Putting Collaboration “On the Table” In 1931, a relatively obscure philanthropist named Edward
THE HARKNESS METHOD is just
support. (A bracket in which he
one arrow in The Peck School’s
included himself.) Harkness was
academic quiver, but it is emblem-
drawn to what he called ‘confer-
atic of a school that seeks to inspire
ence’ pedagogy—groups of about
in students that in order to become
ten students, gathered around a
lifelong learners, how you learn is
table, and engaged much more in
just as important as what you learn.
conversation than in ‘recitations.’
however, his request has resulted in a radical evolution in
Over time, Harkness’ idea has
His idea is now known as the Hark-
classroom dynamics.
altered the relationship between
ness Method. It is most broadly
student and teacher in hundreds of
used in private schools, as it re-
schools and universities across the
quires small class sizes to be most
thinking, it is also the key to mean-
world. It has placed the intellectual
e ective he oble cadem in
ingful discussion.
development of young people
Chicago (which now partners with
Over the past two years, upper
at the heart of a school, and has
Phillips Exeter Academy to bring
school students have been intro-
the method to a wider group of
particularly suited to The Peck
changed the notion of information
duced to the basic conventions
students) states that, “The method
School’s dynamic curriculum.
of Harkness-style discussion in
While seated around the Harkness
dissemination and rote learning into a model of discovery and collaboration. Edward Harkness’ desire to change the classroom dynamic
fosters learning through discussion and discovery, the development of a student’s individual voice and academic confidence
ith
Harkness, students are chal-
stemmed from his own experience
lenged to actively discuss rather
as a student; a shared experience
than passively digest, to discover
held by thousands of students
answers and defend conclusions.
Harkness donated the current equivalent of $60 million dollars to Phillips Exeter Academy. What he requested they do with the money seemed simple at the time. Since then,
Teacher Magazine. The Harkness table is a symbol
some history and English classes: exchanging ideas with each other in an encouraging, open-minded environment—one that o ers teacher facilitation, and not necessarily direction. Essentially, the
of inquiry-based learning and is
table, no student can hide and no one student can dominate the discussion. Because there is no front row or back row, everyone must come to class prepared.
method encourages students to
While the actual ‘Harkness Table’ is
become the active leaders in their
the traditional icon for this method
own learning adventures.
(and, thanks to the generosity of
since: Attending to a teacher at the
While hard math and English skills
front of the room, while sitting solo
are learned, so are soft skills [such
in front-facing desks.
as] communication and poise. The
Bringing the Harkness Method to
Whether by accident or design,
Harkness Method creates creative,
Peck means students are “making
first o cial ar ness table will be
Harkness felt that this arrange-
confident and articulate learners
meaning of new information
delivered soon)—our Peck class-
ment created a competitive
At The Peck School, students
together, talking, listening, and
rooms are set up in pods that are
environment with a hierarchy
are at the center of the learning
ultimatel thin ing as rian
easily converted to support Hark-
unfavorable to those with less
process. While collaboration is one
gardt describes in his article on the
ness-style discussion with tables
confidence or who wanted more
of the keys to successful design
Harkness Table in Independent
or desks grouped together.
ull-
Peck Fund donors, the school’s
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