Dr András Pető

Dr András Pető  created the conductive education system, a system which produced remarkable results and which was a head of its time in both its theoretical base and its practice. He surpassed theorists because as a practicing teacher he verified his theory in practice.

András Pető was a doctor, an exceptional teacher, psychiatrist, scientist, polymaths and writer. Allegedly he could play the piano like a concert pianist.

He had a carefully selected library with a wide range of medical literature along with books on oriental philosophy, healing, ancient teachings and on history of philosophy amongst many other books. He spoke several languages and he wrote and published his work mainly in German.

Pető knew a lot about the world and life, about the body, the spirit and the soul, about arts and sciences about the earth and the sky, about people, he experienced a lot and unlocked many secrets.

He devoted his life to ‘heal’ people with motor disabilities utilisingsing his great knowledge and rich experience as a doctor and his research throughout his studies, his work and his life.

“András Pető had an indomitable will to heal and this end would be achieved by no matter how hard everyone involved should have to work to achieve this.

The moral force of this will was transmitted down through his institute and everyone working there- those who taught and those who learned. It permeated every aspect of life there, the ethos, the atmosphere in which children were brought up (and of course for his numerous adult patients too). The pedagogic task was to transform this will from teachers to learners and along with this to transfer the teachers’ respect for the pupils’ sure ability to find their own path to success. And with the motivation and rewards from hard- won independent success, András Pető’s will became the will of everyone there.

Such pedagogy demands total focus of every possible factor relevant to learning and development, bringing everything together to be coordinated in pupils’ own particular, personally integrated ways. This was certainly a pedagogy rather than a therapy or a treatment, but what to call it? 60 years ago, for a Central European medical man with a classical education this was a pedagogy that is ‘conductive’.
And the pedagogues who implemented this were to become ‘conductors’. ”

Pető Studies, Conductive Education Press Birmingham, England 2012- page 229/230