Pediatric School Services is a multidisciplinary team, including a Teacher and an Educational Support Worker, who help make sure that youth being treated at the IWK continue to keep up with their schooling while away from their community schools. If your child will be in the hospital, a teacher will be available to discuss schooling and the best go forward plan for your child.
How we help
The teaching team has classrooms throughout the hospital—equipped with computers, textbooks and basic school supplies—as well as off-unit classrooms found within our day treatment and 24/5 programs. Bedside teaching is also available for children who may not be able to come to a classroom but still want to remain connected to school. The teaching team ensures that all work completed within the hospital is sent to community schools. Regular updates and evaluations around work, school placement and school planning are ongoing with this team.
Teaching staff help design, develop and implement individual educational programming; assist in case management of individual clients, and liaise between community schools and individual clients. They follow the learning outcomes established by the provincial Department of Education. In addition to classroom and individualized learning, teachers collaborate with other school staff to share resources, educational strategies and professional learning in the best interest of the child.
Children and youth are encouraged to bring personal reading books, art sketchbooks, school books, agendas and any other items they feel are required for school.