The Harkness Method: From Phillips Exeter to ODA

“Harkness is about collaboration and respect, where every voice carries equal weight, even if you don’t agree,” Davis said. Harkness philosophy is a form of collaborative learning that doesn’t involve lectures. Teachers and students come prepared to discuss, share, and discover relevant classroom content with one another with the goal of not leaving any students out of the discussion. Ms. Davis’ ninth grade World Literature class students referenced previous readings, tying the text back to their personal lives, and encouraging others to speak. Jenna Viard ‘21, likes Harkness because “It helps to bring up my own ideas versus just listening to what the ideas are of the teacher.” Mrs. Betz has been implementing Harkness discussions into her classes on a daily basis. “My students have really begun to take ownership of their own learning. I’ve seen an increase in the standards and it is eye opening to see what students will do with the text they have read,” she explained.

The Upper School’s learning communities offer the opportunity to really explore what great teaching and learning looks like at Out-of-Door. “Our teachers are deeply dedicated to providing our students with a great education. As we share best practices with one another, we will continue to learn and evolve which will continue to make ODA exceptional,” stated Head of Upper School Mr. Chris Chesley.