Real Learning Is So Much More Than Skills

For the past seven years, I have had the privilege of seeing Serendipity through the lens of the Art Studio. In my newer role supporting our Specialist team, I have had the opportunity to zoom out a little to think more deeply about what connects our programs and why these spaces are such an essential part of a Serendipity education.

Yes, our students are learning skills. They are learning how to mix colors, play an instrument, speak another language, move their bodies, perform on a stage, use tools, design, build, and make. But they are learning so much more than that.

In Physical Education, students practice coordination, cooperation, problem solving, and physical literacy. As they develop foundational skills like running, throwing, catching, and balancing, they become more confident movers. They learn how their bodies work and discover what they are capable of doing. Through games and team challenges, they practice flexibility, approach challenges with openness and enthusiasm, and experience the joy of working together toward a common goal. And when children feel capable using their bodies, movement and physical activity can become something they feel comfortable choosing throughout their lives.

In World Language, students learn new ways to listen, speak, and communicate, while developing curiosity about cultures beyond their own. They begin by exploring language that connects to their own identities, learning vocabulary to describe themselves, the people and places that matter to them, and the things they love. As they explore cultural traditions that shape other individuals and communities, they discover both similarities and differences in how people experience the world. Through that curiosity and familiarity comes an openness to people, perspectives, and experiences that may be different from their own.

In Music and Dramatic Arts, students develop their voices as musicians and performers. As they step into characters, improvise, perform, and make music together, they also explore emotion as they begin to recognize it, express it, and imagine how someone else might be feeling. When students work together to create tableaus and scenes that convey character, story, meaning, and emotion, they practice collaboration and learn what it means to be generous scene partners. As they learn to play the ukulele or recorder, they practice doing their personal best while listening to one another and working in unison. Through these experiences, they discover the joy of creative expression, develop confidence in sharing their voices, and begin to see themselves as capable musicians, performers, and collaborators.

In Innovation, students design, build, test, change, and try again. They might explore materials and create a chain reaction designed to achieve a particular goal, or experiment with the placement of a fulcrum to see if they can lift their teacher off the ground using only their own weight. They might discover the power of pulleys as they brainstorm, build, and test different solutions. Along the way, they learn that they can do hard things, that they don’t have to get it right the first time, and that sometimes the most interesting learning begins when something doesn’t work as planned.

And in Fine Art, the space I know best, students learn techniques, explore materials, develop their artistic style, and discover another way to communicate what they know. But they are also becoming familiar with navigating the creative process and the unknown. They make a choice, see what happens, adjust, and make another. Over time, they become more confident trusting their own decisions, especially when there isn’t one right answer.

One example of this is our Identity Map project. Each student is creating an individual map that reflects something about who they are. Depending on their grade level, students are exploring their identities through different lenses: the things they hope to create, adventures they have had or wish to have, what makes them unique, or the people, experiences, and ideas that matter most to them. Our artists know that their individual maps will eventually come together to create one giant classroom map, and there is incredible curiosity about what image will be revealed when all of their pieces come together!

I love this project because it captures something so important about our learning at Serendipity. Each child has the opportunity to explore and express their individuality, while also contributing to something larger than themselves. Every piece is different, every piece matters, and together they create something none of them could have made alone.

Through all of these experiences, our students are developing skills that reach far beyond the court, stage, studio, or classroom. They are becoming more empathetic and curious about others. They are developing a stronger sense of self, belonging, and who they are within a community. They are building resilience when things are hard, confidence in making their own choices, and comfort navigating something when the answer isn’t immediately clear. These are skills for school, certainly. But they are also skills for life.

In our Specialist learning spaces, children discover new interests, recognize strengths they may not have known they had, take risks, express themselves, and connect with one another. Our Specialist subjects offer different ways for children to experience success, find their voices, and understand themselves and the world around them. This is the power of Specialist learning at Serendipity. It is not only about what children learn to do, but also about who they are and who they are becoming. Our Specialist programs are not add-ons to the “real” learning happening at school. They are real learning.