• Corpus ID: 53642728

Conductive Education in New York City : Parental Perceptions and Experiences

@inproceedings{Daniels2003ConductiveEI,
  title={Conductive Education in New York City : Parental Perceptions and Experiences},
  author={Jane Zimmer Daniels},
  year={2003}
}

• J. Daniels
• Published 2003
• Psychology

This research project sought to answer the following questions about Conductive Education (CE). Does CE positively impact the lives of children with motor disorders and their family members? Does the program give children a sense of independence as well as the confidence to believe they have control over their movements, lives and future? If so, which characteristics of CE create these positive outcomes for children, and by extension, their family members? If positive outcomes are not realized, what may have led to a lack of effectiveness? In the literature on CE, many of the studies fall within one of two categories, namely studies that focus on parental evaluations of CE or studies that have sought to use more objective measures of progress, many of which compared CE, or programs based on CE principles, to traditional methods of intervention. The studies that focused on parental evaluations of CE were relatively subjective in nature and the results were mainly positive, although some parental concerns were noted, such as a perceived lack of school-based experiences and academics. The studies that sought to compare CE with other types of interventions found similar results; namely that CE was not more effective than traditional methods of intervention. Despite these researchers’ findings, CE appears to give children and their families a sense of hope that cannot be fully conveyed in objective measurements of progress. Since objective measures of progress do not tell the entire story of CE, I decided to conduct a qualitative study of CE as practiced at Standing Tall in New York City. I attempted to provide a richly detailed picture of individual families’ experiences by interviewing eight parents of children enrolled in classes at the site. In order to more fully understand the experiences of children at Standing Tall and how these experiences affect their family members, I spent time at the site, observing the interactions between conductors and the children. The eight parents I interviewed were very positive in their assessment of CE, although some concerns were noted. Each parent described physical gains made by his/her child. Parents also described progress made by their children that was more affective in nature. For example, the children have become more independent and self-confident, and this has led to the children being more willing to move, challenge themselves physically, and attempt things on their own that they would not have attempted before. Several parents cited the positive atmosphere at Standing Tall as leading to affective gains in their children, and other parents described academic and cognitive gains made by their children. Positive characteristics of CE, as noted by parents, include the following: The competence and dedication of the conductors; the classroom setting and the incorporation of music and fun into the task series; the consistency of the routines; the physical nature of the program; the focus on functional movement, and the emphasis on independence. Parents expressed their own comfort in knowing that their children are happy being in a program where they are valued and challenged and making physical as well as affective gains. CE is a program that is pedagogical, rather than therapeutic, in approach. In the words of one parent, it is based on using a child’s preserved cognitive function to help the child learn to use his/her body in a functional way. It can be said that CE is moving in the opposite direction from the field of special education. In traditional special education classes, students with severe physical disabilities typically remain in wheelchairs for most of the day and are given assistive technology as a means of helping them achieve independence. CE, on the other hand, aims to give children independence through the active use of their bodies, unassisted by wheelchairs. For children in CE, there are physical as well as affective benefits associated with the emphasis on physical activity and movement in this program. Conductive Education 1 EXCERPT ONLY. For more information or for a complete copy of Janelle’s thesis, contact her directly at: [e-mail]