“Education for abnormals” and the Therapeutic Pedagogy of Juan Sandoval Carrasco. Chile, 1928-1970

Abstract

From the contributions of the history of education and psychology, this paper looks into the representations created around the field of abnormal childhood and the pedagogical practice derived from it: the education for abnormal children. Taking a more concrete form in the creation of a specific institution: the Escuela Especial de Desarrollo (1928) and since the 1940s, the generation and implementation of a strategy: Therapeutic Pedagogy, created and applied by Professor Juan Sandoval Carrasco. This proposal enabled the generation of knowledge about children’s abnormality, and the definition of a professional identity for teachers. It also provided tools to children and their parents to conduct themselves in life and to interact with the rest of society, while allowing to modify, over time, the representations and perceptions about children with mental and behavioral problems.