Artistry in teaching: A systematic literature review of the research spanning 50 years (1972–2022)

Artistry is the personalisation and creativity essential to good teaching. A systematic literature review examined empirical work in classroom contexts over 50 years. The review found 30 studies from SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ERIC databases that examined artistry in teaching regarding aesthetical dimensions, how artistry improves a teacher's skills and thinking, and illuminates artistry's importance. Six themes emerged: artistry is defined differently, undermined by measurements, essential to good teaching, helps form strong social bonds and free-thinking, induces rich aesthetic experiences, and is philosophically holistic and disruptive. A model of artistry is presented with recommendations for future research. • The term artistry links essential and undervalued features of good teaching. • Artistry is a loose, holistic concept; studies termed, defined, and treated it differently. • Ideas of artistry collide with current educational norms of standardisation and system control. • Artistry combines important aesthetic, moral, and intellectual realms of teaching. • Artistry in teaching infuses intangible qualities with distinctive teacher signatures.