The Harkness Difference

[@VittoIB]

My class just started Harkness today and this is the video I'm showing my students. Every year I've used this I've seen comprehension and test scores get a boost. Most importantly, there's complete buy-in with this system and the students look forward to Harkness every week. What a beautiful way for learning to happen.

[@Maske002]

Have you continued to use the Harkness Method? I began teaching in January and I want to start adopting Classical Education Philosophy next year.

[@VittoIB]

@@Maske002 As of right now, I'm not using Harkness, but just because it's difficult to implement in an online setting. I've had success in high school and some success with middle school students. Modeling and rehearsing are a must.

[@maddyched768]

This school seems like a dream.

[@arshanking9416]

its not always

[@gigia41]

You should read some reviews.

[@bbsara0146]

it better be for over 50k per year.

[@jeffreyhotchkiss9451]

Great programs, yes. Also, very high pressure. Had its issues 50 years ago, don't know what it's like now.

[@lauramoore2301]

I really like using this method with kids. I teach seniors, and this way of learning is so beneficial, especially as they enter the world of work and college.

[@deputyheadmaster3619]

Love the idea... from I teach to we learn...

[@jpenneymrcoin6851]

There's no more than 15 kids in each of those rooms, and each room has 1 teacher. So Phillips is recommending a teacher/student ratio of 1/15. That's great. Let's spend the money to make that happen in public schools, and let's build enough 15-person rooms for all our public school kids, and then everyone can have this great education. I guess money DOES have something to do with improving education.

[@jeffreyhotchkiss9451]

Yes. And in my day at Exeter, average class size was even lower, more like 10-12. I chose to go there over all other prep schools on my list because of the Harkness system.

[@jeffreyhotchkiss9451]

The school had and still has an enormous endowment fund. Any admitted student who needs financial aid, gets whatever they need to attend. While public schools have to scrape by. And kids in Indiana have to climb through parked freight trains to get to school.

[@Denise-k3f]

Yes, money is the key. Also, only accepting the top students. My students can hardly read. Despite my bringing books (which I paid for out of my own pocket) to entice them to pick up and read...not one sign of interest. Still, I soldier on.

[@diegomunozledo1205]

2:59 lookin mad scripted

[@arshanking9416]

no joke

[@yunglettuce2906]

bro it *all* looks scripted lol

[@jaydengwinnup5147]

LOL dude every thing after that part is just cringe.

[@Denise-k3f]

Yep. Also you can hardly hear what the students at the Harkness table are saying with all that loud music. I wish they would just show us the entire Harkness discussion.

[@mrtromero]

Equality triggers a sense of security enabling a much more effective atmosphere to form

[@dipocarew7249]

How can this be done with a class of 30-35? Love this!

[@VittoIB]

I have students move their desks to the walls and give them speaking limits. They can speak 3-5 times, but they have to make really insightful responses, ask important questions, tie the text to current/historical events, and quote the text. Bonus points for bringing shy students into the conversation. It'll take all period, and that's fine.

[@mchobbit2951]

The way things like guided math in grade schools works. You divide the 30 students in groups of 10. One group goes Harkness, the others are assigned reading, research, writing or work on the computer for that time. So either every group has a full period of Harkness every third class or twenty minutes during each class.

[@KL-qb1bp]

Super rich brilliant students at the best prep school in America. Andrew Yang, the presidential candidate, went there!

[@storm1086]

T L Andover is better.

[@aveenburney7463]

@@storm1086 prove it

[@aveenburney7463]

Storm did you get accepted?

[@christianchan9947]

@@storm1086 No, i really don't think so.

[@Pmac97islandfilms]

Great Video!

[@romanamushtaq1293]

Great

[@porschiashelton1429]

Has anyone found ways to transfer this to the distance learning environment? How do you build that sense of trust at the virtual Harkness "table"?

[@shawnmccowan]

I've done this virtually for the past three years. We handle it the same way as we would in person. I encourage students to prep ahead of time and bring at least three comments/questions to the table. All cameras must be on and I give them a time limit for discussion. Some of the discussions have been really insightful!

[@edmund6392]

Mathematics should be taught like this in all schools.. instead of the teacher just lecturing you.

[@philip3707]

Eh. People would probably just learn math wrong. Literature and things like sociology are all about the debate, so this makes sense. I would be curious to hear anyone’s experience learning math with this method.

[@edmund6392]

@@philip3707 the teacher/professor is still there as a guide. He or she is just not lecturing through out the class period.

[@scottyneasbitt7628]

Hope for the future

[@megadudex4422]

Ouch that bell at the beginning blew out my eardrum.

[@jdminecrafter123shadowassa7]

I agree

[@Kyald]

This looks great but I'm not too sure if Hardness works for students of different background.

[@andrewlehman720]

well HARKness, is practically made for students of different backgrounds to come together, share their experiences and form their opinions based on that.

[@jeffreyhotchkiss9451]

It precisely works for students of different backgrounds. That was the case 50 years ago when I went. Students from all over the country and the world.

[@Fogo-Brava]

Can you offer a single rationale for why a discussion around a table in which kids are encouraged to learn together and from each other would be restricted a single background?

[@deflationsmc3301]

Hype

[@LA_HA]

Nope

[@joshzhang7041]

When the girl said "charlatans" I was wondering why nobody made an Among Us Imposter joke until I saw the upload date.

[@liamdonahue6301]

So it's just a Socratic Seminar, right?

[@jimmyzeng998]

So basically dinner table

[@jesonliu4955]

lol wut if the students are teaching the wrong thing to each other? so the mistakes carries on?

[@felixyeung8844]

Jeson Liu The teacher is still a member of the class-I’d be shocked to find a Harkness instructor that lets misinformation leave the classroom. There is joy in discovery, but this joy is collective. The students aren’t isolated in their pursuit of information.

[@sv-xi6oq]

This only works with motivated students though. Never try this at any regular public school.

[@Zeta4]

What the hell is harkness

[@bebianbecolli1642]

A teaching method where students learn from other students.

[@bebianbecolli1642]

Usually takes place at a round table.

[@janethughes2775]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harkness_table

[@Dhebwhooahsb]

Anyone from stuy here?

[@Fogo-Brava]

yes

[@jakealden2517]

Most of these students probably went on SparkNotes and regurgitated a few lines from the Internet in order to "contribute" to the discussion.

[@christianchan9947]

I've been to the summer program. They actually have really good insights and interesting opinions.

[@jakealden2517]

@@christianchan9947 I'm sure they did, but students today are very skilled at regurgitating information from the Internet and making their professors think they've read.

[@christianchan9947]

Jake Alden you never know how the conversation is going to go it’s impossible to prepare beforehand

[@jeffreyhotchkiss9451]

Oh man, the other students would never let you get away with that! Let alone the teacher.

[@Fogo-Brava]

This is not hype.

[@matthewyu4379]

why u all smoke

[@guesswho-f3w]

Wait they do?

[@matthewyu4379]

@@guesswho-f3w Look at Instagram

[@guesswho-f3w]

@@matthewyu4379 of who? The school or the students?

[@matthewyu4379]

@@guesswho-f3w I don't remember, but I know for sure.

[@eikosiandmiloloverasmr4214]

proof?