Programs
M.A.I.S.E.N Program
The MAISEN (Montessori Assisted Individualized Special Educational Needs) program is designed for children diagnosed with special educational needs (SEN). These include ADHD/EBD (behavioral), dyslexia/SLD/MLD (cognition and learning), speech/autism (communication and interaction) and sensory needs.
Under this program, a child is first suggested to consult a developmental pediatrician to crystallize the specific special educational need (SEN). Thereafter, a Montessori assisted individualized program (MAISEN) is designed for the child in consultation with parents. As a general practice, a developmental pediatrician also recommends the appropriate intervention required. The MAISEN program runs in parallel to the suggested intervention.
Given special educational needs is not an exact science, the requirement of one child could be very different from another who is diagnosed with the same special educational need. Nevertheless,
The focus areas of the MAISEN program are
The progress is monitored at regular intervals and necessary changes are made. In parallel, the recommended intervention also continues, which helps achieve targeted progress.
Generally, Montessori teachers are not experts in special educational needs and the MAISEN program is not aimed to replace the recommended intervention. It aims to apply the Montessori concepts to children with special educational needs – which has brought about perceptible progress in children in the past.
Noteworthy here is the fact that the genesis of the Montessori method itself is rooted in children with special educational needs.