Round Table

Evrard d’Espinques - Gallica, 1470. “Arthurum regem et equites Mensae Rotundae”. Public Domain.

Roundtable discussions are a bit of a cliché, and so is the Round Table.
Exeter Academy does it better with a table that isn’t round and a method that transcends mere conversation: the Harkness Method.

Originally, in the 1930s when philanthropist Edward Harkness imagined the scenario, it was simply eight boys sitting around a table with a teacher, who would connect with those students in such a way that all would be seen and encouraged to participate and learn.

These days, the table is oval and seats 12, the students are more diverse in gender and background, and it is they who run the conversation. The teacher sits elsewhere as a resource and possible guide. I imagine the incentive to be prepared before you take a seat at such a table is considerable, as would be the incentive to stay alert and engaged in class.

Imagine as well the possibility of carving your name in a table when you graduate…

Veni Vidi Vici!