Descriptions of the creative disposition are caught in a dilemma. If the spontaneous origination of ideas is a product of discrete mental dispositions, then how are these intentional traits made intelligible within conventional discourse? On one hand art students are obliged by teachers to find creative authenticity inside their own intentional resources. On the other hand students begin to realize that the originality of their achievements is rewarded in conformity with art educational convention. This paper tackles the contradiction of "learning to be creative." It presents a pilot study that posits creativity as misrecognition within the practice of art education, specifically that misrecognition of creative autonomy in various emergent forms takes place in the transaction between teachers and students, students and students, teachers and teachers, as well as teachers and others. Detailed observations were made of some 75-minute lessons in which a visual arts teacher introduced a new unit to a senior (Year 11) class (n=19). Presents in detail the theoretical framework. Discusses the results in terms of symbolic capital, focusing on the teacher's strategic command of the classroom. (Contains 42 references.) (BT)