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 What is Conductive Education  How Does Conductive Education Work   Aims of Conductive Education    Appropriate Candidates for Conductive Education   Our Staff Partner for Access to Therapy  Board of Directors
 

 

                       

What is Conductive Education?

 

How does Conductive Education work?

 

Aims of Conductive Education

 

Appropriate candidates for Conductive Education

 

Our Staff



Partner for access to therapy

 

Board  of Directors

 

Center For Independence Video

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Our Mission

The mission of our program is to help children with profound physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, gain physical independence.  We do this by developing their motor functions in a manner that creates positive self-esteem and self-direction.  All of our children are taught that they are valued; that each child is important and can give back to society regardless of his/her disability.

 

Company Profile

History and Overview:

The Center for Independence began in 1997 as a parent-directed group offering summer camps to children with motor disabilities.  These camps utilized Conductive Education, a unique learning technique, to achieve dramatic results in the children’s physical and social abilities.  Conductive Education teaches children with physical disabilities how to be independent through the use of an intensive group motor training program.  Group education has achieved remarkable results compared to conventional one-on-one therapies by providing peer interaction, competition, and support that builds a strong foundation of encouragement, motivation, and confidence.

Upon its founding, the Center was among one of the first groups offering Conductive Education classes in Illinois.  The Center is completely unique in that we are the only program in Illinois offering year-round Conductive Education programming to school-age children.  Our transdisciplinary team is one of only three programs in the United States to successfully incorporate occupational and physical therapists into a model of Conductive Education teachers.  The Center is the only program in the Chicagoland area offering group motor training, in a summer camp format, to children with physical disabilities.

Our programs operate at incredibly efficient levels, as reflected in our audited Financial Statements for the year ending December 31, 2006.  Over 1/3 of our children receive some form of financial assistance to ensure full participation in our program.  Please help us teach children skills that will last a lifetime.  Make a donation to the Center for Independence through Conductive Education.

The Center for Independence is an Illinois Not-For-Profit Corporation under section 501 (c) (3) of the Illinois Revenue Code.
 

What do we do? How do we do it? Who do we serve?

The Center's program is based on a school of thought called Conductive Education, which is a unified system of education for people with motor disorders.  Many of the children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy.  Conductive Education recognizes the fact that a damaged brain requires a commitment of significant time and repetition in order to learn new pathways, just as we recognize that children need several hours a day geared toward academic studies.

The Center provides intensive group motor training programs based on the principles of Conductive Education.  Our transdisciplinary team of physical and occupational therapists and conductive education teachers (individuals who have 4 year degree in education specific to conductive education) teach children with physical disabilities functional activities like how to eat, dress, sit, walk, and toilet themselves in order to maximize their independence.  The cost-efficient, time effective group format of Conductive Education provides peer interaction, competition and support, which build a strong foundation of encouragement, motivation, and confidence.  Each child is provided with individualized treatment plans carried out in a group setting.

Working in cooperation with various local school districts, the Center's program offers a one month on, one month off rotation schedule for school age children.  The children are able to attend the Center five days a week for 3 hour sessions during that one month period.  Scheduling of primary or core academic classes is usually performed in morning hours, prior to attendance at the Center in the afternoons.  The Center believes that children with physical disabilities deserve to be educated in both academic and life skills - one without the other does not develop the whole child.  Children with physical disabilities are complex and deserve a complex education.

 

Contact Information

The Center for Independence
100 W. Plainfield Road  Suite 100
Countryside, IL 60525
 
Telephone: 708-588-0833
FAX:         708-588-0406

General Information: pcherbst_1@msn.com

Satellite Sites

Saint Francis de Sales
135 S. Buesching Road
Lake Zurich, IL 60047

Carlos Cantu Center in partnership with El Valor
2434 S. Kildare
Chicago, IL 60623

 

 

        

              

 

Center For Independence
Program Calendar
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Planning Days

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holidays

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Camp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Last modified: Monday September 08, 2008