Table 2
Core Categories and Key Themes.
| CORE CATEGORY | KEY THEME | EXEMPLARY QUOTE/EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomy & Agency | Education as a Voluntary Choice | “The children’s participation… is entirely voluntary… that is their full right.” (Lotem) |
| The Dialogue of Negotiation | Respecting Boundaries & Space | Teachers knocking and asking permission to enter the room to restore a sense of control. |
| Fragmented Continuity: | Reaching Out via Shared Activities | Joining a student in Fortnite or phone games to build a bridge between teacher and student. |
| Fragmented Routine & Continuity | “Learning is always done in a way that it can be interrupted—resumed after half an hour or two weeks.” | |
| Healthy Self vs. Sick Space | Using “Community School” links or moving the child out of pajamas/bed to reconnect with their “student” identity. | |
| Institutional Gap | Policy Gap (Ministry vs. Reality) | The clash between standardized Ministry plans and the actual “different” work of hospital pedagogy. |
Table 1
Demographic Data of Research Participants.
| HOSPITAL CODE | PARTICIPANT NO. | TOTAL TEACHING EXP. (YEARS) | DEPT. EXP. (YEARS) | PROFESSIONAL ROLE | ACADEMIC BACKGROUND |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital A | T1 | 21 | 6 | Art Teacher (Jewelry) | B.A. Art & Teaching Cert. |
| T2 | 20 | 7 | English Teacher | B.A. English & Bibliotherapy | |
| T4 | 40 | 18 (5 in Dept.) | Educator & Floor Manager | M.A. Ed. Administration | |
| Hospital B | T9 | 14 | 14 (3 in Dept.) | Kindergarten Teacher | B.Ed. Special Education |
| T10 | 42 | 4 | Educator | M.A. Bible Studies & Special Ed. | |
| T13 | 25 | 8 (4 in Dept.) | Teacher | B.A. Special Education | |
| Hospital C | T6 | 5 | 5 | Art Teacher | B.A. Art & Teaching Cert. |
| T7 | 30+ | 30+ | Lead Teacher & Floor Manager | M.A. Digital Communication & Special Ed. | |
| T8 | 19 | 5 | Lead Teacher | M.A. Educational Counseling | |
| T11 | — | 3 | Psychology Instructor | M.A. Candidate (Psychology) | |
| Hospital D | T3 | 18 | 12 | Kindergarten Teacher | B.Ed. Special Education |
| T5 | 9 | 7 | Hebrew & Language Teacher | M.A. Learning Disabilities | |
| T12 | 30 | 27 | Elementary Educator | B.Ed. Early Childhood | |
| National | Supervisor | 35 | 15 | National Supervisor | M.A. Occupational Therapy & Counseling |