Uncategorized The discussion as mini-essay 16 Nov 2017 Yesterday I had the chance to talk with several inspiring teacher from a school quite different from Exeter. They are doing great work in trying to spread student-centered discussions throughout…
Uncategorized Messy 31 Oct 201731 Oct 2017 People often are curious about the lack of efficiency in Harkness teaching. If the students are controlling the directions of discussion - or if any group is determining a discussion…
tracking tools… Resources for Tracking II 23 Oct 201731 Oct 2017 In continuing a previous post, here are more of the classroom tracking tools that we provide at Exeter Humanities Institute (EHI). Feel free to reproduce and use. Please give EHI…
tracking tools… Resources for Tracking 18 Oct 201720 Oct 2017 Often people request information about the ways a discussion can be tracked. I have linked to some of our Exeter Humanities Institute resources here. You are welcome to use and…
building community… “How are you?” 18 Oct 201718 Oct 2017 Monday and Tuesday of this week I had the chance to visit classes at Noble Academy in Chicago. Exeter has been collaborating with Noble Academy, a charter school in its…
tracking tools… The Oval Diagram 10 Oct 201713 Oct 2017 This is one of the most recognized tools we use to track discussions. My colleague asked me to track her ninth grade English discussion recently. They reported being tired on…
Orienting students to Harkness… Sentence Stems…to enter discussion 10 Oct 201718 Oct 2017 How do we enter discussions? First, we have to look for the cue that we can enter without trampling on the previous speaker. I am fascinated by the linguistic and…
Orienting students to Harkness… Harkness Demo 10 Oct 201724 Oct 2017 One of the first classes that new ninth graders have at Exeter is a demonstration of a Harkness class, with twelve seniors and an English teacher discussing a poem or…
building community… Student Orientation 19 Sep 201724 Oct 2017 This year the Dean of Students office developed a new orientation program for ninth graders. A big component of the community building orientation occurred on the first Sunday of the…
Orienting students to Harkness… All Thoughts Harkness 18 Sep 201718 Oct 2017 "How do you get your students oriented to Harkness? How do you teach these discussion skills to your newest students?" These are questions that colleagues from other schools have asked…
Teaching Around the Oval 