Princeton Center for Eating Disorders is well versed in facilitating virtual learning for young patients, helping to alleviate academic concerns so that patients can focus more fully on healing. Designed for children and adolescents from age 8 through high school, this strong academics program features dedicated teachers who are certified in high school science, math, history, English, Spanish, French, and Italian. Even during the current crisis, patients receive targeted assistance for at least two hours a day every weekday.
“We do whatever we can to help patients keep up with academic responsibilities while they’re here to maintain a sense of continuity and normalcy,” says Barbara Moses, a certified K-8 teacher and Academics Coordinator at Princeton Center for Eating Disorders. “For teens, this may even include guidance on writing college application essays.”
With parental consent, the academics team works confidentially with school guidance counselors and, whenever possible, individual teachers to prioritize and access schoolwork and tests. The unit’s classroom has eight computers, and patients are allowed to use their own laptops within the room. Digital tools like Google Classroom are used whenever possible to streamline the exchange of assignments and completed work.
“Now that teachers are providing virtual assignments for all students, seeing that ‘to-do’ list can provide additional anxiety for patients,” says Moses. “We help manage expectations on all fronts and work with teachers to differentiate daily priorities so they can keep up. In fact, because patients receive one-on-one assistance, in some cases they may actually work at a faster pace than the school class.”
Finding a Balance
Like all areas of care at Princeton Center for Eating Disorders, the approach to academics benefits from multidisciplinary insight. Teachers and therapists have a fluid relationship, communicating any treatment issues that might impact academic coaching, and vice versa. Likewise, the academics team helps manage expectations with parents, who in some cases may be placing additional pressure on teens to excel academically.
“That extra AP class may not make a difference in the long-term scheme of things,” adds Moses. “These teens may reach their goals on a different timeline or in an alternate way, and that’s OK. We’re supporting them on all levels, with regaining their health as the highest priority.”