On December 3, 2010 four staff members from the Conductive Learning Center (CLC) in Grand Rapids travelled to Hong Kong for the seventh World Congress on Conductive Education (CE). This event brought together 700 professionals from all over the world involved in the field of CE. Throughout the three-day conference, staff members furthered their knowledge by listening to numerous lectures, networked with others involved in CE, and also attended various cultural events throughout the city.

Several of the abstracts chosen for presentations at the World Congress were submitted and presented by the Conductive Learning Center staff - including Aquinas College graduates from the POHI/Conductive Education teacher-training program. Graduates from this program are currently working in various educational settings throughout the United States.

This Aquinas College degree offers a unique combination of educational experiences - providing graduates with an elementary teaching certificate from the State of Michigan with a POHI Endorsement (for working with students who are Physically or Otherwise Health Impaired), as well as a certification from the International Peto Institute for Conductive Education in Budapest, Hungary. Aquinas College is currently the only place in North America where a student can receive this internationally-recognized credential.

Conductive Education, which was developed in Hungary in the 1940’s, is an educational system to help children with motor disorders achieve more independent functioning. CE has been widely accepted throughout Europe and Asia, and is implemented as part of the mainstream medical and educational systems in those countries. Conductive Education has grown increasingly popular in the U.S. and Canada over the past two decades.

Currently, over 40 CE programs are in operation in North America. The biggest challenge facing CE in North America is the shortage of professionally trained Conductor teachers needed to satisfy the staffing needs of the expanding number of programs domestically. Past graduates of the Aquinas POHI program have been quickly employed and bringing conductors from abroad has become increasing difficult due to visa issues. It was clear at the seventh World Congress that programs throughout North America and the world, are looking for expansion of this crucial education program for teachers at Aquinas College. The CLC staff created a poster presentation on the Aquinas POHI/CE program for display at the World Congress.

For more information regarding Conductive Education or the Aquinas College conductor-teacher training program, please feel free to contact the Conductive Learning Center.