Learning to think, not just what to think – the power of the Harkness MethodTM
In a world of constant information, critical thinking is essential. Students must navigate complexity, assess information, and engage confidently with their environment. At La Garenne, innovative teaching shapes our learning. The Harkness Method™, a student-led approach, transforms classrooms into centers of dialogue and critical thinking.
What is the Harkness MethodTM?
In a Harkness classroom at La Garenne, students sit together around an oval table, facing one another rather than in rows. This seating plan embodies the belief that learning is created collectively through discussion, questioning, and reflection, rather than delivered by a teacher. The Harkness MethodTM – developed at Phillips Exeter Academy in 1930 – is based on the Socratic tradition, where understanding develops through guided questioning instead of passive instruction. A common understanding in education is that students build stronger reasoning and communication skills by articulating ideas and responding to others’ perspectives. With classes of 14 or fewer in La Garenne, every student’s voice is heard. Teachers facilitate discussions, encouraging participation, collaboration and a deeper exploration of ideas rather than focusing solely on obtaining the ‘right answer.’
Learning in Action
A Harkness lesson begins before students enter the classroom. They arrive prepared, having read, researched, or reflected on a key question. Conversations develop naturally, guided by curiosity and collaboration with peers, rather than a predetermined script. This reflects the belief, championed by educational thinker John Dewey, that learning is most powerful when students actively participate in constructing knowledge rather than passively receiving information.
Some lessons involve structured debates, while others address ethical or social questions. One student explained how even when they don’t contribute as much as the others in a typical lesson, they still feel more involved in the conversation during these debates, sharing, “I might not speak as much as the others but participating in Harkness discussions and listening to different perspective helps me understand the main ideas more clearly and see arguments that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own”. Another student described how these discussions have changed their relationship with learning itself, sharing, “The debates and Harkness conversations are the parts of class I look forward to most. It feels like we’re helping each other learn as a class.”
Building Critical Thinkers
The Harkness MethodTM helps students develop skills that go beyond the classroom. Through dialogue, they learn to evaluate evidence and communicate ideas articulately and respectfully. At the Harkness table, learning is a shared process where ideas are tested, refined, and strengthened through collaboration rather than competition. The supportive atmosphere is a standout feature of these lessons, creating a culture of curiosity, empathy and open-mindedness, underpinned by active participation.
These are the skills students carry into university seminars, the workplace, and civic life: contributing thoughtfully, successfully engaging in teamwork, and navigating the world with confidence and care.
At La Garenne, students do more than memorise answers. They learn to ask better questions, think independently, and move towards genuine understanding.
