How training to be a Conductor has increased my passion for Conductive Education and influences how I enable the children to learn
Within Conductive Education (CE) we focus on helping individuals who have a motor-disorder become more independent. We see the person as a whole, supporting them to find solutions for themselves. Every day, we challenge them to reach their full potential through learning new skills – cognitive, physical and emotional.
As I continue my training to be a Conductor, I’ve learned that my own learning journey mirrors the heart of CE. Just as we guide children to move from passive participation to playing an active role in their learning, I’ve grown from simply imitating a Conductor to using the knowledge and skills I’ve learned—using creativity and a willingness to learn applying this to my own development.
Structured Teaching: The Power of Routine and Integration We help the children to reach their goals using a variety of methods. These can include aids and equipment, language and songs, motivation and building a positive relationship with the children. A big part of our approach to teaching is using the daily routine and task series to provide a structure, helping us to teach a variety of movement patterns in different contexts.
In the past, I assumed I needed to help the child physically by supporting their weight and movements more than necessary, but this only removes their opportunity to be an active learner. It is important that we don’t overuse manual facilitation, as this can increase their dependence on another person to move for them. I’m learning to find a balance; by believing in their potential, I can use movement patterns from previous tasks to encourage their active participation. I’ve learned that these skills can be applied to real-life situations, using different environments to make sure the children can use their learning in their daily lives. For example, facilitating a child to lift their bottom up in the lying programme isn’t just for the CE session – it also helps with everyday tasks such as getting changed. We use rhythmical intention to help the child to internalise the movement and apply these skills elsewhere.
A Will to Move: The Power of Goals and Relationships in Learning CE recognises how neuroplasticity allows us to learn despite neurological damage by forming new connections in the brain. The CE programme is designed with group goals in mind, which are then adapted to suit the individual’s needs. As I’ve learned more about setting goals, I’ve used my skills to create the best conditions to help each child succeed. By using repetition, we support the child’s growth through strengthening their neural pathways.
Adaptability: Using Creativity to Enable Success When we’ve created an environment where the children feel safe and supported, they can begin to explore new skills with the help of the Conductor, who is trained to carefully observe the individual’s progress and response to intervention. By considering our approach to teaching, we adapt techniques and add or modify learning tools to better support the learner to complete tasks and become more independent.
After learning how to use observation effectively, I’ve started to carefully consider how I motivate the children. I’ve used puppets to demonstrate how to wash up, bubble machines and umbrellas to teach about weather and paddling pools to teach how to lift our legs up and down to splash in the puddles. By making learning fun and imaginative, the children can stay focused on their goals and feel rewarded for actively participating in a task without it feeling boring, repetitive and hard work.
Continuous Growth: Believing in Each Child’s Journey As I continue to grow as a Trainee Conductor, I’ve learned that CE is not simply a rinse and repeat method of teaching – it’s about promoting independence, belief and problem-solving skills in each individual learner. By refining my ability to adapt learning to suit their individual needs, I can play an active role in their growth and development. I truly love finding creative and engaging ways to encourage learning and strive to create an environment where each child can thrive and reach their full potential. I love the emphasis within CE on building positive relationships with each child and focusing on their abilities rather than disabilities. Each child I work with shows true resilience and determination and inspires me to grow as a Conductor to help make a difference in their lives and help them to navigate their world.
