Intruduction from basic

It is so strange that I need ( have) to write things like this when I try to introduce CE. The general medical public still has to be introduced, as I formulated in CE paradox, from a very basic. I thought to share some of my writings:

In research of rehabilitation, an increasing interest can be detected towards group community intervention programs in different rehabilitation areas having results feasible, acceptable, achieving provable improvements and enhance quality of life (Elsie, Lap, 2006) In practice and in some pilot studies we have been introduced, for instance, the efficacy of an outpatient cognitive behavioral group program for the rehabilitation of adult patients with chronic pain. Significant improvements in mood, coping skills, physical disability were found. (Skinner, Erskine, et al 1990). An other investigation proved the efficiency of aqua-aerobic programs in Multiple Sclerosis which are carried out in group situation for physically disabled (Pérez, et al, 2007). However, less emphasis has been laid specifically on the relationship between social, emotional and physical dimensions of the development within group setting but some scholars have already expressed that the motivational aspect provides evidence for the use of groups in physical rehabilitation. (Lawson, Sonja Kristi, 2006).

The successful management of physical disabilities is critical to successful healthcare delivery. The development of practice and approaches are the most important factors in this field. Contributions from a range of experienced researchers and practitioners associated with the rehabilitation and treatment of people with a range of physical disabilities are mostly based on the traditional point of view of delivery; carried out person to person, in the way of individualized therapy. In relation to recent researches, however, the greater significance of development of practice and approaches of physical disabilities is when emotional, social aspects are also involved and psychological management takes great place. (Kennedy & Paul 2007).
“The assets of the person must receive considerable attention in the rehabilitation effort. A person’s healthy physical and mental attributes can become a basis for alleviating as well as providing a source of gratification and enhancement of life. The active participation of a client in the planning and execution of the rehabilitation program is to be sought as fully as possible.” (Beatrice Wright, 2005) In this respect, and critique of traditional point of view of delivery, the predictive quality of practice alternatively could be increased by changing contribution from person to person to group setting in certain areas (such as Parkinson disease, Head injury, Stroke - Aphasia, Ataxia, MS, CP, Ageing).
The implication of emotional, social aspects in the management of physical disabilities shed light upon the links between health science, social psychology, pedagogy, sport science and it seems to be drawing a more holistic contribution. The link between rehabilitation and education, the adult education point of view shell introduce accordingly a ‘new’ possible way of rehabilitation of motor-disabled, the group setting, and the possibility of community intervention programs. (Szogeczki L 2008) “Human beings are group beings” (R. Brown, 2000) “physical disabled are humans, so physical disabled, should be group beings, too and everything what was studied and discovered on group approach for healthy people or people with behavioral, emotional and social difficulties should related to group of people with physical difficulties as well. Group processes is deepen our understanding of relationships within and between groups of motor-disabled and should conduct the successful healthcare delivery.” (Szogeczki L 2008) From generous educational point of view there is no question about the possibility and the success of group setting. Conceptions of adult transformative learning of Mezirow and the most recent alternative perspectives in contrast to Mezirow’s psycho-critical perspective lead us to the psychoanalytic, psycho-developmental and social-emancipatory views of transformative learning. The mentioned teaching approaches could be considered to work in the process of tackling the problems of the adult physical disabled. A forth perspective however, seems to be of crucial importance: the neurobiological perspective of transformative learning (Janik 2005).
This “brain-based” theory was discovered by clinicians using medical imaging techniques to study brain functions of patient who were recovering from psychological trauma. What these researchers determined was that a neurobiological transformation seen as invoking “the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, and the hypothalamic-pituitary pitocin secreting endocrine system to alter learning during periods of search and discovery.”(Janik, 2007, p.12) In simpler terms the findings suggest that the brain structure actually changes during the learning process. These findings turn bring into question of traditional models of learning…and instead offer a distinctive neurobiological, physically based pathway to transformative learning. (Taylor, 2008, p.8)

Psychotherapy is an interpersonal, relational intervention to aid clients in problems of living. This includes increasing individual sense of well-being and reducing subjective discomforting experience. Psychotherapists employ a range of techniques based on experiential relationship building, dialogue, communication and behavior change and that are designed to improve the mental health of a client or patient, or to improve group relationships (such as in a family). Gestalt therapy is an existential and experiential psychotherapy that focuses on the individual's experience, the environmental and social contexts in which these things take place, and the self-regulating adjustments people make as a result of the overall situation. It emphasizes personal responsibility. (Masquelier, 2006).
Meaningful living however, is a central focus of several humanistic theories as well. The rationale for the use of logotherapy is introduced. Somov and Pavel G. review group applications of logotheraphy and offer a clinical curriculum for a group application. They provide a discussion of the specifics of the group format and role induction to the "Meaning of Life" group (Journal for Specialists in Group Work, Oct. 2007).

As I promised...

As I promised, herewith I let you know about the references of the topic of the body:

Clarkson P (1989) Gestalt Counselling in Action Sage, London
Crossley N (1995) Merleau-Ponty, the Elusive Body and Carnal Society
Body and Society 1 (1) 43-46
Leder D (1990) The Absent Body The University of Chicago Press, Chicago
Merleau-Ponty m (1962) The Phenomenology of Perception Routledge and Kegan Paul, London
Rock I and Palmer S (1990) The Legacy of Gestalt Psychology
Scientific American 263(6) 48-61
Sharma U (1996) Bringing the Body Back into the (Social) Action: Techniques of the Body and the (Cultural) Imagination
The Journal of the European Association of Social Anthropologists 4(3) 251-263
Shaw R (1996a) Towards an Understanding of the Psychodynamic
Process of the Body Psychodynamic Counselling 2 (2) 230-246
Shilling c (1993) The Body and Social Theory sage, London
Straus EW (1966) Phenomenological Psychology Tavistock, London
Tolman CW (1994) Psychology, Society and Subjectivity Routledge, London

Body V.

The Body in psychotherapy

There is a need to justify the inclusion of psychotherapy into this discussion of the body. Psychotherapy which focuses on individuals and acknowledges societal influences as external, is at odds with the sociological perspective which tends to look away from the individual. There is, thus, a dualistic problem of how individual subjectivity can be located within a sociological framework and conversely, how sociological influences are contained within psychotherapy. As Tolman (1994) suggests, “the end result is that the human subject is either totally subjectified or totally objectified, becoming abstracted and isolated in either case.” Psychotherapy does though offer some important insights into how we may come to experience our bodies.

One particular aspect of interest is the notion of preverbal communication; that is the mode of communication employed prior to cognitive process of verbalisation. This preverbal communication is predominantly body-orientated and therefore becomes a means of being able to understand the world via our bodies. It is primarily transmitted via the body, be it as screams, posture, movement, or the contraction of muscle. We feel the world via our body, and then begin to understand and adjust to the environment. There is a link with the phenomenology of perception and preverbal communication since it is the body which is first able to perceive the world and initially the communication with the word is preverbal. Various branches of psychotherapy acknowledge the importance of preverbal communication; those that do include Reichian vegetotherapy and gestalt.
It is these therapies which advocate the use of touch within therapy. This is a major issue within psychotherapy and the prevailing ideology is to avoid physical contact. Touch is considered to evoke sexual feelings and questions arise as to whether the touch involved is the need of the therapist or that of the client. As a consequence, there is a fear of physical contact within the therapy world. However, the controversial debate on touch and its appropriate place in therapy also demonstrates that the body is an important part of the world. The touch taboo is the means of excluding the body, but at the same time, an implicit acknowledgement of its existence.
Psychotherapy acknowledges body process but tends to stand back from a deeper understanding, almost in fear of the repercussions that such work engenders.
The significance of addressing psychotherapy is the somatic process which may be being expressed as preverbal communication. It is well known and observed that psychotherapy clients frequently exhibit somatic symptoms. However, within psychotherapy it is the verbalisation of feelings which is paramount.

