The Harkness Table

On April 9, 1930, philanthropist Edward Harkness wrote to Exeter's 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."

Harkness identifies a table you will find at the center of every class both literally and figuratively. Harkness Tables are oval and seat a six-ten students with or without a teacher, but they are much more than a place to sit. At the Harkness Table classmates learn by discussing their thoughts and ideas rather than just by taking notes. Teachers can choose to be participants in the discussion, guiding students in significant ways without lecturing (Tingley 2004).

There are five positions to consider when implementing the Harkness Table: teacher, leader, observer, participants, and periphery students.

Periphery Students

These students sit outside of the table and do not participate in the discussion. They are to take notes about the discussion. If they have something to contribute, only the leader can allow a periphery student to participate (no points given). Even though these students do not directly contribute to the discussion, they should observe the group dynamics and the individual participation of the members at the Harkness Table.

Teacher

Teachers should sit in the periphery, but they can sit within the Harkness Table. Teachers do not control the discussion. Students should not direct comments to the teacher; instead, they discuss with the other participants.

Teachers should do the following

·  Grade each individual student’s performance at the table (see rubric)

·  Make notes about students’ comments that I will commend

·  Write personal notes to encourage a student to speak up

·  Write a note to the leader with suggestions for improvement

·  Urge a group that has misinterpreted a text to revisit a particular question or follow up on the on-target observation of a particular member

·  Point out a historical or biographical matter that may have bearing on the students’ interpretation of a text

·  Allow silence; students are often thinking during this time

Leader

The leader may be chosen by the teacher at the beginning of the discussion or the day before. The goal is to make sure that everyone has a shot at being leader and observer at some point. The leader may

·  Suggest a method for analyzing the passage or conducting the discussion

·  Read the passage and open with a question

·  Ask each member to write down questions he or she has about the passage

·  Invite quieter members to offer an observation

·  Ask a discussant to explain what in the passage leads him or her to arrive at a particular conclusion

·  Urge the group to return to the text if the discussion drifts onto tangents

·  Encourage the group to become comfortable with periods of silence. That silence might be a time when people are thinking on a higher level.

Observer

The observer sits at the table with the participants or nearby but may NOT enter into the discussion. No matter how interesting the discussion has become, the teacher must stop it three to five minutes before the end of the time allotted so the observer may give his or her report. The observer’s task is to make observations about how the group as a whole functioned and how each participant contributed. The spirit in which the observer approaches his or her job is critical. His or her aim should be to help discussants reflect upon their participation. The observer can note

·  A particularly good observation

·  Who talks to whom

·  Moments when the group ignored or blew off the observations of a particular member

·  Moments when a member of the group questioned or extended a point made by another discussant and took the discussion to a deeper level

·  Interruptions, distractions, digressions

·  A discussant’s close work with the text

·  Any other observations

Participants/Rubric

The participants in the discussion need to analyze, discuss, assess, and formulate any questions or responses on any given text. Participants need to be aware of allowing all discussants a chance to speak. The students should come to the table prepared by reading the selected text and by having questions based on Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Participants are graded on the following rubric:

·  4 points if a student cites the text and analyzes

·  3 points if a student doesn’t cite the text, but he or she can tell where in the passage it happened

·  2 points if a comment is made on what someone else has stated and moves the discussion in a positive direction

·  1 point if a good question is asked

·  0 points if a comment merely repeats what is already said

·  0 points if the comment is on generalities, without specific references to the text

·  Minus 1 if a student talks out of turn or has side conversations (this includes students on the periphery)

·  Minus 2 if a student comes ill-prepared for discussion (not having questions or read the text.)

A = 23-25 points

B = 20-22 points

C = 17-19 points

D = 16 points

F = 15 and below

(Credit = Margaret Lee, Woodward Academy)

SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE HARKNESS TABLE

·  Stick close to the text in discussion. Keep the book open. When appropriate, be prepared to cite specifics in the language of the text to support, challenge, or question.

·  Collaborate, don’t compete. It is not a debate, but a discussion.

·  Challenge politely a comment that another student makes. Let any student finish phrasing a question or developing an idea before you jump in. If you are addressing an individual, make eye contact with that person. Clarify a difference of opinion.

·  Look around the table; let people know that they’re included. And be aware of people who might by trying to get a word in, but are reluctant. It’s okay to have your snout in the book when you’re digging for something or reading aloud, but don’t hide behind the book.

·  Don’t address everything to the instructor or any one person.

·  Affirm a comment that another student makes. Encourage each other to speak, to clarify or expand an idea that might be foggy. Often, our contributions take a few attempts (oral “drafts”) before they congeal; articulation needs patience, support, listeners who are interested in allowing the speaker to get the most out of his or her point.

·  Use first names whenever possible.

·  Ask for more information or further explanation.

·  Be sure that the class is content with the exploration of one topic before heading off into new territory. In moments of silence, determine whether we’re wrestling with an idea or passage just mentioned, or whether we’re ready to introduce a new line of inquiry. Ask each other. What was said recently? Did we take it as far as it could go? Are we content? We need time to think, and so these moments are essential – but when are we simply waiting for someone to us the green light, to break new ground?

·  Don’t hesitate to summarize a discussion, to understand where you’ve been before you move on.

·  Listen carefully.

·  If you’re not a reluctant participant, and suspect that you might have a dominant presence at the table, police your own frequency of involvement. Don’t answer every question that’s asked (by teacher or peer); don’t jump in at every opportunity. If you have a strong voice, then you need to be aware of when you’re speaking too much, when others will simply “shut down” because they know you’ll pick up the slack or fill the space. Pull your weight, but not everybody else’s.