MISSION & PHILOSOPHY

Origins is embarking on a new paradigm of early childhood education. As Missoula’s premiere Nature-Based Early Childhood Education Preschool, our goal is to support families in fostering a solid intellectual, emotional, social and physical foundation for developing life-long learning. Origins’ ground-breaking program not only gives children a strong academic foundation, but creates an understanding about the natural cycles of the world and how interconnected we all are, as we model and teach emotional well-being with a strong mindfulness focus. Our approach supports the wise use of resources, cultural diversity, gender equality and the importance of treating one another with kindness and compassion, regardless of our backgrounds.

CURRICULUM

Origins Curriculum is proud to announce that we won the 2023 International Greening Education Solutions Provider award, which was presented to us during United Nations Climate Week at Cornel University!

Our award winning curriculum blends a kindergarten readiness academic curriculum with our one-of-a-kind eco-literacy curriculum that is both play-based and place-based, giving children a sense of their place in the world. We've created an environment that not only inspires and enlightens young minds, fosters children’s innate sense of curiosity and wonder, but also builds the foundation for a life-long love of learning. We create a sense of understanding surrounding the many cycles of the natural world and have hands-on approaches to immerse children in the magic of how nature works, mixed with both ancient and modern emotional management modalities and mindfulness techniques that will bring your child more fully into the present moment, creating the perfect canvas for growth. 

STARS TO QUALITY

All of Origins Education’s locations are proud to be a rated members of the 'Best Beginnings STARS to Quality Program' of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, a voluntary quality rating improvement system that aligns quality indicators with support and incentives for early childhood programs and early childhood professionals.

LANGUAGE & LITERACY

Origins' introduces the foundational concepts of print, phonetic awareness and fluency, as well as reading and comprehension skills. Children in each class will be exposed to developmentally appropriate writing, both alphabetical and numerical concepts as well as being engaged in a rich array of communication and will learn to listen, comprehend and express fluently. A recent study by University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences shows that children with exposure to multilingual environments develop core cognitive skills like decision-making and problem-solving -- before they even learn to speak. We are proud to have had teachers who are fluent in English, Spanish and French allowing students to experience diverse exposure to multiple languages. We’ve also had teachers who speak Japanese, are fluent in sign-language and some Salish. Different years bring different teachers so ask management to know what is available currently.

SCIENCE & BIOLOGY

Origins students will have ample opportunity to use their curiosity to explore, question, and investigate the world and their place in it, including earth & space life science at an appropriate level. We have developed and utilize a place-based curricula model that is within the sustainability framework. Students will develop their own understanding of the connections in our communities and will gain a knowledge of human and other natural ecosystems while learning that the world in interconnected. Our eco-literacy curriculum will have your child fascinated as they explore the concepts of life cycles. Origins' mission is to add to that desire by teaching young children to nurture and protect the planet and encourage them to appreciate that there are infinite possibilities for honoring life. We follow 4 Focal Points, each with a Guiding Question:

Internal: Who Am I?

External: Who Lives Here?

Metaphysical: What’s Happening?

Interconnection: How Is It All Connected?

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Exposure to music from early childhood onwards helps children to speak more clearly, develop a larger vocabulary, and strengthen social and emotional skills. Music has the ability to strengthen the connection between the body and brain to work together as a team. We use the joy of music as a fun way for our kids to learn and play, directly enhancing their learning abilities by exposing them to an array of genre's and the rich diversity of sounds from all over the world! Art is a natural activity to support the importance of free play in children. The freedom to manipulate different materials in an organic and unstructured way allows for exploration and experimentation that is food for the brain. We engage our little people in many fun art projects, story telling and creative games, enhancing their imagination and motor skill development at the same time! Sometimes we have music lessons available, check with management to see what is available currently.

FOOD & NUTRITION

Origins understands that quality nutrition is an essential building block in a young child’s development, both physically and mentally. Food and nutrition have an essential role in children’s achievement at all stages of education. At Origins, we will not only feed your child well, but we educate them about the importance of making healthy food choices and how by growing our own food and sourcing locally/regionally we are creating a more sustainable planet. We serve organic foods and believe in the farm to table ideal. We participate in community gardens, utilize the farmers markets in season, as well as cultivating our own garden and we do the majority of our shopping at locally owned grocery stores, making a point to purchase as much local meats and produce as possible. We serve eggs that come from cage-free chickens, meats that are grass-fed, free-range, hormone and antibiotic free and non-gmo produce grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

MINDFULNESS & EMOTIONS

Origins has a strong social-emotional focus where our goal is to help young children learn how to recognize and manage their emotions, and subsequently, their behavior. We help them see how to develop healthy relationships with adults and other children, create a positive personal identity and develop executive function skills. At Origins, your child's social and emotional development is just as honored and prioritized as their academic development. We create a safe and happy environment for children to learn important life skills like empathy for one another through positive and encouraging interactions with classmates and teachers. By utilizing age-honored modalities of meditation, yoga, sound healing and EFT, we give students a powerful set of tools that they can take with them into their lives ahead.

SOCIAL SKILLS

Helping children develop social skills is an important part of preparing them for a lifetime of healthy interactions. Having good social skills is a crucial part of functioning in society, both for children and adults. This means being able to communicate effectively, being able to regulate emotions, being considerate of other’s feelings and opinions, displaying good manners and being able to express needs appropriately. At Origins, students will have many opportunities to develop skills through social interaction with experiences of:

• Adult & Peer Conversation

• Patience

• Conflict Resolution

• Healthy Communication

• Confidence Building

• Self-Control

• Cooperation

• Emotional Management