The teacher as strategist: towards a pedagogy of situational potential in the arts

(Preprint version) This article examines the relevance of François Jullien’s concept of “situational potential” for rethinking the role of the teacher in contemporary arts education. Drawing on a critical review of philosophical and pedagogical literature, the study analyzes how this notion enables a shift away from linear, goal-driven instructional models that continue to dominate educational practice. The findings indicate that understanding the classroom as a dynamic and emergent field reframes teaching as a strategic, indirect, and situated form of action, oriented toward preparing conditions that support the unfolding of singular creative processes. The article also explores the implications of this perspective for planning, mediation, and assessment, reconceived as an interpretive rather than strictly measurable activity. Finally, it proposes the notion of “deployment islands” as a gradual strategy for balancing openness, autonomy, and pedagogical guidance within arts education.