UAE | Education
At home with his education
Drew Heath sits in his bedroom-office surrounded by a large stack of Gulf News and extends his hand across the large table and introduces himself.
- By Marten Youssef, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:21 November 14, 2008
- Twelve-year-old Drew Heath, an avid reader of Gulf News, stands across his reading table at his home.
- Image Credit: Marten Youssef/Gulf News
Abu Dhabi: Drew Heath sits in his bedroom-office surrounded by a large stack of Gulf News and extends his hand across the large table and introduces himself.
At 12 years old, Drew comes across as a sophisticated young man far ahead of his peers. Almost every morning, he walks downstairs to a little corner shop and pays Dh3 for his own copy of Gulf News.
When most of his other peers hardly care about the news from any source, let alone newspapers, Drew has been reading the paper for the past four years. Along with his two siblings and parents, Drew moved to Abu Dhabi four years ago from Ottawa, Canada.
His mother Krista, a teacher by training, and his father, Peter, decided that homeschooling would be the best option for Drew.
"I know his strength and weaknesses and I was able to develop his strengths and work on his weaknesses in a way that a typical classroom would not be able to do," Krista says.
"I was very shy when I was younger and I would have faded in the classroom," Drew says.
Contrary to the popular misconception that homeschoolers are isolated children who are antisocial and don't know how to relate to people, Drew has created a diverse network of friends.
He is a poster child for home-schooled children: young, bright with committed parents and well-connected with other homeschoolers in the neighbourhood.
"Most of my friends are from church or boy scouts or homeschoolers themselves," he says.
For Krista, being a full-time mother of three means being a full-time teacher of three, but she is all smiles.
With Christmas around the corner, Drew has already started making his wish list and on top, he says, is "a subscription to Gulf News".
"I bring the paper here and spread it out, looking at stories and reading headlines. I look for movie reviews, weather updates and stories that relate to me - like parking - which is a major problem here," he says.
Right next to his reading chair are a stack of trophies, awards and certificates mostly for his reading skills - Drew could read by the age of three.
"I watch television and I read the online edition of Gulf News but I still prefer the hard copy. I can take it with me every where. I give the classified section to my dad because he is looking for a new car."
Drew flips through the day's newspaper. "I tend to skim though the stories but read on if anything interests me. There is a lot about speeding lately," he says pointing out to a story regarding speed cameras.
"That is really needed," he taps his finger for effect as he turns the page.
Why do you think there is unique? Do you believe reading habits are becoming rare among children? Why? What do you do to encourage your child to read?
Your comments
I think it is better for a child to be educated in a school rather than at home.
Irfan Hussain
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 15, 2008, 14:36
I think this is a very interesting article.
Glenn Acuna
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 15, 2008, 08:15
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