Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Purpose of Harkness
To support deep thinking for all
participants
To explore complex topics/problems and
attempt to answer difficult questions in
a collaborative way
To allow participants to demonstrate a depth
of understanding and to assess and
explore their existing knowledge
Harkness discussion
There are three identified roles at the table:
A Chair, who ensures equity of opportunity within the debate
(Someone who listens well)
Observers key: ?
Makes an insight
Harkness
Off topic
Dominates or disrespects
!!Observers!!
Please label the
diagram with full
names in seating
positions before the
discussion begins
The observer
sheet we
have today is
a prototype.
We will be
asking for
thoughts via
email,
redesigning
the sheet and
circulating it
to you for use
in lessons.
Confident Harkness:
Every participants spoke,
using sentence stems
Logical arguments were
made and points were linked
to each other
There may have been
disagreement but there was
mutual respect
No participants dominated
the discussion
Participants used evidence
and in depth knowledge to
back up their opinions
Participants begin to use
Confident harkness:
Every student spoke, using
sentence stems
Logical arguments were
made and points were linked
to each other
There may have been
disagreement but there was
mutual respect
No students dominated the
discussion
Participants used evidence
and in depth knowledge to
back up their opinions
Participants begin to use
History of Harkness
On April 9, 1930, philanthropist Edward Harkness wrote to Exeter Schools
Principal Lewis Perry regarding how a substantial donation he had made to
the Academy might be used:
"What I have in mind is [a classroom] where [students] could sit around a
table with a teacher who would talk with them and instruct them by a sort of
tutorial or conference method, where [each student] would feel encouraged
to speak up. This would be a real revolution in methods."
The result was "Harkness Teaching," in which a teacher and a group of
students work together, exchanging ideas and information, around a table.