What & why did we do it?

On 3 September 2026, India Autism Center (IAC) conducted a special workshop for the teachers of Mongrace Montessori School at Mongrace Montessori House, Kolkata. Organised as part of the school’s Teacher’s Day activities, the session focused on two important aspects of a teacher’s role: identifying children’s individual needs early and managing the emotional demands of teaching.

The workshop explored the early identification of children’s needs in Montessori classrooms, helping teachers understand the importance of recognising differences in children’s development, behaviour and learning. It also addressed teacher burnout, acknowledging that supporting children effectively requires teachers to look after their own well-being.

More than 50 teachers from Pre-Primary 1 (PP-1) to KG-2 participated in the session. The workshop was moderated by Ms. Puja Dutta and Ms. Simran Sultana, mentors from the IAC Training Academy.

The session received an extremely positive response from the participating teachers and school management. Recognising the value of such discussions, the management expressed interest in organising similar workshops for Montessori teachers across other Mongrace branches.

The school also requested a separate workshop designed for faculty members of IIT Kharagpur who are parents of both neurotypical and neurodivergent children, opening up an opportunity to extend these conversations beyond the classroom and into families.

Key Takeaway

One of the key takeaways from the workshop was that early identification begins with awareness.

Teachers who understand children’s individual developmental and learning needs are better placed to recognise when a child may need additional support. At the same time, teacher well-being must remain part of the conversation, because creating supportive learning environments also depends on supporting the people who make them possible.

Through workshops such as this, IAC continues to encourage greater awareness, understanding and collaboration among educators, helping build learning environments where children’s diverse needs are recognised and supported.