Comment II

Tunde Rozsahegyi could not put her comment through the blog's comments so she mailed this:

Laci,

I absolutely agree with the thoughts in this thread of postings and since your original entry I keep thinking of the issue you highlighted.Yes, we live in a world in the 21 century when anecdotal evidence is not sufficient enough to move CE forward. If we want to strengthen CE by identifying, proving and making the strength and uniqueness of CE more widely acceptable we have to do two things: firstly disseminate our values, experiences and expertise in an academic manner; secondly identifying the weaknesses too.Over the last 30-40 years in English language so many people have said their thought and perspectives on conductive education: therapists, psychologists, educators but unfortunately less heard from conductors themselves. Would a professional body be helpful to change this? Would it be influential enough first of all to have members? I seem to remember that in the last 20 years there were sooooooo many attempts to establish a professional body! Sorry for being pessimistic but I see the role of a professional body something different.I think the advancement of CE and the establishment of a proper academic discourse is emerging, perhaps not in a pace as it is anticipated by those who just passively wait for its outcomes.Working for and 'doing' proper research, seeking and writing about evidence based practice seem to be something alien for the majority of conductors, but this perception needs to be changed and opportunities and support have to be given to those who feel confident and interested to be involved. Hard to believe this can take place without the support from CE organisations, managers and others in a decision-making position.Andrew writes a lot about the economic depression and I do not want to reiterate any of his thoughts accept that in recessions education always do well because people see a way of getting out from the situation by gaining new knowledge and experiences. Perhaps for those involved in the strategic level of managing CE services it would be a time now to rethink what would be useful as a long-term investment; how could they support their conductors to cope with this ever-changing world. To do this it needs long term vision, understanding and commitment to CE and belief in its values.A very final thought if conductors do not articulate CE, will not look into how it should be developed further it is hard to envisage that it will survive in a long term. Others will not do instead of us.

Best wishes,

Tunde

Comment

I think it is very important to share Judit’s comment here because she thought forward the issue of CE paradox and pointed out some serious truths where from we must move…..

“I really enjoyed reading your post. I read it again, and again, and again. You raised a very important question. ‘So we are here, but what next?’The directions of CE will be determent on the clarity and focus we are prepared to invest in creating its future. Clarity is power. We know this from our work when we facilitate in a conductive way. Just when we look at how CE works at its best, what do we need for that? Amongst many other things we need a unified team who believes in, manifests and carries the same highest level of standards, with a clear outcome in mind. Wishing and hoping will not take us there. Do we want it badly enough to make us move and create such a team? Do we really want to have a professional body, which is prepared to publish the basic core values, standards and structures that would truly represent Conductive Education?We need more brave, talented and diligent people in the here and now to deal with this paradox and to help all of those who are trying to work with CE in different settings. If we really wanted to be taken seriously I think it is about time that we created something valuable for all of us and for the future generation to come.Once hearts and minds meet it will be done.”

First, it is not enough merely to discuss about the difficulties but some actions should be taken. The professional body must be efficient and directed by the real needs. Most importantly, CE professionals individually should reach a certain interest level and develop their own quality requirement for themselves. To sign a code of practice is not automatically means that we are living so….

Next to my everyday practice I work nowadays a lot towards science which makes me a bit capable to recognise some part of why we are still in a professional infancy, it makes me to be a critical viewer of everything what happens around CE. The acceptance of anything (a new medical method, pedagogical approach, philosophy, etc.) comes through science in the modern world. We live in an age where sciences are testable, and the results of careful studies are both replicable and generalizable. I sadly have to recognise that what we completely missed is the scientific appearance in the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties about CE. This fact also caused that we pretty often turned to be so variable and so different in opposite part of Europe or the World. Everybody runs conductive education as she thinks CE is. That is a simple result of lack of scientific introduction and acceptance.
So, because the scientific method is so widely accepted, conductive education practices that are grounded in science will be easier to “sell” to the still sceptical public or potential clients, and especially to organizations that want reassurances that the service will be effective. My prediction is that conductors who can honestly claim to work from a foundation of the latest scientific research and theory will have a tremendous market advantage over their peers. Not only will prospective employers look favourably on them, they will enjoy the comfort of knowing that their interventions are effective (not only in front of them but widely) and obviously appropriate to their unique client base. The importance of science to our field was recently noted and hopefully will help to find the ground for a new start and identify our strengths better than in the past. Have a good day….

CE paradox

The work of the brave, talented, diligent people who pioneered the field of CE has started to pay off a bit: CE is more widely known - mostly in the private sector of rehabilitation of physical disabled - in some cases getting accepted, different kind of conductor training programs are existing. Even, some Universities take notice of our profession. I should say we are effective.
Beneath this veneer of effectiveness however, there is an irony in the profession that I think of as CE paradox: For a profession that systematically helps people aspire to and reach their innate and function potential, CE has not yet reached its own potential. In fact, although CE is a 60 years old profession, it is still in its relative professional infancy.
CE lacks a coherent, widely agreed on definition, conductor training varies in content and its interventions differ sometimes greatly. In short, CE is still a broadly defined endeavour in need of refining. I would not suggest to look for ‘mistakers’ but we should definitely learn from our mistakes of past and start to be more constructive for the future.
So, we are here, but what next? In which directions CE might move how our interventions and services might evolve in the near future. Where do we, as profession, go from here? CE has long been a powerful force for transformation in people’s lives. Whether contributed in school situations, in blocks, summer camp ways, private, etc., CE is about harnessing the best in people and inspiring them to live out their potential. CE should be a wake-up call, challenging habilitation, rehabilitation, challenging folks to tap their inner abundance. The profession of conductive pedagogy is fortunate to have many skilled and imaginative people working toward a great end.
I hope we can get there one day….

Somatisation - body IV.

This post continues the body topic. The following about somatisation was written by Robert Shaw which is perfectly embedding into my topic and meets my voice. Shaw is a Psychioterapiest and registered Osteopath in private practice (for note; see belowe).

The construct of somatisation, within the medical world, refers to bodily pain which does not appear to have an organic physical aetiology. Such pain represents a challenge to medicine, as it defies classification within a discrete pathological category. Nevertheless, the very naming of a specific category, in this case somatisation, does provide a medical label. However, people to whom thi label is attributed are often additionally classified by the medical profession as “crocks, turkeys, hypochondriacs, the worried well, and the problem patients” (Lipowski, 1988) There is a belief that pain is ‘all in the mind’ (Evans 1993). There appears to be an assumption that somatisation and psychosomatic disorders are linked, and of less importance than ‘real’ illness, where the patient has a demonstrable pathological label.

Somatisation is a ubiquitous phenomenon in primary health care settings throughout Western culture. Medicine is beginning to view the phenomenon with increasing interest, as the cost of treatment for people who are somatising is called into question. Other cultures have observed somatisation; for example shamanism acknowledges the existence of psychosomatic process (Achterberg 1985). In ancient Buddhism, it was believed that the conversation psychological pain into somatic pain was an adaptive achievement. In other cultures, there is an attempt to link affect to bodily organs, and thereby transcend the mind-body dichotomy; an example here is how Afghanis refer to ‘squeezing of the hart’ to denote sadness or depression. In Chinese medicine, somatic changes and emotions are linked by notions of the angry liver and the melancholy spleen (Ots 1990).

Somatisation, is a distinct category, does try to solve the problem of linking mind and body, bot does so only within the confines of reductionistic medical discourse. This problem has been noted by Ots, who rejects the notion of somatisation on the grounds that it is embedded in the mind-body dichotomy. In arguing against the use of the term somatisation, he makes the link with the body another way, and suggests that the German word ‘lieb’ could be employed. This would describe how mind, body, and person are considered to be all part of lived experience.

Note:
The Embodied Psychotherapist The Therapist's Body Story
Author: Robert Shaw
ISBN: 978-1-58391-269-0 (paperback) 978-1-58391-268-3 (hardback) 978-0-203-42081-2 (electronic)
No. of pages: 170
Originally Published On: September 2003

Thinking strange

Dear Readers,

since I hardly get any feedback (comments) of my writings, a question is raising in my mind. Is anybody interested in things I have been posting? Is anybody interested in sorts of academics associated with CE? Without the Locomap I should feel nobody is, but thanks that map I realise some people visit the blog. I feel however strange to write academics further...

