This summer, I have taken on a new challenge--I am teaching Global Economics at Phillips Exeter Academy Summer School. It has been a thrill to work at one of the premier boarding schools in the country. The resources they have, the people here, the high caliber students have inspired me and challenged me. I feel energized.
One of the most important skills I have honed here at Exeter is how to lead a Harkness Discussion. The teaching philosophy at Exeter is student-centered. Each class is conducted around a Harkness Table. Ten or twelve students and one teacher have read a text the previous night and gather around the table for discussion. The objective: students will be encouraged to take ownership of their own learning. Because they are directing the conversation, they have a genuine interest in what they are learning. They will learn collaboratively by discussing. They will be more curious and inquisitive because they direct the discussion. And ultimately, students will learn more and will value what they learn because they own it.
This training has been invaluable in my preparation for the Revolution. While there may be times when information is delivered to students, every effort will be made to maintain a collaborative, egalitarian discussion. Everyone's opinions matter. Each person's insight is valued. Each participant reads the texts and comes to the seminar ready to discuss. We embark on a journey together and perhaps arrive in different places. With this in mind, students will hopefully take ownership of what they have learned. In the process, they will hopefully feel more inclined to act on the values that we've (hopefully) developed in the process of the Revolution.
