The History of Harkness Teaching

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."

The result was “Harkness Teaching,” in which a teacher and a group of students work together, exchanging ideas and information, around a table.

But wait! Making the first table wasn’t as easy as you might think.

Making It Work
When Mr. Harkness tried out the first Harkness table, he couldn’t see the eyes of every other person around the table. How can you have a meaningful discussion if you can’t see the eyes of the people you’re talking to? It was then the table was redesigned to be oval.

But another problem surfaced. The oval tables were too big to fit through Exeter’s doorways. The solution: builders brought their materials to the classrooms and constructed the tables inside. This means that Harkness Tables really are part of the rooms in which Exeter’s community learns, teaches, discusses, and collaborates.

Sharing the Excitement
In succeeding decades, Exeter has shared the excitement and power of the Harkness classroom with teachers and schools around the country. But it’s safe to say that Exeter remains uniquely committed to this extraordinary approach: Everything we do—our classes, our activities, our way of relating to each other—is influenced by the respect, enthusiasm, and challenge involved in learning together around a table.

Learn more about Edward Harkness...

Meet some of Exeter’s remarkable teachers...

 

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