Body - Drew Leder

Drew Leder (1990) has contributed to the paradigm of lived-body, through his analysis of how we come to know our bodies by their absence. Until we have our attention drawn to our body, it remains, to all intents and purposes, absent from consciousness. An assumption is made that the body will exist from one lived moment to the next. However, this disappearing act poses a problem which Leder (1990: 69) states: “Why, if human experience rooted in the bodily, is the body so often absent from experience?” He attempts to resolve this by taking the disappearance of the body into the background of consciousness as a significant phenomenon. This, Ledder suggests, is related to bodily functioning. Body absence then becomes essential to normal body function, the body’s ability to conceal itself “will help account for our cultural understanding of embodiment” (Leder 1990:69). Thus, Ledder draws our attention to the visceral body; he highlights the notion that bodily perception ins not always conscious. Strauss (1966) has argued that, phenomenologically, movement and sensation are intrinsically linked. This is contrary to Cartesian thought, which viewed sensation and movement as fundamentally separate.

Here we see that sensation and movement are inextricably linked. It is clear that these perspectives dissolve the argument for mind-body dichotomy.


Notes:

Drew Leder (1990) The Absent Body The University of Chicago Press, Chicago
Strauss EW (1966) Phenomenological Psychology Tavistock, London

Body II

It seems, there is much interest within sociology on the subject of body. Sharma(1996) goes on to suggest that there is a body culture dualism often underlying the sociological and anthropological approaches to the problem of body investigation. This leads to a difficult tangle of dualisms; mind-body, mind-culture and body-culture. An important consequence of addressing the body would, rest on an attempt at corporeal understanding before we are reduced to a state of desiccated consciousness. Would it be holism? Why not? Anyway, I believe this could be the way how Andras Peto was thinking. The problem of the body is highlighted in sociology by Frank when he observed “It [the body] is not an entity but the process of the own being” (Featherstone et al 1991:96).
The notion of the ‘lived body’ arose from the work of Erwin Straus and Maurice Merleau-Ponty and drives us to the field of phenomenology. In ‘The Phenomenology of Perception’ Merleau-Ponty (1962) provides insights into how the body is our means of belonging to our world. We are able to perceive and sense from birth, and the apparatus we have determines the nature of the perception. Both Straus and Merleau-Ponty were influenced by the work of gestalt psychology, which suggested (about gestalt see my blog on 22nd of September 2008) we perceive in groups, in wholes, rather than discrete entities (Clarcson 1989; Rock and Palmer 1990).
In the paradigm of the lived body, they suggest that “ it is the body which first ‘understands’ the world, grasping its surroundings and moving to fulfil its goals… the body is not just a caused mechanism, but an ‘intentional entity’ always direct toward an object pole, a world” (Leder 1984:31). Robert Shaw (1997) points out that the idea of lived body allows for an interaction with our environment, and lends a perspective of dynamism to the body. The body does not merely have things done to it, but takes an active part in engaging with the world; it is a lived-body. An understanding of Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of perception takes us away from the Cartesian dualism and suggests that the body is “ the very basis of human subjectivity” (Crossley 1995) If we examine the body from this view we might see bridging the gap between individual and collective subjectivity, since we all have bodies, and come to know of them in both a self-reflexive manner, as lived-body experience, and also in relation to other bodies and their reaction to us.
It will be continued…

Please do not worry, at the end of this topic I wish to give a full reference of authors and their works. Thanks for your patience.

Hey, Body...

How do you look at the body if you are a conductor?

Well, to clear this is not too easy. We did not get as a conductor any scientificly particular way to look at it during in our training. However, the body presents peculiar problems for academic disciplines which attempt to study it. Initially, there appears to be a problem of where the body should be located for investigation. It could be situated within the neutral science, including medicine, psychology and the social sciences – all can lay claim to body knowledge. The natural sciences would appropriate the body on the grounds that only a rigorous examination of bodily parts will yield the body’s secrets. “Such reductionism, when applied to the body, may well have value within hard-core medical practice, but certainly misses the area of human experience related to subjectivity, with which the body becomes inextricably involved.” (Shaw, 1997)
/The body/ “ is far too important a subject for sociologists to leave to the natural sciences” (Schilling 1993)

Why shouldn’t we look at the body issue in distinguish areas? In sociology, phenomenology, somatisation, in psychotherapy!
On the subject of the body within Sociology I would suggest to look up the following authors: Shilling, Synott, Yoshida, Bendelow, Williams, Sharma.
Shilling (1993) points out how we are becoming body conscious. This he suggests, in an aspect of high modernity, in that the body becomes more relevant to understanding our self- identity. It is certainly an aspect of modern culture where the body is viewed as a “legitimate consumer target by the marketing industry”. Such notions as body image perpetuate the mind-body dichotomy.

It will be continued…

Konduktor Verband, Deutschland

Conference in Munich

I read the reports of Susie M. and additional thoughts by Andrew S. about the conference what was held at the last weekend in Munich. My first three posts in my blog were about the same topic, about the 10 year anniversary of Association of Conductors, Germany. They were written in Hungarian, so probably many people missed the contents of them in the English speaking world. As I was one of the founders and one of the first activists of that association in Germany I felt to give a little personal and historical review in those posts.
Presumably one day I will make my effort to write it in English as well. By the way, I just wanted to say: Happy Birthday to the Association.

Note:
See my blog on 23th and 28th of July 2008

The Confident Zone

I have a friend.

I have been enjoying this relationship since 1999. We do not meet or speak very often since I moved out from Munich, Germany eight years ago. Once we meet, everything is continued from where it was… Therefore I call it deep manly friendship. He is a therapist and he has his own business in Munich what offers different approaches towards physiotherapy. During the last ten years we have had some very good discussions about dissent approaches of physiotherapy, about contemporary approaches what are out of the ordinary and of course about Conductive Education as well.
Those discussions slowly but surly made me to look at CE from a little distance and in the meantime I detected how he sees CE as an outsider without deep knowledge of it. Just recently, I read publications of Carry Cooper, professor of organizational psychology and health at Lancaster University and surprisingly he drafted something parallel to my friend’s point of view but far not related to CE. Cooper’s works persuaded me to collect together our ideas we thought why CE was a bit “different”. That is prior to me to share today. The following sentences involve an essential what we both agreed.

There can be many things and more strategies that work for physically disabled people. Rehabilitation methods, treatments, manual handlings are very different. CE has got his own approach strategy for the body itself which can be discussed professionally by medical development point of view however, in life orientation way it is outstanding and introducing a new picture of rehabilitation to the world. My friend says: it takes us (the disabled person) to the confident zone of life.

These aspects are nothing to do with the impaired, disabled body. It changes behaviour, act and life. CE one of those things what can work for the mind and spirit as well.
Conductive Education offers and provides physical development and education together and teaches to think positive, think better: to be more realistic of the dysfunction of the body and see the possibilities in life, open eyes and mind to see the bigger picture. It teaches to face to the situation and shows the chances how to befriend themselves, also, teaches to watch out for rigid expectations, keep things in perspective and avoid using “awfulising” stereotypes. To behave responsibly: actively listen, acknowledge what people say and to say what they think and feel, say what they would like to happen. To be a good time manager: using time effectively, to deal stress with the help of time managing. To do a useful schedule – a daily, monthly, yearly routine - list everything they want to achieve. Try to stay realistic about how much time they need for activities, etc. and be prepared for unexpected events. How to tackle of stress of disability: CE tries to teach to be precise aware of their disabilities and how to overcome some physical, emotional, social problems, to learn how to look at the bright side of their situation.
To live a healthier life: How to look after their diet, to consume de-stressing foods, how to exercise the body and get relationships, how to be active in the society and the importance of having a hobby (something to deal with).



Notes

www.lums.lancs.ac.uk/profiles/cary-cooper/
see selected publications


Praxis für Phyisotherapie, Rudolf Eckert
Hubertusstr. 22.

80639 München, Germany

Bobath
Elektrotherapie
Krankengymnastik
Lasertherapie
Lymphdrainage
Manuelle Therapie
Massage
Fango / Naturmoor
PIlates
Reflexzonentherapie
Shiatsu
Hausbesuche
Osteopathie
Musiktherapie

The journey must go on... Herman Nohl

‘The basis of education is the passionate relationship of a mature man to expectant people, and for its own sake, that he had on his life and his form come. This educational relationship builds on an instinctive basis, in the natural implications of human life...’

