I started Year 7 with the old Correspondence School, now called the Sydney Secondary Distance Education Centre in 1989. During the previous year, the School Principal had told my mother that it was a big step and I should just concentrate on English and Maths. But somehow I found myself doing five subjects, English, Maths, Science, Commerce and Home Science, and being told that if I worked hard enough I would make it to Year 10 and get my School Certificate. I have done this through the pathways System as I have Cerebral Palsy and attend Allambie Special School. I joined the SSDEC because the students are at different learning levels, and it was impossible to reach my education goals any other way.

Over the past eight years I have learnt so much with the SSDEC. The expereince has had many advantages. I hav ebeen able to follow my own timetable. I is great to have the choice of working out when to do certain subjects. If I am having trouble answering a particular section in one subject and the supervisor/teacher is busy with somebody else, then I put it aside to come back to later on. Some difficult subjects are best done at home, and other subjects are best done at school where sometimes the student needs to be a little more independent. I have been able to work at my pace, as long as a title page in each subject is sent in every week.

Vanessa

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