Shelton Executive Director Emeritus Joyce Pickering and Associate Head of School Amy Cushner are featured in a Greenspring Center for Lifelong Learning podcast on "Early Signs of Learning Differences to Look for in the Primary Classroom." Pickering and Cushner outline development during the Primary years, emphasizing the importance of early identification and intervention for children with learning differences. They highlight how Montessori materials and lessons can be adapted to support diverse learners and caution against a "wait and see" approach, which can result in missed opportunities for early intervention and additional suffering for the child. Instead, they recommend implementing adaptive strategies as soon as a child is identified as at risk, ensuring that the child receives necessary support. 

Dr. Joyce Pickering is a 50-year Montessorian, speech and language pathologist, and learning disabilities specialist who has devoted her life to addressing the needs of students with learning differences. She is the author of "Montessori Strategies for Children with Learning Differences: The MACAR Model," with Sylvia O. Richardson, M.D. 

Amy Cushner is certified in Sequential English Education and the Association Method programs for the remediation of written language disorders, as well as advanced levels of Montessori Applied to Children at Risk. Amy holds a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, Montessori-credentialed (E1) MACTE, is a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist (Texas), Certified Academic Language Therapist, QI, and has worked at the Shelton School for 30 years.

Listen to the podcast at this link.