Home-schooled children keep getting a bad rap but a group of Wollongong youngsters are proving the doubters wrong.
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And Horsley father-of-two Andrew Clark wants it known that home-schooled children are not all ‘’damaged, odd and isolated’’ from their community.
He points to the ongoing robotics’ success enjoyed by Wollongong’s Project Bucephalus team to highlight the fact home-schooling is a legitimate education method which works well
‘’It wasn’t that long ago that NSW was holding a government enquiry into home-schooling,’’ Mr Clark said.
‘’I think the bottom line is it’s regarded as an odd choice. It is regarded for some kids that are damaged. It is regarded as not normal.
‘’The view is kids are going to suffer because they miss out on socialisation. But that’s not the case.
‘’Our [Project Bucephalus] kids are getting out in the community, they are teaching other children, they are working together flawlessly and are doing exceptionally well.
‘’They are home-schooled but they are standing up against some of the best in the world and they’re equalling or bettering them.’’
There are success stories for home-schooling but you don’t always here a lot about them.
- Andrew Clark
Mr Clark is referring to Project Bucephalus’ success in early June at the Open European Championships of the First LEGO League.
The Wollongong-based team finished third in the international science and robotics competition in Denmark which featured 120 teams from 50 countries.
‘’There are success stories for home-schooling but you don’t always here a lot about them,’’ Mr Clark said.
‘’You here stories of how parents are left with no choice but to home-school because their kids have been bullied or have anxiety or something. But that’s not always the case.
‘’Children are home-schooled for a number of reasons.
‘’I home-schooled my soon Isaac because he has sleep apnea and was struggling at school. I had no problem with the school whatsoever but since we started schooling at home he has thrived.
‘’And so are his team-mates who are standing up against the best in the world in a very challenging competition. Their success is a big deal.’’