H I S T O R Y:
The PEASS program grew out of twenty years of experience at The Whitby School in Greenwich, Connecticut. I chose Montessori education for a number of reasons. First of all, the teachers are often able to be flexible in their choices to make special accommodations for students. They are eager to facilitate learning through a variety of methods and materials and are trained to be keen observers. Secondly, the boundaries of the classrooms are wide so parents choose Montessori schools because they sense that their children, who may need a different approach to education, may thrive there. Montessori classrooms are often a laboratory of diverse educational profiles. The need to enhance the Montessori Method with a program to accommodate various learning profiles was evident to me in 1983.

Lastly, I believe in the Montessori philosophy. Maria Montessori was a pioneering scientist who advanced a precise, scientifically based theory that has stood the test of time, decade after decade. Her work at the turn of the century is at the foundation of other developmental theories including those of Erik Erickson and later, Jean Piaget. “Modern research in psychology suggests that the Montessori system is much more suited to how children learn and develop than the traditional system.”
(Lillard, Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. 2005)

"Let no child be demeaned, nor have his wonder diminished, because of our ignorance or inactivity."

The PEASS program was designed for Montessori schools as a systematic way to identify signs of risk for learning differences. It includes a multidisciplinary team of learning specialists, neuropsychologists, psychologists and psychiatrists; social workers, occupational therapists and speech/language pathologists to supplement the observations of classroom teachers.

The establishment of a network of professionals in each specific school district is essential and considered a priority. Depending on the size of a school, a team of one or more professionals can be hired to implement the program. A Learning Specialist trained in the Orton Gillingham method or the Wilson Program is necessary to initiate the program. Hiring professionals such as a speech/language pathologist or an occupational therapist on a consulting basis to observe individuals in a classroom setting or to collaborate with teachers is often an attractive option for some schools.

"Let no child be deprived of discovery, because we lack the resources to discover her problem."

According to Dr. Melvin Levine’s theory, “each student possesses a unique profile of neurodevelopmental functions that are highly interactive as they collaborate in all behavioral and cognitive actions. Highly specific subskills are contained within each neurodevelopmental construct.

Dr. Levine’s theory posits eight neurodevelopmental constructs:

A dysfunction can exist in one or more of the requisite functions manifesting itself in a specific learning difference.”
(M. Levine, M.D., Developmental Variation and Learning Disorders. 1998)

"Let no child ever doubt himself or his mind because we are unsure of our commitment"

P R O C E D U R E:
The sequence of the PEASS program begins with a basic understanding of Dr. Levine’s neurodevelopmental constructs. Staff Development includes a thorough investigation of Dr. Levine’s theory and its application to all levels of the school. Performance assessment observation notes are tailored to meet the needs of individual schools. Once the teachers are well versed in neurodevelopmental theory, individual student profiles can be collected over time and intervention programs can be planned.

The program sequence looks like this:
Teacher training
Observation
   Daily teacher assessments
   Learning Specialist by request
Documentation
   Systematic performance assessment
Collaboration
   School
   Home
Intervention
   Classroom modifications
   Individual tutorial
   Referral to local professionals

PEASS services include the design of individualized tutorial programs and private consultations with schools and families.

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