Scholar's Studio
A New Kind of After-School Enrichment for Grades 1–6.
Hands-on learning comes first. Worksheets come later. Designed for curious minds who learn best by building, creating, exploring, and becoming deeply engaged in what they love.
Your child is capable of so much more than memorizing answers.
The future belongs to children who can think critically, ask meaningful questions, solve real problems, and persevere through challenges. Through hands-on, inquiry-based learning, we help children build these skills with confidence, curiosity, and purpose.
Traditional Learning
Many children are introduced to new concepts through repetition and written practice. While this can build fluency, some learners benefit from first experiencing ideas in a more tangible and engaging way.
The Scholar's Studio Difference
We start with exploration. Children build, manipulate, experiment, and discover before moving to drawings, symbols, and written work. Following the concrete, pictorial, abstract progression helps students develop true understanding, stronger confidence, and a lasting love of learning. Once concepts are mastered, practice becomes meaningful, and children are eager to keep learning.
The Four Pillars of Every Scholar's Studio Session
Every Scholar's Studio experience is intentionally designed around four core principles that help children develop confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning.
Inquiry-Driven Learning
Learning begins with curiosity. Every lesson invites children to ask questions, investigate ideas, and discover meaningful connections, because deep understanding starts with wondering.
Personalized Learning
Every child learns differently. Through small groups, skill-based placement across three learning levels, and individualized support, we help each student grow at their own pace and reach their full potential.
Hands-On Learning
Children learn by doing. Using manipulatives, building materials, games, and movement, students explore concepts in tangible ways before applying them to written work, creating understanding that lasts.
Future-Ready Skills
Beyond academic success, we develop the habits of lifelong learners. Students build critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills that prepare them to thrive in school and beyond.
Our Programs
Choose one or both of our enrichment programs. With weekly small-group sessions, every child is challenged, supported, and encouraged to reach their full potential.
Math Studio
Math is more than numbers, it's a way of understanding the world. At Math Studio, children develop deep conceptual understanding through inquiry, exploration, and hands-on experiences. Rather than simply learning procedures, they discover why mathematics works and how it connects to everyday life.
- •Inquiry-Driven Learning. Every unit begins with a meaningful question, puzzle, or real-world challenge that sparks curiosity and investigation.
- •Hands-On Understanding. Students build, sort, measure, model, and explore using manipulatives before progressing to symbols, formulas, and abstract thinking.
- •Real-World Connections. From architecture and engineering to nature, sports, and finance, children discover how mathematics shapes the world around them.
- •Engaging Experiences. Strategy games, collaborative challenges, movement, and problem-solving activities make learning active, enjoyable, and memorable.
- •Mathematical Thinking. Students explain their reasoning, compare strategies, and strengthen communication through rich discussion and collaboration.
- •Confident Problem Solvers. We nurture curiosity, resilience, and critical thinking, empowering children to approach unfamiliar problems with confidence and creativity.
Language Arts Studio
Language is how we understand, express, and shape the world. At Language Arts Studio, children become thoughtful readers, confident writers, and articulate communicators. Through inquiry, rich literature, and authentic learning experiences, they develop the skills to think critically, communicate effectively, and express their ideas with confidence.
- •Rich Literature & Meaningful Conversations – Students explore engaging books and texts that inspire curiosity, thoughtful discussion, and multiple perspectives.
- •Writing with Purpose – Children write to explore ideas, persuade, inform, reflect, and create through journals, projects, presentations, and real-world audiences.
- •Inquiry-Driven Learning – Every unit begins with a compelling question that students investigate through reading, research, discussion, and writing.
- •Real-World Connections – Students examine stories, media, speeches, articles, advertisements, podcasts, and digital communication to understand how language influences the world around them.
- •Communication & Collaboration – Through discussion, storytelling, presentations, and debate, students learn to express their thinking, listen to others, and build stronger ideas together.
- •Critical & Independent Thinking – Children learn to analyze information, evaluate different perspectives, ask thoughtful questions, and communicate with confidence in an ever-changing world.
The Learning Studio
Scholar's Studio operates from the beautiful campus of Ashwood Glen School in Burlington. Purpose-built for exceptional learning, the school offers thoughtfully designed classrooms and inspiring educational spaces that create the ideal environment for after-school enrichment.
During after-school hours, these dedicated learning spaces become home to Scholar's Studio, where children have the room to explore, collaborate, build, create, and discover through engaging, hands-on experiences.
Two founders. One shared vision. Learning that children genuinely look forward to.
Sonia Abbas
Sonia Abbas is an educator, entrepreneur, and visionary leader with an MBA in Finance. After a successful career in banking, she took a leap of faith to pursue her passion for education by founding Ashwood Glen School, one of Burlington's leading independent schools. Her transition from the corporate world to education was driven by a simple belief: every child deserves an inspiring learning environment where curiosity is nurtured, confidence is built, and a lifelong love of learning can flourish.
As Co-Founder of Scholar's Studio, Sonia is passionate about reimagining after-school learning through concept-based, inquiry-driven experiences that encourage children to think critically, solve problems creatively, and explore with confidence. Her entrepreneurial mindset, combined with her deep commitment to educational excellence, has shaped Scholar's Studio into a place where learning is engaging, meaningful, and joyful.
Sonia's vision extends beyond academic success. She is dedicated to helping children develop the curiosity, resilience, and future-ready skills they need to thrive in an ever-changing world while creating experiences that make them excited to learn every day.
Vaishali Sridhar
Vaishali Sridhar brings a unique blend of science, education, and entrepreneurship to Scholar's Studio. With a background in Molecular Biology, she has always been fascinated by how children learn, explore, and make sense of the world through inquiry and discovery.
Her passion for hands-on, experiential learning led her to found BioTroopers, an innovative educational program that introduces children to biology and the life sciences through engaging experiments, investigations, and real-world exploration. Through BioTroopers, she has inspired countless young learners to develop curiosity, think like scientists, and see the relevance of science in everyday life.
As Co-Founder of Scholar's Studio, Vaishali combines her scientific expertise with her extensive experience in curriculum development to create concept-based learning experiences that foster critical thinking, creativity, and confidence. She believes that every child learns best when they are encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas, and build understanding through meaningful, hands-on experiences.
Her vision is to nurture lifelong learners who are not only academically strong but also curious, resilient, and equipped with the skills to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Now Enrolling for Fall 2026
- ◆Priority access to small-group spots
- ◆First invited to the free placement assessment
- ◆Math and language ideas for at-home learning