Allgemeine Heilpädagogik
Theorie der Heilpädagogik und Rehabilitation

The diversity of curative education

Curative and special needs education consists of a variety of different fields and is aimed at different groups of people in various social and individual problem situations. For this reason, curative and special educational research and practice also encompasses numerous and different approaches in research and practice.
This diversity is a strength and a key reason why curative and special needs education is such a varied profession and such an exciting science. However, this diversity also entails the risk of overarching contexts being lost. It is therefore the task of general curative education to deal with the general aspects of curative and special needs education. But what does that mean?

The general aspects of curative education

The general is that which encompasses and connects the individual groups of people, problem situations, fields of work and research approaches despite all the differences. At the same time, however, it is also about the very special: That which makes every person, every encounter, every situation and every challenge that we face in curative and special educational work unique. The special and the general are not opposites, but always refer to each other.

Questions of general curative education

By dealing with both the general and the particular, very fundamental questions arise that are not only important for the science of special needs education, but also for us as human beings:
What does it mean to cope with one's own life, to fill it with meaning and quality? What boundaries and barriers to understanding, solidarity and responsibility exist between people? What role do our physicality, our mental and spiritual characteristics, our language and the forms of our communication have in our relationship to ourselves, to others and to our world? How do social, political, cultural, economic and historical contexts shape our existence? How do we deal with aspects that determine our lives but which are beyond our control? How do we want to interact with each other? What kind of society do we want to live in?

Tasks of general curative education in research and science

When we pursue these questions, we aim to support and accompany people who are affected or threatened by marginalisation, disadvantage and discrimination through education. At a time when the cracks in society are becoming ever deeper, when social solidarity with excluded, vulnerable, discriminated and disadvantaged groups of people is waning and more and more certainties and securities seem to be dissolving, curative and special educational work is becoming increasingly important. After all, an important task of general curative and special education is to understand the processes and conditions that determine our self-image, our relationships and the ways in which we live together.

Tasks of general curative education in teaching

By reflecting on ethical, sociological, political and philosophical issues, students gain a new perspective on other people and social contexts and ultimately a new self-awareness. They practise an attitude and develop a well-founded professional self-image. They are able to position themselves critically, provide good arguments in favour of non-exclusive ethics and advocate for the safeguarding of human dignity and fundamental rights. At the same time, they are experts in interpersonal relationships and can make contact with people who are often excluded from social contexts and isolated. At the end of all this reflection and professional development is the desire to act. Therefore, all considerations always centre on the question: What can we do?