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| Boston Globe - January 30, 2000 - Growing Worldly Wise (Page 1)
There was more than one raised eyebrow in Newton's Cabot Elementary School when the Simons announced they would be taking their three young children out of school and on the road from December through June.
Patty and Dick Simon were ambitious: They not only wanted Alex, 10, Katie, 8, and Ben, 6, to have experiential learning in some of the most remote places in the world, but they wanted to include their classmates as much as possible.
Some teachers were doubtful. There were concerns whether the Simons, both 46, knew what they were getting into taking on three full-time roles - parent, teacher, and world traveler - in places like India, Thailand, and Africa for seven months.
Still, the lure of adventure was too great for the teachers to pass up. The challenge of transforming a classmate's encounter with a scarlet macaw into a meaningful learning experience for the entire class was on.
Now, two months into the Simon family's trip - they are scheduled to leave Houston for Thailand tomorrow - the children remain an integral part of the classrooms they left. Tracking the family, some teachers said, has translated into lessons in geography, culture, and even language that have a personal connection for all students.
"We embrace their trip," said Gwen Day-Fuller, Alex's fifth-grade teacher. The family's extended trip and homeschooling plans are a first for the teacher who has taught more than 20 years. "There is no question he will miss the extra things in the classroom. But on the other side, it is wonderful. (Alex's classmates can learn and be excited by. . .
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Contact the Simon Family by email at simondick@aol.com.
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