Harkness Discussion
The Harkness Discussion
The Harkness Discussion is a method of conducting and evaluating group discussion which was developed at Phillips Exeter Academy. The teacher acts mostly as an observer. The students participate in the discussion as a team: this is not a competition. Everyone is expected to contribute in such ways as the following:
- organizing, leading
- summarizing, restating, clarifying
- offering examples from the text
- asking questions
- commenting or giving an opinion
- making a suggestion
- asking for clarification
- reacting to comments
- analyzing the text, a comment, or the discussion itself
- restarting the discussion
- filling in a hole
- arguing a point
- asking for new information
- asking for comments or reactions
- making connections with other texts, situations, or discussions
Since this is a team effort, there will be a team grade. The whole class will get the same grade, with two exceptions: students who do not participate at all will be marked down; other students who perform truly exceptional group-benefit feats – for example by “saving” or immensely uplifting a discussion that is going bad – will be eligible for independent work credit.
A discussion for which everyone would receive an “A” would look like this:
- Everyone participates, and more or less equally.
- The pace allows for clarity and thoughtfulness, but not sleep.
- There is a sense of balance and order: focus in on one speaker and one idea at a time.
- There is an attempt to resolve questions and issues before moving on to new ones.
- There is a clear sense of what the group has covered and how.
- The loud do not dominate; the shy are encouraged. Everyone is clearly understood.
- Students are animated, sincere, helpful.
- The conversation is lively.
- When the process is not working, the group adjusts. Those unhappy with the process say so.
- Students take risks and dig for new meanings.
- Students back up what they say with examples, quotations, etc.
- All students come well-prepared.
- The text, if there is one, is referred to often.
The class will earn a “B” by doing most of the things on this list, a “C” by doing only half of what’s on the list (half the class is cruising), and a “D” by doing less than half (Everyone is cruising.)
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