In May Susie posted a blog about a ‘European’ Conductive Education conference in Helsinki, Finland happening in October this year.
http://www.susie-mallett.org/2009/05/revealing-soul-and-magic-will-simply.html
This took place on 19 October at Ruskeasuo School in Helsinki from 9am-4pm with an hour break for lunch. I cannot find information on who organised the conference and assume it was Ruskeasuo School which I believe has been ‘applying the principles of Conductive Education’ for some time now.
There were parallel presentations in two halls, six in each and two plenary speakers. Franz Schaffhauser, director of the Peto Institute, started the morning programme with Ideas and Methods in Conductive Education and Logotherapy and Melanie Brown the afternoon sessions with Conductive Education an unchanging philosophy and changing methodology.
Nineteen people presented, six of whom were conductors. Three from the National Institute in Birmigham, England, one from the Norsk Forum for Konduktiv Pedagogikk, Norway and two from Joriel School, Stockholm, Sweden.
All presentations (except Franz Schaffhauser’s) are available in their Powerpoint formats at
http://www.ruskis.fi/innovation_in_conductive_education-educational_equality_presentations.html
It seems to be the trend at the moment to talk to Powerpoint and consequently the presentation is not written down for publication in proceedings or to give interested parties. As a result there is no written record for those who could not make the conference to read, or to archive in libraries for future reference. Perhaps this conference will be different. There is no mention either of a report on the conference to follow, but again perhaps that will come later.
Susie made the point in her blog that finance can play a big part in whether conductors can attend such gatherings or not.
http://www.susie-mallett.org/2009/05/when-it-comes-to-crunch.html
It would be interesting to know how many managed to get to this one.