More families than ever—impelled by the work from anywhere revolution—are hitting the road. At Cicero, we serve a lot of worldschooling families. Our model of 1:1, personalize school that happens on your schedule, helps to enable worldschooling. Indeed, it’s a kind of accelerant.
One key consideration for worldschooling families is meeting up with other worldschooling families, creating social interactions, and sharing resources. Luckily, as worldschooling grows so have worldschooling hubs: places and organizations dedicated to bringing together worldschooling families so that they connect.
Worldschooling Hubs – A Community Solution
There are a number of different types of worldschooling hubs. Some are actual organizations that run programs, including courses and activities for kids and their families. Some are more loosely defined: Maybe a Facebook Group-driven community of people who co-inhabit a place for a little while, with pop-up activities happening here and there.
The following list, though not comprehensive, and in no particular order, will give you a sense of some of the better worldschooling hubs.
1) Worldschooling Community – Bansko, Bulgaria
Bansko, a quaint town nestled in southwestern Bulgaria, has quickly gained popularity as a hub for skiing and winter sports, as well as a community of worldschooling families. The town boasts of numerous language schools and alternative education options, coupled with a supportive community of fellow traveling families. With an abundance of activities catering to both children and parents, Bansko is an ideal destination for like-minded families.
As full-time digital nomads with young children, working from home can often pose a challenge and be less productive. Thus, a great co-working space is essential for these worldschooling families. We were delighted to find that Bansko has several co-working spaces, making it possible for families to work and explore at the same time. Even more appealing, Bansko offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and is home to numerous yoga studios, making it a holistic experience for the entire family.
2) HomeSchool Beach Nosara (HSBN) – Costa Rica
The HomeSchool Beach Worldschooling Hub in Nosara, Costa Rica is a personalized learning experience for children aged 8-13, and the program is located in Esperanza, a safe community in Nosara, Costa Rica. The community here is a family of diverse and like-minded learners who come from all over the world during the months of November through July and can stay for a year, a semester or minimum a month. HSBN offers a 5 days/week or a 3 days/week Homeschooling program OR a 3 days/week Spanish immersion program. With no more than 8 students per class, children receive guidance, support and motivation in a small group environment.The programs offer meaningful, cultural, social and academic experiences that help children to develop their interests, confidence and ability through independent studies and community give-back projects. I believe that all the parents/ kids reading this blog would also really enjoy HSBN’s open-air classrooms that are in line with what Worldschoolers want. A form of learning that provides an experience where children can connect with nature and enjoy the surrounding wildlife.There is a $50 application fee, and tuition fees start at $400 for Pre-K/K, $450 for 1st-5th grade, and $540 for 7th-12th grade. The tuition fee includes the use of books, materials, campus maintenance, and improvements. Note that families need to find their own lodging as the program is designed for immersive programs for your kids only.
3) The World School Hub -Cabrera, DR
The World School Hub, was founded in January 2020, and draws inspiration from various educational philosophies such as Peaceful/Respectful parenting, Waldorf, Sudbury, Reggio-Emilia, and worldschooling. This is a learning community that prioritizes the children’s interests and is heavily focused on outdoor experiences. There is no set curriculum or standardized testing, and learning is based on what the students are curious about. The hub promotes self-directed education, nature based education, and consent-based, democratic practices through its educational approach. The school provides affordable access to alternative education for local Dominican students while also serving as an inclusive space for local, expat, and worldschooling students to explore, learn, and play. The approach is centered on building relationships with the land through regular and repeated access to the same natural space over an extended period of time.
The World School currently offers a 3-month program in different international locations. Once you contact the hub, they will inform you of the upcoming locations. In the past, the programs have been in Spain, Italy, Bali and more. Attendance is never mandatory, but they do not offer discounts for partial sessions. Tuition starts as low as $300 USD/month, and they typically provide estimates for local housing prices for budgeting purposes. However, housing is the responsibility of each family and is not included, except for the Spain session, where the hub offers on-site housing at a separate price. The hub can provide suggested rental locations and a local realtor or other contact to help you locate housing.
4) Worldschool Pop-up Hub
WorldSchool Pop-Up Hub strives to make Worldschooling accessible to all, no matter where they are in the world. This hub also welcomes those who are new to Worldschooling or simply curious about this way of life. Their aim is to showcase that worldschooling does not have to be expensive, and much of our world exploration can be done without breaking the bank. The cost is US$150 per family, which includes a friendly host, private communication group(s), a family directory, the itinerary, and the chance to meet other worldschoolers. Families are responsible for their own transport, lodging, meals, visas, and entrance fees.
This week-long gathering includes activities such as hiking, visiting free museums and concerts, building sandcastles, swimming in creeks, exploring local markets, trying new foods, and connecting with people along the way. Their pop-up locations enable them to offer events throughout the year in different locations, which provides a great opportunity for families to connect and explore the world together. Some of the upcoming pop ups are in Istanbul, Osaka and Florence!
Families have full autonomy over where they stay, how they get around, and how involved they are with pop-up activities. Everyone is encouraged to attend the activities that interest them most, and spontaneous decisions can be made as a group.
5) The Hive – Cabrera, DR
At The Hive in Cabrera in the Dominican Republic, the programs are built around the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provides a purpose and goal that will hopefully inspire kids to make a real, tangible impact on existing world issues. With two amazing programmes to choose from, the Hive is the perfect place for developing inner sense of safety and belonging within the community, while also discovering one’s purpose in the world. The Nature Heroes Camp and Ocean Heroes Camp provide the perfect opportunity for young minds to explore and learn about our planet, while developing the skills to create lasting change.
You can join the Ocean Heroes Camp for three weeks at $1360 or the Nature Heroes Camp for two weeks at $1095. The Hive can offer accommodation for families with prices ranging from $500 to $2000 depending on affordability.
How Does Cicero Fit Into Worldschooling?
At Cicero, we offer a unique opportunity for worldschoolers in a hub. We can create a customized course based on their experiences and tailor it to their individual needs. This course can also be set up as a pod, which allows a small group of students in the hub to learn and share their experiences together.
In-situ learning is a key aspect of world schooling, where students learn through first hand experiences and immersion in different environments and cultures. At Cicero for example, we can design field trips, visits, and hands-on experiences to situate learning in place (in-situ) and make it deeper and more connected with the students in the hub.
Cicero can also fill any gaps that a student may have in his/her curriculum. For example, if a student is attending a hub but needs to take a course that isn’t offered there, we can fill that gap. For example, let’s say an 11th grade worldschooler from the U.S. is spending the year in the DR and attending some programs at the Hive; but they want to take an AP level U.S. history course in order to build a strong transcript for college. Cicero excels at exactly this. We can pair that student with a teacher who is experienced in AP for a 1:1 course, including exam prep.This allows the student to take advantage of everything the hub has to offer while still ensuring they have the necessary coursework to advance their education.
At Cicero, we’re super bullish on worldschooling and think worldschooling hubs offer a lot of fantastic benefits for this growing group of families. We’re here to support them in their exciting and one-of-a-kind educational journey.
Get in touch with us for more information.
