FOREWORD FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
BECOMING ARTFUL
LEARNERS
W
hat do we mean when we say that
something is an art? We are not
saying that it IS ART, but AN ART.
Sometimes things that are an art are contrasted
with things that are described as a science.
But, of course, they can be both. Cooking
is an art as well as a science. Learning can be
both, too. But here we are concerned with
learning as an art, the art of learning. We wish
to rectify an imbalance that needs realignment.
In 1983, in his book Frames of Mind, Howard
Gardner of Harvard University put forward
his theory of multiple intelligences. He
first identified seven different intelligences.
That number has now grown to nine.
Commentators have dissected these, and
queried Gardner’s scientific precision, but his
central tenet (perhaps an expression of art)
has become well established – as individual
learners, we possess different styles of
intelligence and consequently different styles,
There are surely some general principles, up to a point, of learning.
scientific if we wish to use that term, which
underpin and describe learning. These We stress this at Keystone all the time. We
principles may be common to all, even encourage a plurality of teaching styles, varying
including in some cases animals. But other pedagogy to suit changing circumstances and
aspects of learning are individual, unique to contexts, and we expect a complementary
each learner. This is where our phrase ‘an art’ differentiation and variety in learning
comes in. Learners learn best if they know styles. Our basic curricular frameworks,
what works well for them. And coming to the IPC, the IB MYP, and the IB DP, all
know that is an art.
promote reflectiveness amongst other learner
2
THE KEYSTONE MAGAZINE