What Is Conductive Education?
Definition
Physician and educator András Petõ developed his Conductive Educational system after World War II, in 1945. His method opened up a new way for the rehabilitation of motor disordered children and adults whose dysfunction was due to damages to the Central Nervous
System. His approach was first taught and practiced in the Institute named after him, and has made a serious worldwide impact since. According to Professor Petõ, in addition to damages of the Central Nervous System, motor disability is chiefly due to the lack of co-operation among its different functions.
Conductive Education is based on the idea that despite the damage, the nervous system still possesses the capacity to form new neural connections. According to Professor Petõ, this ability can be mobilized with the help of a properly guided, active learning process. This is the reason why Professor Petõ called his method "conductive" (Latin origin).
What does Conductive Education mean?
At a theoretical level, C. E. recognises the essential human unity of teaching and learning: the unity of the emotions (affective) and of the intellect; of the mind and of the body. It therefore has much in common with the developmental psychology of L. S. Vygotskii, and with the developmental and pedagogic (academic) psychologies of his successors in the (then) Soviet Union. However, attempts to establish a direct link surpass the evidence. It also bears much in common with the neuro-psychology work of A. R. Luriya, lending itself
readily to explanations in terms of contemporary brain sciences – not least in respect to brain plasticity.
Conductive Education may also be regarded amongst the Cognitive Educations, such as Brightstart (Heywood) and Mediated Learning (Feuerstein): it holds that learning is not dependent upon existing abilities, but rather that new abilities are created out of teaching. Thus children should not be left to ‘fulfil their potential’: rather it is up to teachers (and other adults) to work with children and to mediate their world for them; to create for/with them new abilities and new potentials. To achieve such transformation any cognitive education requires three essential factors:
The belief that such transformation is possible on the part of those who teach
A repertoire of flexible and powerful pedagogic techniques
An organisation to maintain and nourish them.
C. E. therefore offers neither treatment nor cure. It is a psycho-pedagogic intervention, operating upon learners at the psychological level: upon their emotions, motivations, awareness, skills, etc., upon their minds and personalities. It is not a therapy - other than in the sense of ’psychotherapy’.
For more information:-
Conductive Education
Peto Institute, Budapest
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