The students are transitioning beautifully as they enjoy their days at Abintra. You can help your child be successful in school by doing the following: Make sure your child has a good night's sleep with a consistent bed time and routine. If you're not sure how many hours of sleep your child needs, check the Sleep Hours chart below or call your child's pediatrician. Start every day with a good breakfast! Enjoy time with each other or observing nature in the morning and avoid use of electronic devices before coming to school. 

A University of Colorado Boulder study says that "Playing in schoolyards that feature natural habitats and trees and not just asphalt and recreation equipment reduces children's stress and inattention." The researchers also found that "Natural terrain schoolyards - with dirt, scrub oak and water features, for example - foster supportive relationships and feelings of competence." This is great news for Abintra students, as our campus provides 10 wooded acres where students can take nature hikes, build forts, examine wildlife, and develop a curiosity about their surroundings. More recent studies that support this research and emphasize the importance of play in natural environments have been reported by NPR. You can find those articles at the following links: Where the Wild Things Play and Scientists Say Child's Play Helps Build A Better Brain .  Early Childhood students enjoy a nature walk around campus. Early Childhood students find shade in a f...

It's clear that Montessori environments look much different from traditional classrooms. At Abintra, we hope to provide our community members with useful resources to help them get the most out of their child's Montessori experience. John Snyder Today's resource pick is the article "Supporting the Elementary Child's Work at Home" by Austin Montessorian John Snyder, former Chair of the AMI Elementary Alumni Association and member of the Montessori Leadership Collaborative. In this article, Snyder discusses how parents can contribute to their elementary student's Montessori experience outside of the classroom. As Snyder explains, "It's not worksheets. It's not assignments. It's practicing being an entrepreneurial learner in the context of the family." Snyder points out that "Basically, there needs to be a shift in thinking of the Montessori school as the place where the child is being educated to thinking of it as jus...