Phillips Exeter Academy

I recently travelled to Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, USA to give a presentation about using the iPad in my own art practice and as a teacher. You can read the school report here and some additional information from the Bates Russell professor who invited me over here.

Phillips Exeter is an interesting school and I very much enjoyed my visit. Some of their practice fits in well with the artist teacher philosophy - for example, all the art teachers are also working artists from a range of different art forms. This gives a really fresh, contemporary feel to the programmes of study and the work produced. Also, the work is very student directed rather than assessment led which lends itself to a much more experimental, playful and discovery based methodology. Lessons take place around what is called a 'harkness' table - this is an oval table which seats approx 12. Teaching takes the form of discussion round the table rather than direct teaching.

More information can be gained from the school website:

http://www.exeter.edu/