(Nohl 1970, p. 134, quoted. Bern after 1992, p. 57)

I wrote about H. Plessner before my post on Gestalt therapy. This time, I wish to continue again the introduction of great people whose thoughts might have an impact of A. Peto’s Conductive Education idea. Herman Nohl (7. Oktober 1879 Berlin – 27. September 1960 Göttingen) is well known in the field of western education. He can be named as one of the first educational anthropologists. I do not want to introduce him and his work, but I aim to draw attention to his couple of fundamental thoughts about human education what are also seem to be basics at Peto. He is fully touched by the philosophy of gestalt and the roots of his thoughts emerged from it.
He highlights the importance of observation in sense of education hence; he underpins the “direct fellow-being relationship” saying that pedagogy can be understood only through live interactive kind of relationship. The teacher has to learn a fully comprehensive observation in a similar manner as physicians should do. He assumes that education, upbringing is like an art: art of pedagogy, as insight into character. If the teacher is able to build up a “correct”, reasonable vision of the educated person’s future it will cause to get the most of the education of him. Simply, “let it be” derives to “be”. In his words in German “Sollen” takes you to “Sein” where Sollen has to be well thought-out, well baked. At the end, education has to have a dualistic point of view: find the best between idealistic and realistic where idealistic should take a good place which guaranties the approach of a higher level of real. (I hope dear reader that my English is not confusing….but understandable.) This is very “conductive” – conductors should have a very special relationship to their clients, they need to be very good observant: as we know about operative observation, and visualize the possible higher level: orthofunction of the clients.
Nohl also says that the legitimatization of education roots to the system of culture, man as such, has an end in itself; thereby upbringing is not arbitrary but culture concentric. Education should lead us to a higher level of life. Nohl expresses that there are three assumptions what he thinks already exist:
The individual (the person) has all those marks in him what typify the system of the whole humankind.
The individual (the person) has all those marks in him alongside with his unique (personality) what typify the general of humankind.
Every individual (person) has got an inner point of drive what forms the psycho-multifariousness.
He assumes that human is historical since there is no act of us which would not related to our whole psycho-past what affects our present and future.


Notes:

Nohl, H. Character und Schicksal. Eine Peadagogische Menschenkunde, Frankfurt/M 1959
Schaffhauser F. A nevelés alanyi feltételei, Telosz Kiadó, Budapest, 2000

www.wikipedia.com

I read it, I thought it was interesting...

I read this article on http://www.origo.hu/. I thought it was interesting. Sorry, I did not translate it to English but I have tried the translator gadget and it was ok, so I suggest to use that.

Amerikai kutatók újabb lépést tettek abban a kísérletsorozatban, amelynek célja, hogy a lebénult emberek visszanyerhessék mozgásképességüket. Az agyból mesterségesen átirányított elektromos jelekkel képesek voltak mozgásra bírni majmok megbénított csuklóját.

Korábban más kutatóknak már sikerült majmokat betanítani arra, hogy egy robotkart irányítsanak az agyukból érkező elektromos jelekkel. Az agyat egy úgynevezett agy-számítógép illesztőegységgel (interfésszel) kapcsolták össze a robotkarral. A cselekvések - például fogás - végrehajtásához több tíz neuron (idegsejt) aktivitását kellett dekódolni, ami jelentős számítási kapacitást vett igénybe.
A mostani kísérletben Chet Moritz és munkatársai a seattle-i Washington Egyetemen hasonló jeleket használtak arra, hogy egyetlen neuronból származó közvetlen elektromos ingert juttassanak el egy megbénított izomhoz.
Először egy sor elektródát ültettek két makákó majom agyának mozgatókérgébe. Minden egyes elektróda egyetlen neuronból vett föl jeleket. Ezeket a jeleket külső áramkörön át egy számítógéphez vezették. A neuronból érkező jelek egy kurzort vezéreltek a képernyőn. A majmokat betanították, hogy csupán az agyműködésükkel vezéreljék a kurzort.
A kutatók ezután helyi érzéstelenítő szer befecskendezésével ideiglenesen megbénították a majmok csuklóizmait. Majd az elektródákból érkező jeleket átirányították, hogy elektromos ingerlést adjon a csuklóizmoknak. Azt tapasztalták, hogy a majmok ugyanazon agytevékenységükkel képesek voltak irányítani a korábban megbénított végtagokat. A majmok kevesebb mint egy óra alatt megtanulták a béna végtagok működtetését. A csoport a kísérlet eredményeit a Nature folyóirat legújabb számában tette közzé.
A neuron korábbi funkciója nem befolyásolta, hogy "betanítható" volt-e egy adott izom működtetésére vagy sem. "Bármelyik neuron egyaránt jól használható volt, attól függetlenül, hogy eredetileg kapcsolatban állt-e ezen izmok aktivitásával. Ez drámai mértékben megnöveli egy jövőbeli neurális művégtag működtetéséhez számba vehető neuronok mennyiségét" - jelentette ki Moritz.
A gyakorlati felhasználásra még várni kell
A klinikai próbákig azonban még valószínűleg sok év telik el. Bár a majmok mozgásteljesítménye jelentősen növekedett a gyakorlattal, a szükséges hosszú távú elektróda-implantátumok még alkalmatlanok az emberek számára.
Ráadásul egy izom mozgatása egy neuronnal nagyon jól végrehajtható, de egész cselekvések vagy koordinált mozgások létrehozása sokkal nagyobb kihívást jelent - figyelmeztet Andrew Schwartz, a pennsylvaniai Pittsburgh-i Egyetem kutatója, aki a fent említett robotkaros kísérletet végezte a majmokkal. "A több ízület működését igénylő mozgások nagyságrendekkel bonyolultabbak, mint ez a demonstráció."
Az eredmény mégis fontos lépés ezen a területen. Az agy és az izmok közti közvetlen összeköttetés kialakítása megszabadít a nagy kapacitást igénylő komputeres számításoktól, ami a jelek dekódolásához szükséges a robotkarok vagy más művégtagok működtetésénél. A mostani kísérletben csupán egy elemmel működtetett, mobiltelefon nagyságú chipre támaszkodtak, és a jövőben ez minden bizonnyal még kisebb lesz. "Már léteznek olyan kicsi elektronikák, amelyek elférnek egy ingzsebben, és néhány év múlva remélhetőleg olyanok is lesznek, amelyeket be lehet ültetni a bőr alá, akár egy pacemakert" - mondja Moritz.

A cikket az alábbi címen találja az [origo]-ban:
http://origo.hu/tudomany/20081016-majmok-agytevekenyseggel-mozgattak-megbenult-izmaikat.html

“Multidisciplinarity” in Conductive Education

I have a very busy 10 days behind me. Finally, I took my opportunity to sit down today and put these thoughts into a brief post. I was planning to do it since I saw A. Sutton’s blog earlier this month.

Andrew has posted an interesting note on „multidisciplinary” in his blog on 3th of October. He wrote the following regarding to Interconnections Multidisciplinary Information Service:

"I personally have never really understood the concept of ‘multidisciplinary’ as manifest in public services in the United Kingdom. The phrase ‘jack of all trades...’ springs to mind. More formally, I wonder, either there is a place and need for a ‘discipline’ or there is not. It is interesting therefore to see critical comment arise from within the paradigm itself.

If this is an emerging trend, then it is one meriting careful monitoring by the conductive movement."


This post caught my attention as I was lucky enough to work just about seven years in multidisciplinary team settings in Conductive Education. They were two different settings in two parts of the world but the similar idea of using CE. As I first joined to a multidisciplinary team I accepted at the beginning the idea of combining CE with something else which was meant to enhance the quality of the local service and I really wanted to give my best as a professional to it. As time passed by and I had worked some years through in this sorts of model I realised the real downsides of multidisciplinary as well.

(Why) Does Conductive Education need multidisciplinary setting?

It is a fact that multidisciplinary Conductive Education initiatives can be mostly found out of Hungary. It undeniably is because of the difficulty of adaption of CE into those places where the local system has not been able to recognise CE as a profession and the CE professionals. Therefore, founders find it easier to fit CE to the local system through multidisciplinary way. In this context, multidisciplinary meant to facilitate the business, operation, sustainability of CE on abroad but not to change the principals of CE or challenge a new system. Thus, answering the question from above: I believe CE does not necessarily need to be mixed with different methods.

