I was born with an instinct to nurture and a true passion for working with children. At eleven years old, I took it upon myself to become a "real" babysitter by obtaining my CPR and first aid training. Not long after, I began watching the neighborhood kids and became the go-to community sitter.  

 

Upon graduation from high school in small-town Oregon, I ventured to San Francisco, California, where I attended the University of San Francisco and obtained my Bachelors Degree in Psychology followed by my Masters in Elementary Education. I landed my first job teaching Kindergarten at a public Montessori school in the heart of San Francisco. I was inspired by the Montessori approach and use many of the philosophies in my own teaching. I then went on to teach second grade at a prestigious private school. After a year at this school, I moved to Palo Alto, where I taught second grade at a charter school centered around project-based learning. Covid struck during this time, and I began my second year at this school as a full-time online instructor.

 

During the trials and tribulations of Covid and online teaching, I decided to make the move back to Oregon. I had begun to truly yearn for the outdoors and fresh air that is Oregon, and knew that a part of me had stayed behind when I moved to California. I began teaching third grade in Hillsboro the following year at another charter school that valued place-based and explorative education. I obtained my Oregon teaching credential during this transition as well. Half way through the year, I divulged to my students that I was expecting my own little one that summer. This brings us to August of 2022, when I gave birth to my wonderful son, Aspen!

 

It was during this transition that I knew my time in the classroom was transforming into a new passion; beginning my own school. I have always loved education and helping foster each child's academic and life journey, but I knew I wanted to do it a little differently than a standard classroom setting. With the birth of my son, I figured this was the perfect opportunity at a new start to education and working with children. Thus, the beginnings of Little Explorers. My experience working with children has instilled values centered around fostering the skills of the individual. I also value the natural world, and believe hands-on exploration provides the most beneficial form of learning. We learn by trying new things, making mistakes, and trying again. My goal is to provide a safe and inviting space for young children to develop as individuals. I am beyond excited to help nurture each child as they discover new aspects of life and gain new abilities and skills. Thank you so much for trusting me as we begin this journey together. 

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--- Aarin Langford (Owner/Director)