Admissions FAQs

How is Abintra different from other Montessori schools?
What does “Montessori certified” mean?
Does Abintra assign homework and give tests or grades?
Where do students go when they leave Abintra?  How do they transition?
How does the “integrated arts” program work at Abintra?
Will my child get exposure to a foreign language?
 

How is Abintra different from other Montessori schools?
Since there is no formalized definition of Montessori in practice, each Montessori school can interpret Dr. Montessori’s work as it sees fit.  Abintra is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and is an affiliate of the American Montessori Society (AMS).  We are a non-profit school and are run by a Board of Trust made up of both Abintra parents and members of the community at large.  We have no religious affiliation.  

Abintra adheres to Dr. Montessori’s vision in a number of ways:

• Multi-aged groupings in our classrooms
• Three-hour morning work cycle in all classrooms and afternoon work cycles as appropriate to the students’ ages
• The use of the Montessori materials
• Integrated curriculum

Abintra also incorporates:

• A strong and integrated arts program, including instruction in visual art, theater, and music
• Outdoor and environmental science
• Positive Discipline for guides and parents

What does “Montessori certified” mean?
There is a specific course of study that was designed originally by Maria Montessori to train teachers in her educational method.  Today there are several accrediting bodies and a large number of training facilities.  Dr. Montessori developed the Early Childhood curriculum and the method for educating and certifying the guides.  Abintra requires a certified guide from a MACTE-accredited program in each Early Childhood Classroom and the Lower Elementary Classroom. 

In the Middle Elementary , Upper Elementary, and Middle School guides are educated in both Montessori and best educational practices.  This may include Montessori certification, state licensure, masters' degrees in a particular field of study or a combination of all three.

Does Abintra assign homework and give tests or grades?
It is a fundamental tenet of Abintra Montessori that students’ learning come from within, not from assignments from their guides.  We believe strongly that children need time for family activities and community interaction when school is over for the day.  Guides at Abintra do not assign young children nightly homework in the conventional sense of the practice.  Repetitive, rote work, like that found on worksheets, is neither productive nor educational.  The Montessori curriculum and work cycles are designed to afford each student with plenty of time to do the work of learning during the school day.  In the  elementary classrooms, homework assignments are limited to occasions where special attention is necessary to reinforce the curriculum.  Other research efforts after school hours are extensions of the students’ self-directed work plans.  In the Middle School, homework is a regular feature as students prepare to transition to other schools.

Abintra does not give tests or grades in any classrooms below Middle School.  In the Middle School classroom, tests are given in order to assist the students in both self-assessment and in the practical life skill of test-taking as they look toward moving into a non-Montessori environment to complete high school.

Where do students go when they leave Abintra?  How do they transition?
Abintra graduates have gone on to attend a variety of other programs.  We have been observing the transition of Abintra graduates for 30 years and are happy to share what we have learned.  Abintra students are well-prepared academically and have been successful at a variety of schools.  They are also socially adept and confident learners.  The students who graduate from Abintra transition into both private and public schools.  They report being accepted into their first choice of schools and regularly contact us with inspiring anecdotes of the education and experiences they have after Abintra.  (Click here for a list of specific schools Abintra students have attended.)

Our middle school program is designed to continue the Montessori experience while also preparing the students for the transition into a more traditional environment.  The middle school engages in more group lessons, does reasonable amounts of homework, and takes exams.  These all give the older students the opportunity to strengthen their practical life skills for success in a high school setting.  Abintra students are able to acclimate to a variety of settings because they know how to learn and how to take responsibility for their own learning.

How does the “integrated arts” program work at Abintra?
Our arts coordinator is responsible for working with the guides at all levels to support the children’s lessons through the arts.  She coordinates field trips, plans art projects, and provides materials for the work shelves in each classroom.  For instance, when our upper elementary studied the Greek and Roman civilizations, the students created mosaics, listened to music played on instruments used during those eras, and wrote and performed a play around the mythology of both cultures.  The shelves of the early childhood classrooms contain materials that present the children with the work of great artists in ways that they can enjoy and absorb, such as matching cards or picture books.

We also have artists-in-residence on campus who visit the classrooms to guide the students in projects specifically selected to support their studies as well as art work that the students are engaged in individually.  Our arts coordinator brings in these artists-in-residence, as well as guest artists to work with the children in music, theater, and dance.  The older children go regularly to local museums, galleries, TPAC, and the Symphony to take advantage of the cultural offerings in Nashville.

Will my child get exposure to a foreign language?
All of the classrooms offer excellent exposure to Spanish.  We have native Spanish speakers in our early childhood, elementary, and middle school programs and have lessons in the Spanish language for all ages.