Why?

All aspects of, and the nature of CE have been written in many papers, books and they can be found at many other sources, so I do not wish to deal with this. However, if one takes the opportunity and time to read those information or have already known the conductive pedagogy system can tell that CE is quite flexible in many areas and anyway, it is changing towards the better service. It is exactly because of its philosophical, pedagogical, holistic nature; making the whole kind of character.

My seven years experience in multidisciplinary CE service let me to assume that CE multidisciplinary settings are useful to look at, or to learn from but they do not seem to be providing a more successful habilitation, rehabilitation, education or motor-development service comparing to the “original” CE approach. One of the well defined reasons why that happens is that those services missing out the power of the teamwork of “holistic” trained conductors, the similar point of view of approach.

My conclusion is therefore that one can understand why certain initiatives move towards multidisciplinary out of Hungary but it would be ideal to put more effort to keep the well developed system as it is and modify it to local needs in between sense boundaries.

Please feel free to argue with this opinion!

Link to Andrew Sutton's blog:

http://www.andrew-sutton.blogspot.com/

Work related injuries in CE

Every profession has a kind of risk of injuries. Being a Conductor is a big challenge of helping people out of their disabilities however, it has a high risk to be injured due to the nature of the profession.

I have a soft tissue problem recently, so this made me to think about the following:

Sore shoulders, aching wrists, arms, legs or feet. Bad backs. These aches and pains aren't just the result of getting older :) or being out of shape. They are often related to our work, especially as a Conductive Education Teacher.
Many conductors are suffering of soft tissue injuries as a result of their work.
These injuries usually sneak up on us. Conductors often get on with their jobs, trying to "work through" the pain or ignore night time tingling in their hands, arms, backs, etc. But the injuries can become very painful and, sometimes permanent, disabilities. Depending on what is injured, other tissues can be affected.

What are these injuries called?

cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs);
overexertion/overuse injuries; and
repetitive strain injuries (RSIs).

Specific names include:

carpal tunnel syndrome (nerves going through wrist);
degenerative disk disease (backbone);
epicondylitis (tennis or golfer's elbow);
myofascial pain/myalgia (tissue covering muscles);
rotator cuff syndrome (shoulder tendons);
sciatica (nerve to leg from discs);
tendinitis (tendons); and
tenosynovitis/de Quervain's (tendon sheath/covering).

What makes it hurt?

Work-related soft tissue injuries can be caused by these risk factors, often working in combination:
repetition: especially for fine movements, strange positions;
force: lifting, pulling, pushing, contact pressure;
posture: awkward and static (in one position);
work environment: temperature, light, noise, humidity; and
work organisation: how hard, fast and long people work, how much say they have about their work and the equipment/tools they use, and social relations at work.

Conductors have a beautiful job title but their actual work can be very risky. Conductors' jobs often involve lots of repetition, precision work, static and/or awkward positions and tasks that are heavier than they look.

Work organization affects all other factors. For example:

Time pressure is important when dealing with people; packing equipment can increase the amount of repetition and force used if you have no breaks or time to do the job properly.
Many conductors lack control about everything from how they do their job to how long they have to, dare to do it.
The nature of CE and lack of proper equipment forces to put themselves at risk of back injuries while moving people.
Lack of respect or stereotyping are additional stressors, combined with generally lower wages.

Studies show that being stressed by things like this increases the odds of having some soft tissue injuries, especially for the back, neck and shoulders.

How are soft tissue injuries prevented?

Prevention is the best way to tackle any health and safety problem. For soft tissue injuries, prevention is based on ergonomics - the science and art of fitting the job and the workplace to workers.

For this we need:
fully-adjustable surfaces, equipment and work places;
a choice of tools for different hands and tasks;
accessible mechanical devices for lifting people or materials;
fully-adjustable chairs or sit-stand stools; and
to prevent stress by such things as:
having more say about your job and how you do it;
doing a variety of tasks;
reasonable schedules, hours of work and breaks;
adequate staff levels; and
proper training about the job and using ergonomic equipment.

How can we deal with a work-related soft tissue injury?

Take care of yourself:

See your doctor about getting time off, "light duty," splints, referrals.
Go to a specialist (rheumatologist, physical/rehab medicine) or occupational health centre.
Investigate massage, physiotherapy, chiropratic treatments, exercise (eg. yoga, Pilates, Alexander technique, Tai Chi).
Take your breaks, walk at lunch and/or do exercises on the job (eg. shoulder rolls, stretching).

Gestalt therapy

Fritz Perls (1893 – 1970), the American neuro-psychologist who first used Gestalt therapy as a title of his book, was very interested in drama plying when he was young. He studied and worked by Max Reinhardt the notorious director of Deutsches Theater. He learned about self-realization, creativity, spontaneity, motivation, vocation and verbal communication of thoughts from him. Later, he graduated and started his carrier as psycho analytics (Freud’s school) and learned psychodrama from Moreno. They were with Pető of the same age.

The legacy of Perls is the Gestalt Therapy what underlines the self-regulation and self-control of the organism. Its principle that the personality is coherent, organized and one entire, total organism is which also functions as a whole where body and mind are not separate, where parts working together in good coordination and the processes are integrated. The organism and environment is an integral whole, thus the person has a very close connection to the environment. Interactions are crucial in any function. The aim of Gestalt therapy is to start a developmental process where the person takes actively part in his own development. Practically, “self healing” should happen with particular emphasis upon of creation of self –knowledge. Opposite to psychoanalysis, in Gestalt therapy the client does not have to know why he can not do something. The question “why” is not important. The approach is very emotional, highlights the self responsibility, a lot of times nonverbal, it encourages clients to avoid the “I can’t do it” sentence. The therapy is carried out in group setting where interactions of participants are fundamental. The communication between clients called “encounter”, it is very important the self-expression where participants can speak only in “I “or “we” version about their experience, reaction and emotion. “Here and now”.
They write short novels, play roles in created situations as it were drama class, where is very important the self-realization, creativity, spontaneity, motivation, vocation and verbal communication of thoughts, self-expression. Everybody should do and say what they want.

Notes

http://www.psychotherapybristol.co.uk/

http://www.gestalt.org/

M Hári, Összehasonlító Konduktív Pedagógia, MPANNI Budapest,1998

About the "fantasy football"

I had been waited for the "Fantasy Football" post of Andrew Sutton since we had a chat sarcasticly mentioning "international pizza makers" and "soccer world" in context of Conductive Education earlier this year in Birmingham. There, in B'ham, we discussed if CE was a Hungarian speciality. Why CE was Hungarian if it was at all. We seemed not to agree of judging that and we took those above mentioned metaphores to convince of each other.

I would never been able to put it so well, so literary what Andrew wrote about fantasy football, now in a bit different context, in his blog on 20 September.

Undeniably, the metaphore works.

However, I think football is deviate a bit from CE. Football fans, wherever they are, they mostly know about the roots of their beloved sport, and yet, they know about the rules, pretty often the differences between those rules as well. Is this refer to CE "fans", too? I think we have enough evidence to suggest to say: no!

Also, those games happily called slightly different: football, american football, rugby and so on, even if they all chasing the leather some air in it. If someone goes to watch rugby is not suprised that there are no goals nets on it.

CE is not in this good situation I think. There are tones of different approaches out there having the same name of the kid... and fans asking for the goals...

What do you think?

Faludy Györgyre emlékezni

Tudom nem sok köze van a konduktív pedagógiának Faludy Györgyhöz, így rövid magyarázatra szorulok. Engedtessék meg azonban, hogy olykor kicsit személyes dolgokkal is szinesítsem a blogot.
Ma lenne 98 éves. Örommel és boldogsággal gondolok rá.

