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	The Special Needs Programme

We will gladly accept children with special needs / learning difficulties if we feel we can serve them well. Each child is considered on a case-by-case basis. With a few exceptions, our staff is not specially trained for working in these areas, and we make this very clear to any parent considering enrolling their child. If we feel we are not the answer for a child, we will tell the parents so. Over the years, Madame Sue has built up a small bank of information so she is able to at least make a suggestion or two of where the parent could try next. We have had very good success with children who have speech delays; the Montessori programme lends itself to this need. We are open to working with specialists, and have sometimes had a speech therapist work with a child in the school. With one child who was severely delayed, an individual came into the school to make picture cards of objects that would be essential for communication in a Montessori classroom. We have also had children in the school with global developmental delays, and in general we have found that they thrive, particularly in our Casa programme. Whenever possible, we work with the CCAC (Community Care Access Centre), to access resources. We had one student who was entitled to both a speech therapist and an occupational therapist who was able to come into the school to work with this child. Sadly, resources have become scarcer, and the criteria for eligibility have become much stricter. In the Elementary class, we accommodate children with a wide range of abilities and temperaments. Last year Mrs. Barbara recommended to one parent that she have her son tested, and it turned out he has difficulty with auditory processing. During lessons he wore headphones, and the teacher wore a special clip-on microphone. The class was very accepting, and it made a tremendous difference. He needs the help less frequently this year. A few years ago, against all logic, we accepted an 8-year-old girl newly arrived from Mexico. We explained to the family that we had no ESL training, and that it would be difficult for her with no Montessori background, but the family’s papers hadn’t arrived, and the public schools wouldn’t accept her, so in the end we accepted her into the school. She was a delight! She made friends easily, caught on to many of the Montessori materials, and her language blossomed! Without extra support, however, we find the Elementary programme less suitable than the Casa programme to children with severe delays or specific needs beyond our capabilities. We have not had inquiries from parents whose children have a physical disability, and would be most willing to try to integrate a student in a wheelchair, or with visual or auditory special needs. (One of our Casa students was in a wheelchair for a few months last year; it was a challenge, but we – and he – adapted!)

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