The program included presentations by experienced colleagues, the diversity of which demonstrated a broad spectrum of possible approaches. It soon became apparent for us to clearly experience the common intersections in all the presentations: The child, who has become unbalanced for various reasons, often lacking basic skills, can be helped individually with a wide variety of integrative sensory-motor ways of working. All contributions and the joint exchange were characterized by an intensive study and dedication to anthroposophical ways of working.

The lecture content

Joep Eikenboom provided lectures for the group. He made a clear distinction between the constitutional physical development of a child who tends to be cared for by a special education approach alongside the structural physical development that often is not yet fully developed in a school child who benefits from learning support from a pedagogical perspective. Such a student presents obstacles or difficulties in some areas, but these do not affect a pathology for the whole person. Children who benefit from learning support do not have a «diagnosis», but are expressing outwardly their inward experience in areas where regular development has gaps or arrests. The result is observable responses to the external influences in the classroom environment, which presents challenges for class management by their teachers.

Phillip Reubke underlined the importance of Early Childhood Education. There must be movements and actions worth imitating. Relationships from person-to-person are always crucial – including the educator/teacher to the child and to the parents. These relationships should not be demanding or lecturing but convey an interest in the encounter. Healthy relationships with children and parents are fundamental to successful educational work.

Presentations from the field

Many of the following reports from the field complemented each other in their approach or view of the causes of or support for children with learning difficulties. Their presentations are briefly summarized below: 

Ingun Schneider presented the foundational, bodily senses – Touch, Life, Self-Movement and Static Balance. Each of the senses and their development contribute to a successful learning experience for the child. When these body senses are underdeveloped, the student experiences learning blocks and difficulties, which in turn can be overcome by work that recapitulates the development of these senses to fill in the gaps or arrests that exist. A classroom approach for brief daily practice was emphasized.

Two participants looked at children's learning opportunities from the perspective of immature and insufficiently integrated early childhood movement patterns (often referred to as «primitive reflexes»):

Sibylle Raupach presented the development from pregnancy to the first year of life from the perspective of immaturities that prevent learning. Laura Pellico offered practical examples of how the residual reactions of early childhood movement patterns can be transformed and matured through daily motor exercises in the classroom.