Inner and Outer: towards the Whole

I wish to continue my little journey what hopefully takes us to Conductive Education at the end. I mentioned Plessner.
Helmuth Plessner known as a representative of philosophical anthropology in addition to Arnold Gehlen and Max Scheler – who actually was his opponent. Plessner distinguished the three forms of organization of life.
Plants: are openly organized, they have no central institutions. Animals: are centrally organized, they live from a heart out. Humans: are eccentric, they have reflexive relationship to their life, reflexive self awareness. He analyzes the organization of humans as a double aspect: body and bodyguard.
Why Plessner? Because I believe that his philosophy helped, led us (the thinkers of the 19th and 20th century) to find the way towards to the basis of modern thinking of human and thereby, the basis of modern thinking of education. He understood as a philosophical anthropologist the unity of inner and outer of human, he initiated phenomenology and he introduced - opposite to Scheler - that the person is not “value determined” being but a “value neutral” being which is going to be something (!) else during his/her actions, confrontation with the world. He explained that our self-interpretation as human being should be taken as “tabula rasa”, thus “open question”.

Additionally, I wish to draw attention to two other thinkers because they were contemporary, because they both were personal anthropologists and because I have personal attachment to them. In fact, I find very important Martin Buber’s interpreted thoughts in his “Ich und Du” ( I and Thou) where we can learn about the synthetic thesis of dialogical existence what is also basis of the transformative thinking. The other transformer is Victor Frankl, who as a Holocaust survivor introduced logotherapy which is a form of existential analysis, expresses positive thinking and changing for the patients.

Of course, I can not mention everybody who I should here (because it is still a blog), but we must understand the “Zietgeist” (German), the spirit of the time that also prevailed Andras Peto alongside many others to think towards “holism”.
This time was characterized by “an explosive development of science and technology. The era of automation and cybernetics had begun. The rise of nuclear and quantum physics led to radical revolutionary change. Biology, chemistry and medicine also began to make rapid progress. Revolutionary elements emerged in political thinking. Socialism, Marxism and also anarchism grew into sizeable movements. In a similar manner to the changes in science, a search also began in arts and literature for new forms of expression. Expressionism at this time represented a reaction to the old, outdated bourgeois norms and the naive belief in progress. The catastrophes brought about by the First World War, the destruction of humanity, were only too evident and too recent. Expressionists (for example painters/artists Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, Munch and Otto Dix) were trying to create a new vision of the human being, one determined by social responsibility and compassion for others. Creative art was seen as evolving out of immediate inner experiencing and emotional dynamics.” (R. Wulf 1996)

Franz Brentano’s student Christian von Ehrenfels (1859 – 1932) elucidated the Gestalt philosophy. The whole is more than its parts together. He published “Über die Gestaltqualitaten” already in 1890 and his followers like Max von Wertheimer (1880-1943),Wolfgang Köhler (1887-1967) and Kurt Koffka (1886-1941) expressed that the relation of things is the important. To take things apart is worsen the dynamic sense of the whole. Especially Köhler pointed out that learning is not a passive, mechanic but a dinamic and active process. Furthermore, ’admiting’ plays a very important role of learning. Gestalt philosophy is a phylosophy what coused directly a therapy, namely Gestalt theraphy. Fritz Perls (1893 – 1970) and followers, neuro-psychologists stressed the united, coherent work of the body and underlined that the personality is also coherent. They strongly believed that results of measuring parts of the psyche did not inform us about the whole verity about the measured person.

About Gestalt therapy I shell open a short post later because it seems to have a lot of similarity with CE.

Notes

More information
about Plessner: www.de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmuth_Plessner
about Buber: http://www.mythosandlogos.com/?buber.html
about Frankl: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/wiktor_frankl
about Gestalt: http://www.gestalt.org/

and other sources:

Hári M. Összehasonlító Konduktív Pedagógia, MPANNI, Budapest 1998

Schaffhauser F. A nevelés alanyi feltételei, Telosz Kiadó, Budapest, 2000

You Can Comment in Any Languages - Szolj hozza magyarul is!

Ismet magyarul. Nem kirekesztoleg a mas nyelven beszelok szamara, hanem inkabb felhivaskent, hogy aki esetleg magyarul sokkal jobban tud, mint mas nyeleveken :)) - ezzel special en igy vagyok- ne erezze magat gatolva. Szoljatok, szoljanak hozza barmelyik temahoz magyarul is.
A blogom gondolati, szakmai es nyelvi szabadsagot is elvez, senki sincs kirekesztve semmibol. Ajanlom mindenki figyelmebe a fordito gadgeteket a Googletol, van benne angolrol, nemetrol magyarra valtozat is!

Inner and Outer I

Freire says that teachers must undergo an “Easter experience”. They (teachers), therefore, must “reborn” to give their best to the teacher – learner, learner – teacher relationship in context of the teaching process. However, learners must die, too- “class suicide” and find a new level of consciousness. So,….both required a huge change and an enormous “forget about it and taking on board” transformation.

Being a conductive Education teacher or/and being involved in conductive education developing process in any ways, we all face dramatically to meet Freire’s elucidated ideas. It was not written but more then obvious that the journey from the level dysfunction to orthofunction is addressing the need of changing from the participants.
Susie was writing about the issue of how or how not CE takes place in different places, in her last. I should assume where participants are able to “die” and reborn, there is a great chance to have CE.

But I run forward! I will go back and;

I will think about an imagined way of getting from thoughts to real, from wider philosophy to psychology, education and neuroscience, neuropsychology, presumably towards better understand actions in conductive education. This is a short but very fast trip (because it is only a blog) which exists in my mind and what probably will make think others how nicely things can come on the same platform even if they never bumped into each other.

Inner and outer!

Those are essential in our everyday job as we will gain the shift of consciousness and during that, improve also the physical stand of our clients. Like every thought which turns to be later a practice, first emerge from philosophy.
Helmuth Plessner (1892, Wiesbaden - 1985, Göttingen) German philosopher credited with establishing European philosophical anthropology the study of the nature of individuals through their experiences. In his theory of existence based on a balance between an “inner” and an “outer” self, he differentiated humans from animals. When individuals transcend their outer self and realize their inner life, he believed, they are open to perceptions, experiences, and expressions that have a greater sociological and historical significance……….will be continued!

Paulo Freire

“I teach, deal both to change the world and to transform myself.”

(From my statement of being CE teacher)

The key concept-formation behind this sentence is transformation. Transformative action – in all directions. Interaction, dialogue, activity what is able to cause changes possibly towards a better quality of life.
Many “ideas” and many experiences take us to a level of thinking transformative.

Here - in my blog - I think to share some of those “ideas” what made me to think of challenge people with disabilities the way I do through Conductive Education. There is a lot of knowledge about different philosophical interest, educational approaches, methods in rehabilitation, etc. I have learnt and I still learn. They are mixing and living an independent life in my mind.
We can find authors who worked before, parallel and after András Pető, who expressed and fostered ways of changes in individual’s thinking, acting and which were meant to bring great difference in their quality of lives.
Today, I would like to mention Paulo Freire's work – not because it would be the most important thing to CE but because I have never heard about him during my training at the Peto Institute and I think he was such a pedagogue who put remarkable basics down in “transformative” education. Perhaps, it is going to be a good refreshing reading for those who already knew his work and maybe new for some of my colleagues as well.

Paulo Freire (1921 - 1997) was a Brazilian educationalist, has left a significant mark on thinking about progressive practice. His Pedagogy of the Oppressed is one of the most quoted educational texts (especially in Latin America, Africa and Asia). Freire was able to draw upon, and weave together, a number of strands of thinking about educational practice and “liberation”.
Four aspects of Paulo Freire's work have a particular significance for our purposes here.
“First, his emphasis on dialogue has struck a very strong chord with those concerned with popular and informal education. Given that informal education is a dialogical (or conversational) rather than a curricula form. Freire was able to take the discussion on several steps with his insistence that dialogue involves respect. It should not involve one person acting on another, but rather people working with each other.
Second, Paulo Freire was concerned with praxis - action that is informed (and linked to certain values). Dialogue wasn't just about deepening understanding - but was part of making a difference in the world. Dialogue in itself is a co-operative activity involving respect. The process is important and can be seen as enhancing community and building social capital and to leading us to act in ways that make for justice and human flourishing.”
“Third, Freire's attention to naming the world has been of great significance to those educators who have traditionally worked with those who do not have a voice, and who are oppressed. The idea of building‘pedagogy of the oppressed’ or a ‘pedagogy of hope’ and how this may be carried forward has formed a significant impetus to work. An important element of this was his concern with conscientization - developing consciousness, but consciousness that is understood to have the power to transform reality' (Taylor 1993: 52).”
Fourth, Paulo Freire's insistence on situating educational activity in the lived experience of participants has opened up a series of possibilities for the way informal educators can approach practice.”

