In August 2018, we opened the doors to Harmony's exciting new location – the historic and breathtaking Richardson Bay Audubon Sanctuary. Harmony now resides within the newly renovated “Rosie’s Cottage” – part of the Audubon’s ten-acre waterfront property and adjacent to their 900-acre open water sanctuary.  As a school, we aim to cultivate in our children a strong connection to the planet and desire to protect it. We are, therefore, delighted to partner with the Audubon whose mission it to conserve and restore natural ecosystems for the benefit of humanity and our planet’s biological diversity. While we will miss our quiet Mill Valley setting, we are thrilled for the teaching opportunities now available to us in our new Tiburon home.

At Harmony, the Montessori philosophy is our foundation, but other philosophies, materials and principles complement our program.

From Montessori, we create our framework utilizing the masterfully created materials to impart lessons that build an understanding of math, language, geography, zoology and botany. We offer exercises that build gross and fine motor coordination leading a child to a successful sense of independence. Also from Montessori, we employ the concept of the peace table, which is a process of conflict resolution that gives children the opportunity to develop social skills and accountability for one’s actions.

From Waldorf, we revere the belief that childhood is a magical time of life – a time that should be cherished, nurtured and not rushed. We give children the opportunity and the time to engage in free imaginative play and we provide simple, high-quality playthings that spur the imagination.

At Harmony, the Montessori and Waldorf philosophies meet at the concept of including children in activities of daily life. Each day, the children participate in preparing snacks and meals. They set the table for lunch, and they each take responsibility for cleaning up after themselves by clearing their place and washing their dish. Not only does participating in everyday work offer the opportunity to build gross and fine motor coordination and to follow a many-stepped process, it provides the children with the opportunity to participate in their own care. This helps them adapt to a sense of time and place in oneself and in the group.