Constitution Typology in Curative Education

 

By Martin Niemeijer, 
Physician for children with special needs

Reseacher Kingfisher Foundation – Bolk’s Companion Group

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Introduction
Companion author Martin Niemeijer published an article in Der Merkurstab in October 2024 about constitution typology in children. An English translation of this article, originally published in German(*), can be downloaded below.
(*)Die Bilder der kindlichen Konstitution. Der Merkurstab, 77(5), 315-322.

 

Abstract

Children´s development happens in a field of polar creative processes. This leads to a continuous balancing act initiating an individual, dynamic equilibrium. This activity and its resulting processes are fragile and must not remain stuck in the one-sidedness of either of the poles. Three polarities were developed in Rudolf Steiner's Curative Education Course concerning six constitution pictures that encompass the fundamental dimensions of the child's organism. These pictures can be used to describe the child’s constitution, which can be followed by individualized curative education and therapeutic support and treatment. An instrument has been developed for coordinating treatment in the use of these pictures as well as for training. We show how the instrument has proven itself in research and practice since it was first developed.

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Keywords

Constitution typology

Polarity

Balance

Basic processes in child development

Picture-forming diagnostics

Development of an instrument​

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