Additional Source
www.infed.org/thinkers/et-freir.htm

Voice of Conductors

Just recently, I read about “the voice of conductors” in three different sites and all of them were considering - probably better to say mentioning - that conductors not giving enough appearance of their opinions, ideas on the “stage of CE”.

Let me to take up the thread and add some of my thoughts to this theme. I do not want to rescue conductors at all but I collected some reasons why they might not saying much.

First of all, I would separate right away the “lack of voice of conductors” issue to two big piles; namely for those who work in Hungary and those who work somewhere else abroad, out of Hungary. In fact, I think the problem is less manifested itself in Hungary since there are different forums where conductors are able to express their thoughts, ideas and also, many of them are responsible to take the lead of CE actions and/or to lead initiatives considerably serious way. They have the good possibility to work together in conductor groups to develop any problems…so; they can really keep in hands the profession itself.

Opposite of this, out of Hungary everything is different. On one hand, Conductive Education is very variably manifested in different countries. On the other hand, you are very lucky if you can find more than 4-5 conductors in the same place – often, in the same part of a country or through the whole country. The total responsibility of leading in any CE initiative or leading the professional moves of it is very unlikely in the hands of conductors. As a result of this of course conductors are less able to put serious effort to create their own voices. Pretty often their job, their carrier depends on the relationship to their leaders, co-workers, though they should totally consider what problems to raise and how to do it. Furthermore, we should honestly see the problem that the conductors’ working hours are often longer or/and they are overloaded abroad. Some of them are tired enough not to make any voice and they run home to look after their families after work. Additionally, many of the conductors are young professionals abroad moving from country to country and they definitely having language and assimilation problems, not to mention the confidence of any kind of professional appearance.

This reasoning list can be continued why we are lack of the voice of conductors and probably, dear reader, you will continue it as a comment. Please, be advised to do so.

After having collected and written these facts I do not feel like satisfied and relaxed on this case. Not at all. I must agree with those who actually raised the problem and I hope that conductors are going to be somewhat more active anywhere abroad in the future. I would advise to use the possibility of being anonymous for those who have a fear due to any reason and to express their ideas on the net.

Statement of Being Conductive Education Teacher

As I mentioned in my last note I think I started my blog in a very illogical time. Yes I did, because I had no time to introduce what I want actually in this E -site and why I started it.

Let’s start to describe it with why. – Well, it takes a lot of time (to sit down and write) what I definitely do not have however; it gives publicity to my thoughts related of Conductive Education. CE world is a small world therefore I think we have to share……so,… I wanted to share.

Before I started my blog, I was thinking hours, days, years what would be a great statement of being Conductive Ed Teacher and I was always formatting the text of it in my mind. During my holiday I have had enough time to sit down and write some of my former thoughts and add my present ones. I created a not finalised but current STATEMENT:

Statement of Being Conductive Education Teacher

I teach, deal both to change the world and to transform myself. Whether consulting with clients; parents, pupils, students, adolescents, adults or colleagues, friends, my goal is to help people think critically and take responsible action in personal, professional and civic life. I believe the aim of education should therefore be human development—the growth of the capacity to think and take action with ever-greater creativity and complexity.

To foster this development, I use a variety of active learning methods with one theme in common: All give practice at both reflecting on reasoning and experimenting with different ways of doing things. When clients participate, they often begin to move from thinking in polarities to taking context and circumstance into account, in this case testing how well they have understood others and themselves rather than assuming an idealized transparency.

Most people, especially disabled people, change their habits of thinking and acting only very slowly and gradually, in an often painful, iterative process of progress and regress—as demonstrated by much theory and research in learning and development. To support people as they encounter their challenges, I place great emphasis upon creating an environment of trust and empathy—in the classroom with clients and parents. Two ways to build such trust are to validate clients’ feelings as they are challenged, and to show them that I too face challenges and continue to learn from my mistakes.

One of my most fruitful teaching mistakes occurred when a client protested that the structured series of tasks of exercise was “unnatural, stupid, and we don’t need it.” At the time, I simply moved on, largely ignoring the protest, as I was a fresh conductor teacher, fearing my authority was being challenged. Upon later reflection, I realized I should have stopped and commented, “What a good point, active participating could feel very awkward, especially in CE. You also make me realize that I often assume that people should necessarily welcome new experiences like this. I should question that assumption.” I realized from this oversight that a “resistant” comment, instead of being avoided, could be highlighted directly, and thus provide an opportunity to model critical reflection and empathy for the struggles vital to learning.

What I find is often missing from conductor training is a focus on how to handle the unpredictability of events during classroom discussion. Having learned from the above incident, I responded differently in a subsequent situation in Munich, Germany. Some participants, when asked to share their opinions on a deeply personal issue, said they were not comfortable doing so publicly. This time, rather than either imploring or ignoring, I thanked them for saying so and asked how many others shared their concern. Finding a good split of opinions in the room, I described some of the aims and tasks then suggested we shift and use that very issue instead of my originally planned one, and people agreed. After acting like this, several participants remarked that my willingness to veer from my plan earned their trust, showing them I cared more about them than my method. I learned that such live group dynamics often provide the most teachable moments, as they allow the instructor to demonstrate a learning mode of self-examination.

I design assignments to tap intrinsic motivation and propel further inquiry. Those moments—when I discover how I have helped others but also find myself transformed and provoked to further thought and learning—are what sustain my endless fascination with teaching in CE. The dynamics make the process like an ongoing gardening experiment, where I am forced to modify my methods continuously, investigating just what different conditions are needed for different kinds of growing beings to flourish. Thankfully, the challenge never ends….

Holiday,

I am, we are (my family) back from a great holiday (spent in Hungary). Holiday! What we really needed, what we really worked for… and what brings – in mind and bodily- a great start for the next school year.

There was a time when we had 10 days a year holiday as Conductors (US). I do not wanna go there… and I do not want to hurt anybody or open any discussion but I think many people still do not get it in many places of the CE world that working as a Conductor is like working in a SEN school situation + bodily much more hard, and is a very stressful job where the workers really need REST. I liked US and enjoyed many things over there and I still miss so many things, but not the system of holidays… Actually, that was the reason I, we left that great country. I still feel sorry for those who I saw to work totally burned out and for those who born there and do not know anything about a healthy personal spiritual rest.

Holiday

I started my blog at a very illogical time for those who wanted to follow some of my thoughts since after having started at the end of July I went to holiday to Hungary for a month. I am still in Hungary and busy, busy, busy visiting family, friends and places, so.....please forgive me dear reader and be happy to be informed that I am planing to continue at some time in September.

10 éves a Németországi Konduktorok Egyesülete III.

A munka tehát 1998-ban kezdődött meg és az első gondolatok között szerepelt a konduktív pedagógia, mint önálló szakma levédésének feladata. Meg kellett szövegezni, hogy mi is a konduktív pedagógiai rendszer, majd pedig azon ismérveket kellett egy csokorba gyűjteni, hogy melyek az elégségesnek tekinthető jellemzői a Pető által kidolgozott rendszernek külföldön. Desits Kriszti férjének hatalmas segitsége nélkül valószínüleg sem szövegileg, sem jogilag nem jutottunk volna messzire, azonban az ő segítségével jól alakultak a dolgok és ha jól emlékszem 2001-re a jogi procedura is befejeződött. Ez azt jelentette, hogy Németországban gyakorlatilag a Konduktive Förderung le van védve!!! ma is.

A további feladatul tűztük ki a szakmai továbbképzések megszervezését, felmerült Szentesi Erzsi, mint egyik lehetséges továbbképző, de aztán kapóra jött, hogy abban az időben Örfalvi Istvánné már járt hasonló okkal Nürnbergben, így Kriszti feladata lett, hogy felvegye vele a kapcsolatot. A késöbbiekben ez a kapcsolat gyümölcsözővé vált és több szakmai továbbképzési napot is rendezett az egyesület. Ha jól tudom ez a kapcsolat ma is tart.

