Lifelong and adult education are terms that have become buzzwords in the present social context. There is no doubt that such positive schemes and undertakings are not only to be encouraged and enhanced but are indispensable for those who want to keep up with today's fast advancing new developments, knowledge and research.

What might not be so familiar to some readers is that these ideas are not some present-day invention. For example, adult education centres were set up in Vienna at the beginning of the 20th century.

These centres catered for parents, educators and other childcare workers who wanted to keep abreast with the new developments in psychological research on child education and upbringing.

Psychology was an emerging discipline at the time with Freud, Jung, Adler and others working on new and different concepts that were causing a stir in academic circles. Although these three psychologists were contemporary their concepts were not always congruent.

Adler, who after the split with Freud in 1911 called his new school of thought Individual Psychology, to stress the wholeness/unity of the personality, was giving public family educational demonstration to show parents and educators alternative ways of guiding and correcting children.

His vast studies in the education and upbringing of children brought revolutionary ideas like establishing democratic families based on mutual respect, gender equality, and positive discipline that does not include punishments or conditional rewards.

One must remember the authoritarian and patriarchal settings of the first quarter of the 20th century to realise how well before his time Adler was. His social psychology not only presented a social theory but he spelled out and demonstrated how this can be applied by all in everyday life.

Adler went to the grassroots. The cafes in the Prater were also his lecture rooms. He demonstrated how traditional attitudes based on class distinction, gender superiority, maxims like "children should be seen not heard", etc. could be changed to ways that would bring about co-operation rather than frustration, rebellion, and power struggles between the children, parents and other adults.

Another basic Adlerian concept is that human behaviour is purposive. During the first six years of life children are finding out "what works for them". Parents are familiar with the fact that children behave differently with different adults. If a positive behaviour does not get, say, "attention", then they try a negative approach, which often does get them "attention". If this works then it is repeated. They just choose a behaviour that gets them a "pay-off". Adler showed how very often the way adults correct children reinforces the 'socially useless behaviour' they want to change.

To redirect children one needs to provide parents and educators with upgraded programmes. This is what Adler set out to do in his child education clinics in Vienna.

A good number of these centres were established in Vienna in the 1920s. Unfortunately World War Two disrupted these plans. After settling in the US, Adler went on developing his psychology giving lectures in universities in the US and all over Europe.

Adler's ideas gained popularity and his lectures tours took him to a large number of countries every year. In fact he died while on one of these lecture tours in Scotland in May 1937. During his lifetime he was not only a positive effective influence in the lives of thousands of teachers and parents but was also setting the roots and the stage for contemporary psychology.

In Adler's footsteps

True to this philosophy Rudolf Dreikurs, a co-worker of Adler's, went a step further to spread Adler's work after the latter's death. Dreikurs, an eminent Adlerian psychologist himself, wanted to make it possible for audiences all over the world to come in contact with Individual Psychology.

With this in mind in 1970 he set up an International Summer School that would visit a different country each year and carry out intensive Individual Psychology training for those who could not afford to travel to the US.

The faculty of this summer school is not paid any professional fees for these services. This is social interest, another basic Adlerian concept, put into practice. This summer school is still functioning today under the guidance and leadership of Professor Eva Dreikurs Ferguson, daughter of Rudolf Dreikurs. I am proud to say that a few Maltese educators and parents interested in this field have been attending this school for the last 11 years.

The International Committee for Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes (ICASSI) will this year be held in Potsdam, Berlin, between July 21 and August 3. This is an opportunity to meet and work with an international faculty made up of Adlerian educationalists and psychologists from all over the world.

Workshops cater for beginners, parents, students, established professionals and for whole families who want to combine "business with pleasure". One regular participant told me that "once one comes in contact with Individual Psychology one's way of thinking and perception is bound to change. One cannot go back to one's old way of thinking."

More information about ICASSI can be found at www.icassi.org Information can also be obtained from the local Association of Adlerian Psychology (MAPA).

Joyce Callus, MA, is chairman of MAPA; e-mail: callus@maltanet.net

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