An Exploration of the PedsAcademy Internship\u27s Influence on Aspiring Educators\u27 Preparation to Teach Children with Chronic Illnesses

The increased emergence of childhood chronic illnesses in the United States of America has created a need for educational support in this unique student population. Research trends have showcased how the child\u27s emotional health and vacancies in legislation are some of the affecting factors when discussing the level of academic aid these children receive from the state. Some other factors that come into play when ensuring children with chronic illnesses are not excluded from receiving quality education are their learning environment, school reintegration process, and evaluating pre-existing hospital-school programs which are all themes covered in this narrative. Teacher preparation programs are the best way to tackle this issue early on. By providing aspiring educators training on how to help these students, they will ensure a successful school reintegration for the child once they return to the traditional schooling setting. Hence, why this research focuses on the PedsAcademy, a pioneer Florida hospital-school program, and the aspiring educators\u27 perceptions of their academic and socio-emotional impact on the students. The research questions are synthesized into three main topics: social-emotional impact, influence on aspiring educators, and state regulations. Each of these themes encompass further descriptive terms based on the survey and interview results, which include: meaningful academic and socio-emotional student progress, flexible teaching, unique opportunity, life-changing experience, and knowledge of state regulations. Through the data collection of survey and interview responses, this thesis records the research findings and establishes concrete recommendations that contribute to the preexisting materials on the educational support available for children with chronic illnesses