In our shared search for wisdom, the Grade 12 Philosophy class has been coming together to learn and reflect in new ways this semester. Gathered around desks configured in an oval, students have come to class with an article or story in hand ready to engage in a student-centred discussion

This pedagogical tool is called the Harkness Method. In 1930, Edward Harkness donated an oval table to Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire to advocate for and encourage an educational revolution. The oval table would go on to symbolise teaching and learning that was collaborative and capable of bringing about a reality where education was truly a democratic affair.

Throughout the semester, students have come to the oval to discuss articles that explore the relationship between religious faith and atheism, capitalism and loneliness, social injustice and utilitarian ethics, the role of tradition in political ideologies, the power and content of human yearnings, and much more. Before each Harkness class period, after reading and annotating the assigned articles, students complete a preparation sheet where they summarise content, pose critical questions, and draw out quotes that resonate with them.

Harkness conversations have been powerful opportunities for students to work together, explore ideas, make connections, and offer their own perspectives. As a teacher, I value Harkness because it allows for an in-depth exploration of a wide range of ideas and perspectives beyond one’s own. In our fast-paced culture, giving space for students to zero in on a piece of work together resists the all-too common temptation to reduce ideas and experiences to caricatures. Harkness allows for time, time to engage with the world around us in a more fulsome way. That is an opportunity worth celebrating.

- Mr. Matthew Snowdon, Associate Director of Mission Integration