Curriculum

The Early Childhood Student  (3 to 6 years)

Learning is demonstrated through:

• Exploration and discovery
• Use of the five senses to understand the world
• Meaning constructed from seeing and doing
• Self-discovery as a foundation for future learning
• Recognition of patterns and categorization of knowledge

The Lower Elementary Student (6 to 7 years)

Learning is demonstrated through:

• Progression of reading proficiency
• Geometry and fractions, exploration, complimenting the four basic mathematical operations
• Outdoor classrooms host earth and life sciences
• Time management development
• Self-identification of strength and need in areas of learning
   

The Middle Elementary Student  (8 to 10 years)

Learning is demonstrated through:

• Chapter books and nonfiction reading
• Abstract thinking through exploration of math materials
• Simple cause and effect experiments and reporting
• Research into geographical and cultural studies
• Self-planning and scheduling of curriculum work
• Collaborative skill-building through large group projects

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The Upper Elementary Student (10 to 12 years)

  Learning is demonstrated through:

• Author studies and formal writing from literature and language
• Statistics and graphs expand fraction and decimal understanding
• Progression of research to analysis to “make meaning” of facts
• Consensus of communal issues through facilitating and organizing community meetings
• Development of organizational skills for daily work management

The Middle School Student  (12 to 14 years)

Learning is demonstrated through:

• Understanding of historical events through reading, writing, and research
• Fluency in pre-algebraic concepts and writing theorems
• Scientific studies involving systems analysis
• Strengthened time management and study skills through extended multi-step projects
• Extended, student-arranged community internships exploring career interests

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Ser vice Learning :
  Being a Citizen of the World

“Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.” -Maria Montessori

After seeing the ravages of war in Europe, Dr. Maria Montessori became a powerful advocate for peace.  Beginning in early childhood, students at Abintra learn three essential guidelines:

• Respect yourself
• Respect each other
• Respect your environment

Using these simple guidelines, children learn how to interact with one another and adults while showing mutual respect and consideration.

Classrooms are noncompetitive and community-oriented. As students mature, their sense of community expands to include the entire school and, then, the community at-large. Older students help younger students master tasks and also assist staff on campus.

Students play key roles in a variety of community and service-learning experiences including:

• Organizing an annual memorial fund drive
• Sustaining intensive, school-wide recycling and composting
• Disseminating care packages for our armed forces abroad
• Collecting book donations for English Language Learning children

Abintra’s middle schoolers seek out and coordinate their own extended off-campus internships to explore career interests. Student internships have included work at the public library, local newspapers, pet rescue and adoption, radio stations, political headquarters, computer programming sites, physical fitness/climbing center, music production/publishing companies, civic design centers, landscaping businesses, and retail.
 

PE
Physical education and gross motor work are important parts of the Montessori curricula. Cooperative games, playground time, yoga, nature walks, and other gross motor work are parts of the daily routine of each student at Abintra. Middle and Upper Elementary and Middle School students also participate in off-campus physical education programs including activities such as swimming, rock climbing, ice skating, hiking in local parks, and making use of other facilities in the greater community. We teach students to utilize local resources and by giving them the opportunity to explore, learn from and enjoy the outdoors daily.  

It has been our practice at Abintra for 30 years to utilize the public libraries and sports venues all over the city, to hike the parks and walk the greenways.  As a steward of the Earth, Abintra is committed to not duplicating resources that are already available, and that are almost always underused, throughout our city. 
 

Technology
Abintra views technology as an increasingly important tool in our world.  We include supervised use of classroom computers in our middle elementary classroom.  In our upper elementary and middle school, students have individual access to laptops for their daily work.  We do not include computers in the workspace of our early childhood or lower elementary classrooms.  The work in these classrooms is focused on the Montessori materials and the journey from concrete manipulatives to more abstract work.
 

Human Growth & Development
In preparing students for life, Abintra includes Human Growth and Development as part of their overall curriculum. Appropriate to the age of the students, this program focuses on a range of topics including personal growth, relationships, decision making, peer pressure, interpersonal skills, balanced living, sex education, and the journey to adulthood.

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