Hospitalized children get the hang of school

Listening to the stories of children who've been hospitalized long-term with serious illnesses and injuries, it's hard to imagine how they cope with such grave health problems at such a tender age and still managedto keep up in school.

It's a practical consideration most of us luckily never have to confront, but every year there are about 1,500 pediatric patients at Thomayer University Hospital in Prague 4 who have to continue their schooling despite the pain, fatigue and limitations that come with illness, so as not to end up behind when they recover.

For these children, the hospital cooperates with a school staffed by dedicated teachers who say the prescription for successful learning in a hospital setting is an individual approach and of course, a smile.

Alexandra Khodlová is the archetype of a great teacher. She's cheerful, breezy and makes you feel like all your mistakes will be forgiven as long as you just keep trying. She's also a 20-year veteran of the hospital school, teaching a variety of subjects from Czech and English to math, sciences and humanities.

She says the goal of the school is to make ill children feel more comfortable during their hospital stay by providing stimulating activities, and also to make sure those with the potential to return to school do not have a big gap in their studies. The educational programs are planned out on a case-by-case basis by expert pedagogues.

"Sometimes we have lessons with students who have to lie in bed the whole time," she says.

Whenever possible, children meet in small groups for their classes, which emphasize games and learning tasks designed for their individual needs and abilities. Khodlová says this can be difficult.

"We don't want to exclude anyone, but we also don't want to force children to do activities they are not able to do," she says.

She also stresses, however, that it's better to focus on what the children are able to do than on their limitations, and this philosophy has produced many success stories.

Sixteen-year-old Martina was hospitalized for two months at Thomayer after she was hit by a tram, an accident that left her legs crushed and ripped off two toes. Fortunately, her legs were saved, and she is now able to walk again. With the help of the hospital teaching staff, she's now back in school.

"Learning in the hospital is good, because without it, I would have had to repeat a year, and I wouldn't have got into high school," Martina says. "Learning in the hospital is a lot better than at school. I managed to even understand subjects that I never understood at my own school."

Barbora, now 25 and an articulate student of public administration at Metropolitan University Prague, was hospitalized 12 years ago for complications from pneumonia. She says that although it was sometimes very difficult to concentrate on schoolwork while her body was racked with pain and fatigue, the lessons were often a welcome relief.

"It was quite relaxing for me to speak with the teacher and concentrate on something other than my illness," she remembers.

Even after 12 years, Barbora is still in touch with Khodlová, her former teacher, a testament to the strength of the personal relationships formed between students and teachers at the hospital school.

"I especially took a liking to my English teacher," said Honza, who was a pediatric patient at Thomayer six years ago, about his time with Khodlová. "But I liked and still like other teachers, like my geography teacher who I played Pexasos with or my chemistry teacher, with whom I simply couldn't stop laughing." 

Khodlová says she wishes all of her students could keep in touch after they recover, but that their enthusiasm for learning, especially under such adverse conditions, makes it all worthwhile.

"When students say things like 'Wow, I understand,' 'This school is fun' or 'It's so easy,' these comments are the best reward for us," Khodlová says.

Whatever learning barriers may be created by disease, it's clear they can be overcome with persistence, an individual approach and strong personal bonds forged in the classroom.

"I have so many beautiful, rich memories of these great people I spent so much time with in the hospital," Honza says. "They will always have a special place in my heart."

Emily Thompson can be reached at
ethompson@praguepost.com