2001-ben került megrendezésre a Konduktiv Pedagógia IV. Világkongresszusa Londonban egy nappal a WTC katasztrófája után szeptember 12-én, amelyre prezentációval érkeztem az igencsak megcsappant utasszámú Lufthansa géppel Münchenből. Prezentációm célja az volt, hogy figyelmet fordítsak a megalakult Németországi Konduktorok Egyesületére, amelyre kaptam 10 perc előadásnyi időt, aminek joggal örülhettünk. Később, a honlapon egy összefoglaló cikket irtam a kongresszusról és az ott ért benyomásokról. Ezen a kongresszuson találkoztam előszőr személyesen Andrew Suttonnal, akinek megkapó személyisége további erőt adott ahhoz, hogy a kondukció "megfelelő" adaptálási munkáját bárhol a világon hittel folytassam.

2002 májusában családi és konduktori lelkiismereti okokból elhagytam a Stifftung Pfennigparadét és egyben a hőn szeretett és kedvenc városomat Münchent. A tagságomról és Vorstand tisztségemről lemondtam, hiszen Németországból az USA-ba költöztem. Kapcsolatom intenzitása az egyesület vezető tagjaival érthetően a távolság miatt alábbhagyott, s alig-alig találkozunk, mindez főképp konferenciákra korlátozódik. Nagyon sok Boldog Születésnapot kívánok.

10 eves a Nemetorszagi Konduktorok Egyesulete II.

Munchentol par kilometerre fekszik Niederpocking, ahol a Peter von Quadt alapitotta Fortschritt Alapitvany is konduktiv pedagogiai szolgaltatast nyujt es nyujtott mar 1998-ban is. Tobb ismerosom, tobbek kozt Balazs Zsuzsa, Kelemen Attila es baratnoje Domokos Monika is ott dolgoztak, mint konduktorok, akiket gyakran es szivesen latogattunk. Egyreszt kellemes magyar tarsasag voltak, masreszt szakmailag a Fortschrittben "tisztabb" munka folyt, igy ott es veluk tudtuk tobbszor is megvitatni a Pfennigparades "erdekessegeket". Az egyik latogatasunk alkalmaval Balazs Zsuzsa emlitette, hogy Desits Kriszti nurnbergi konduktor valamilyen szakmai forumot, esetleg erdekvedelmi szovetseget szeretne letrehozni, s hogy nem lenne-e kedvem, kedvunk ebben reszt venni. A pontos datumra mar egyaltalan nem emlekszem, arra azonban igen, hogy az ezt koveto heten orakat beszelgettem telefonon Desits Krisztivel es a kovetkezo, ket hettel kesobbi latogatsaunk Niederpockingbe, mar egyeztetessel telt. Balazs Zsuzsa, Kelemen Attila es en is szakmai szeretettel kivantunk szerepet vallalni az alapitasban es a kesobbi munkakban.

Ezzel parhuzamosan a Stiftung Pfennigparadeban pozicioharc folyt a vezeto-konduktor cimert es az erintett felek egyike ugy probalt velemenyem, es masok velemenye szerint is imponalni a nemet vezetoseg fele, hogy lemondva a szakmai konszenzusrol, hajlando volt beadni a derekat nem kivant kompromisszumok kotesere is. Ez a szemely Desits Kriszti reven - nem roszz indulatuan egyaltalan - szinten alapito tag lett, mint Nemetorszagban hosszabb ideje dolgozo konduktor. Tobbszor is felmerult, hogy mennyire lehet hiteles e szemely alapito tagsaga, hiszen a tervezett egyesulet egyik celja a minosegi konduktiv pedagogia tamogatasa lett volna, aminek eppen ellene, de legalabbis nem erte cselekedett a fent nevezett.

Az alapitas Nurnbergben tortent szuk, de megis az adott helyzetben nagynak tekintheto konduktori letszam mellett. Desits Kriszti, Hadhazi Zsuzsa, Balazs Zsuzsa, Stelczerne Oberszt Mariann, Kelemen Attila es en lettunk a Vorstand tagok. Az en feladatom a kommunikacios rendszer es adatbazis letrehozasa lett elsodlegesen, amely munka a tagok nyilvantartasabol, korlevelek kikuldesebol es egy honlap letrehozasabol allt. A honlaptervezes szamomra alig ismert ugy volt, igy szabadidom nagy reszeben ezzel kezdtem foglalkozni. A honlap Nagy Robert gigaszi segitsege nelkul nem szulethetett volna meg. Robi nagyon sokat segitett s vegul http://www.konduktorenverband.de/ cimen megszuletett es ma is el.

10 eves a Nemetorszagi Konduktorok Egyesulete

Ma ertesultem Andrew Sutton blogjabol, hogy Nemetorszagban 2008. oktober 24-25-en Munchenben konduktor konferencia lesz. Egyik unnepelni valo a Verband der in Deutschland Tatigen Konduktorinnen alapitasanak tizedik evforduloja. Mivel aktiv reszsese voltam az egyesulet megalakulasanak, s nem szamoltam az eveket, teljesen meglepett az evfordulo hire.

1998-ban a konduktiv pedagogia tulajdonkeppen mar egyaltalan nem volt ismeretlen Nemetorszagban, de a Stiftung Pfennigparade Munchenben - amely ceg lathatoan dominans szerepet kivant jatszani a jovobeli Bajor, illetve ossznemet konduktiv pedagogia meghatarozasaban - abban a tanevben bovitette a Konduktive Forderung Abteilungot 12 konduktorfos nagysagu szolgaltatassa. A Stiftung Pfenigparade celja meg keplekenyen valtoztathatonak latszott, hogy hogyan is nezzen ki a Konduktive Forderung. A konduktorok vallan hatalmas felelosseg fekudt - bar ezt sokan nem ismertek fel akkoriban - hogy milyen is lesz a jovo multidiszciplinaris konduktiv pedagogiaja. Beate Hoss Zenker az Abteilung terapeuta iranyitoja eltokelt celkepzettel, gondolatokkal lepett a megvalositas mezejere. Elkepzelesei sok esetben megvalosithatonak tuntek a szamomra is, az azonban rovidesen nyilvanvalova valt , hogy nem a konduktiv pedagogiat helyezi kozeppontba, hanem osszeboronalni probal tobbfele, egyebkent hasznos rehabilitacios eljarast kidolgozott koncepcio nelkul. Kulonbozo kepzettsegu rehabilitacios szakembereket, egy Bajor diplomaval rendelkezo tanart es ket konduktort szervezett a mozgasserult gyerekek csoportjaihoz, s a szakembereknek maguknak kellet volna egyuttmukodniuk ugy, hogy kozben a napi kognitiv motoros tanitas-tanulas aktivitas es napirend konduktiv rendszeru maradjon. A helyzetet tovabb bonyolitotta, hogy a vallalkozas neve Konduktive Forderung maradt, s egy tudomanyos vizsgalat is zajlott a konduktiv pedagogia eredmenyesseget vizslatva. Nyilvanvalo volt, hogy a csoporttermekben vegzett munka egeszen mas qualitast kepviselt, mint a budapesti kondukcio.

Mindennaposak voltak a szemelyes torzsalkodasok. A konduktorokon fekvo felelosseg szakmajuk ertekeinek megmutatasat, "bebizonyitasat" illetoen meglehetosen tulzott volt, amely presszura tovabbi vitakat feszultsegeket eredmenyezett. A 12 konduktor nem tudott egy kozos szakmai platformot letrehozni, igy annak lehetosege, hogy a Stifftung Pfennigparade konduktiv celjai magyarorszagi qualitasoknak is megfeleljen elvetelt a szemelyes ambiciok es vagy pozicioharcok kozott.

Ebben a stresszben hataroztam el, hogy mindent megteszek eromhoz merten annak erdekeben, hogy a minosegi konduktiv pedagogiat hozzunk letre Nemetorszagban.

A Verband alakitasanak otletet Balazs Zsuzsatol hallottam eloszor.... folyt. kov.

0 ora 33. 2008. Julius 23. Leasowe (Moreton) ,Wallasey, Wirral, Merseyside, North West, UK. Blognyitany. A tasztaturan nincsenek ekezetes betuk, igy is ertheto! Sok oromet kivanok mindnyajunknak. Kitartast a kusza, rohano, faraszto vilagunkban. RAJTA!