Square Desks Are Better: The Case Against Harknesses

Harkness. The assessment that makes some students shriek in fear and others sigh in relief. Whether it is Grade 9 Geography or Grade 11 Philosophy, Harknesses seem to sneak their way into every possible class. Having adopted the round tables in many classrooms, Havergal is all for this new way of teaching. However, with Harknesses commonly assigned within classes, we have to ask ourselves: are they truly effective at measuring a student’s knowledge and learning skills?

To begin, let’s discuss some major benefits of having Harkness discussions. In order to do well in a Harkness, students need a deep and nuanced understanding of the topic being discussed. Since a Harkness is an open-ended discussion, one has to prepare to talk about everything relating to that subject, as it is very difficult to predict what might be said. Furthermore, for students to contribute meaningfully or to answer a question someone else asked, they have to understand what the other person is referring to, and continue the conversation based on that understanding. This method of assessment is very different from tests, projects, or presentations, because it is easier to predict questions that could show up on a test. The nature of a discussion allows it to be less predictable than traditional assessments, such as tests. For example, in a survey about Harknesses, many people stated it was much harder to study for a Harkness than for a written test. Though this might seem detrimental, it is actually beneficial because students have to work harder and study more, and will therefore gain a deeper understanding of the topic. 

Another benefit of Harknesses is that they teach students to become more open-minded. During a Harkness, students state their own view and build upon or challenge others’ perspectives. Due to the fact that they have to compare the different perspectives that arise during a discussion, students have to look at things from different points of view. For example, when a student has a strict mindset about a certain topic, while another has a completely different one, both sides would need to accept that there are other valid opinions different from their own. This rigorous brainstorming allows students to recognize the different perspectives about a topic, becoming more open-minded during the process.  

Some downsides to Harknesses include the stress they may create for some students. When I asked people about their perspectives on Harknesses, many agreed that Harknesses were neither enjoyable nor comfortable. They said it was scary to state an opinion in front of a large group of people, and even scarier when one student disagrees with another publicly. A lot of people also said that they are afraid to express their opinions because someone else might disagree with them. All of these fears can factor into the mark a student receives, resulting in an unfair representation of their knowledge. Tests are much fairer in this regard, as all the answers are private. It is much easier for one to be more confident in expressing their ideas on a test. Furthermore, many students cannot express their opinion even if they wanted to, as Harknesses are usually dominated by several students who feel more at ease during these discussions. These situations may cause other students to panic, as they know that the Harkness is being assessed by teachers. Furthermore, not everyone is comfortable openly sharing their ideas with the entire class, which is an unfair disadvantage for them, especially if they are assessed based on their participation.

In addition, Harknesses create a competitive environment where people fight for time to talk. When teachers give out a Harkness assignment, students usually have to use quotes from a reading in order to get a good mark. Since people can easily have the same analysis, students will be fighting to speak first so that their ideas are not taken by others. For example, in almost all of the Harknesses I’ve been in, people always try to speak first, sometimes even resorting to speaking over and interrupting others. This is very harmful, as some people might stop listening to what others are saying, and solely focus on getting their own quotation out. Furthermore, because the average class size consists of around sixteen students, it is hard for some students to speak more than once or twice. This means that teachers will then have to mark some students simply using the minimal amount of information they shared. Traditional assessments, such as tests, would be much fairer because every student is assessed for answering multiple questions or writing an essay. In this scenario, the teacher has much more to mark than just two sentences. 

With both the benefits and harms of Harknesses stated above, the question “Are Harknesses effective?” still hasn’t been answered.  Personally, I believe that Harknesses should not used as a form of assessment. Though teachers assign Harknesses with the goal of getting a fair assessment, the unintended consequences often outweighs the benefits. The detrimental harms, such as excessive stress, fear of stating controversial opinions, and unequal speaking time, result in Harknesses being a chaotic battlefield rather than a civil discussion.