Study as a therapy? Home teaching in Madrid

Abstract

This paper includes reflections from 12 years experience teaching young patients at their homes. Although initial teacher training and motivation is important to take on a job of this type, the development of the hospital and home teaching has been possible thanks to national and international teachers' meetings for preventing errors that voluntarism may not be able to avoid, being some of these errors certain paternalism toward students or the overlapping of functions between the teacher and therapist, making of cooperation our core professional performance. Our educational practice should be determined by the sick student context. Development of empathy and working with emotions are essential, without ignoring the usual contents of study of the syllabus. Addressing these contents, as if it were a occupational therapy, helps to normalize the ill student's life and family atmosphere, at the same time that contributes to the sense of integration into the group and society. The potential therapeutic effect of knowledge requires a particular methodology, adapted to the situation of each student. These activities, which can be developed in these students' homes, in our opinion, must be extended to regular classes even if they are overcrowded, in our schools.