Harkness Method
What is the Harkness Method?
The Harkness Method is our cornerstone and our greatest tool for inspiring our students. Developed by the esteemed Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, it is an instructional approach that prioritizes student-led discussions and collaborative learning. While Harkness Institute has no official affiliation with Phillips Exeter, we draw from them our discussion-based learning method, emphasizing the importance of active listening, deep engagement with texts, and the exploration of diverse perspectives.
The Harkness Discussion in Action
Harkness Discussions lie at the core of the Harkness Method. In a Harkness Discussion, students and teachers gather around a table, facilitating an egalitarian environment where all participants have an equal opportunity to contribute and learn from one another. Rather than relying on traditional lecture-based instruction, the Harkness Method empowers students to take ownership of their learning through dialogue, critical analysis, and the exchange of ideas.
Students are assigned readings or exercises where they are able to explore and actively engage with the material. Then, our students bring their insights to the table and share their conclusions, defend their arguments, and actively listen to their classmates to incorporate what others have learned into their own understanding of the topic.
For a student to take full advantage of the method, they must bring:
- Initiative
- Respect
- Empathy
- Curiosity
- Collaboration
The Harkness Classroom
Our classes are small, with 12-14 students per classroom. The small class size allows each student to have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to class discussions and to be heard, as well as to receive personalized instruction from our teachers.
Being a student-centered method, the Harkness Method relies on putting the responsibility of learning on the students. This means that students must be open to develop an intrinsic motivation for learning. The Harkness student is committed to
- Work towards continuous improvement
- Come to class prepared to the best of their ability
- Ask powerful questions
- Be an active participant AND listener
- Contribute to a safe and trusting environment
- Be open to explore and find purpose to drive their academic and professional
The Harkness Method places the teacher in a pivotal role as a guide and mentor rather than a dispenser of information. The teacher's role is to create an environment where students actively engage with the material and with each other, leading to deeper comprehension and the development of important life skills.
- Cultivate an environment for exploration
- Foster independent thought and leadership
- Practice active listening and provide feedback
- Scaffold learning
Conversational Intelligence (C-IQ)
The Harkness Method aims to develop C-IQ in our students, building a range of skills such as active listening, empathetic communication, and the art of asking powerful questions, all of which also lie at the heart of the Harkness Method. Check out the infographic below to see all the benefits of C-IQ.
This site provides information using PDF, visit this link to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC software.