The authors make a distinction here between the facile way most of us move between the art and science of content development in our fields, and the more awkward way we move between the art and science of how we teaching and how students learn. Our tendency to think of art and science as separate entities impedes our ability to understand how intrinsically they are linked. They make the case by pointing to painters, sculptors, and printmakers whose very success depends on a full understanding of the chemical properties of the materials they use. Teaching becomes artistic when we understand in a detailed and scientific way how it affects learning. Art requires creativity.
Artful teachers are creative in the ways they expand learning.
To enhance learning, it generates new and unresolved issues that become seeds for the next class or course. The teacher's world is dynamic, filled with uncertainty and challenge, and teaching strategies are guided by a compass, not a road map. Artists grow and stay inspired through play, experimentation, and practice. This is so important for teachers, and it draws again on their ability to always remain learners. This orientation can give us the space we need to experiment and to fail.