Janelle Barnes | HEA Committee member
Home Education Association

Day 2 @ 13:30

Home Schooling Forum

In conjunction with the Home Education Association (HEA) -

Welcoming Address by HEA President Karen Chegwidden

The last couple of years have brought education into sharp focus, and especially home education as parents have become necessarily more involved in their children’s education. Home education now is the fastest growing sector in education. Join the Home Education Forum to find the answers to all your home education questions. 

Home Schooling: Will the Real Home Education Please Stand Up?

Dr Terry Harding - 45 min presentation, 15 min Q&A

Home schooling, AKA home education has experienced vibrant growth across Australia and the Western World over the last few years. Given the many variants of school-based, mandated learning-at-home and remote and distance learning, understanding what is true home education can be confusing. 

This session defines and clarifies true home education and the many home-based learning variants. It looks at why parents have chosen home education pre and post-COVID conditions. The author's recent research provides school leaders with vital information about what matters to parents who are considering exiting from the school system and entering home education. Similarly, it clarifies what is most important to home educators. 

You must be very patient and other myths about home education. 

Karen Chegwidden

Although becoming a more mainstream choice, home education continues to be perceived through a lens of assumptions not based in reality. When telling people that you home educate, common responses include -"You must be very patient", "I could never do that", "but what about socialisation?" and "can they go to university?" Karen Chegwidden, President of the Home Education Association, will share the lived experience of home education and unpack some of the myths surrounding home education. 

Grad video

Young people share their experiences of transitioning from home education to tertiary education. 

Panel Discussion - Home Education

Have you been considering home educating but not sure where to start? Perhaps you have educational FOMO? Our Expert panel has over three decades of combined home education experience answer your questions and put your minds at ease. Join us as we discuss:

● Where to start when you begin home education

● how home educators can access the same sorts of resources as schools

● Educational opportunities that are almost impossible to replicate in a classroom environment

● The advantages of young people being able to explore their own interests

● Things we wish teachers knew about home education

This is an interactive panel, so bring all your home ed questions and join in the conversation. 

Panellists

● Karen Chegwidden 

● Tere Latimer 

● Janelle Barnes 

Panel Discussion - Teaching STEM at home

This panel brings together experts in the field of STEM education to discuss the challenges and rewards of teaching STEM at home. Join our panel for inspiration and resources on how you can successfully teach these specialist subjects without access to a school lab or a science degree yourself. Bring your questions to this interactive session and leave inspired and equipped for your home education journey. 

Panellists

● Education Perfect - Kelly Hollis kelly.hollis@educationperfect.com

● Grok (awaiting confirmation)

● Brainary - Sam Kinsley sam@thebrainary.com

● Shape Robotics - Robert Widger rob@shaperobotics.com

Closing Address by HEA President Karen Chegwidden 

Home Education is legal, achievable and it works. You can successfully home educate your children. The HEA is there to assist and support you every step of the way. Find out how to connect with the HEA and get support to take the next step. 

Kelly Hollis, Australian Curriculum Specialist, Education Perfect

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Kelly Hollis / Home Schooling Forum

Kelly Hollis, Australian Curriculum Specialist,
Education Perfect

Kelly Hollis is the Australian Head of Curriculum for Education Perfect. She is an experienced Science teacher with over 13 years in the classroom and an ambassador for the effective use of technology in education. Kelly wears many hats in her role as an education technology expert and has been...

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Janelle Barnes, HEA Committee member, Home Education Association

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Janelle Barnes / Home Schooling Forum

Janelle Barnes, HEA Committee member,
Home Education Association

Janelle is a former government project coordinator and primary school teacher who chose to homeschool her daughters after the 2020 COVID lockdown when she found they made so much progress with their learning at home. As the mother of a dyslexic child Janelle understands the challenges that some...

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Tere Latimer, Vice President, Home Education Association

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Tere Latimer / Home Schooling Forum

Tere Latimer, Vice President,
Home Education Association

Tere Latimer is the Vice President of the Home Education Association (HEA), Australia's peak body for home educators.  She is an association & education administrator, including Film Education, with a focus on policy standards, communications and events. The HEA is a member...

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Rob Widger, Global Education Director, Shape Robotics

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Rob Widger / Home Schooling Forum

Rob Widger, Global Education Director,
Shape Robotics

Rob has over 25 years of experience in Education including teaching, training and product development. Ten years teaching in both primary and secondary phases in two countries and as an ICT adviser where he trained teachers in Hertfordshire. He spent 10 years with LEGO Education as a Master Trainer ...

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Sam Kingsley, Head of STEM Education, The Brainary

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Sam Kingsley / Home Schooling Forum

Sam Kingsley, Head of STEM Education,
The Brainary

Sam Kingsley is the Head of STEM Education & Assistive Technology at the Brainary. He focuses on the implementation of robotic technologies in mainstream and special education classrooms. He has 6+ years of experience supporting Schools, Public Libraries and Universities across Australia. Sam...

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Karen Chegwidden, President, Home Education Association

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Karen Chegwidden / Home Schooling Forum

Karen Chegwidden, President,
Home Education Association

Karen Chegwidden is a mother of three; her two adult children both gained admission to university without ever having been to high school, and without a HSC. Her youngest child was home educated until 10th grade, and then successfully transitioned to the local high school. Karen is the President of ...

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Bruce Fuda, Head of Education (Curriculum), Grok Academy

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Bruce Fuda / Home Schooling Forum

Bruce Fuda, Head of Education (Curriculum),
Grok Academy

Bruce Fuda is Head of Education (Curriculum) at Grok Academy and the Project Lead on the Schools Cyber Security Challenges Project. Prior to joining Grok Academy, he has held jobs in Secondary Schools and the University sector, working as a teacher, Head of Department and Associate Principal, and...

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Terry Harding, Manager, Australian Christian Home Schooling

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Terry Harding / Home Schooling Forum

Terry Harding, Manager,
Australian Christian Home Schooling

Terry is one of the pioneers of both home schooling and non-government distance education in Australia. He has been influential in the development of both of these forms of education, from the viewpoints of: 1.    A Practitioner – Terry and his wife, Diane, home educated their 5 children for 15...

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