Storytelling, Literature and Respect at Pierre Van Cortlandt MS

During the summer, Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School media literacy teacher Johanna Mustacchi and English language arts teacher Matthew Zinman were invited to take part in the Pleasantville-based Jacob Burns Film Center’s Summer Teachers Institute.

The two worked with a small group of teachers from other Westchester County schools to pilot a new curriculum titled “Image, Sound and Story.”

“We had an incredible summer experience with Jacob Burns, both learning by doing in our small cohort and participating in the institute’s lecture and film series,” said Mustacchi.

The teachers have been incorporating the curriculum into their classes this year and took a special opportunity to bring in a storytelling element during the Nov. 7 Advisory Program meeting with their two seventh-grade classes.

The day’s Advisory theme was respect, which Zinman tied into the students’ earlier reading of Langston Hughes’ short story “Thank You, Ma’am.”

“Students are using the visual storytelling technique,” said Zinman, adding the story’s theme “interrelates with the Advisory theme of ‘respect.’”

Students began by writing down their definitions of respect, which included, “Acknowledging other peoples’ boundaries,” “Keeping our eyes on the speaker” and “Realizing our actions affect other people.”

After discussing the story elements – setting, climax, conflict, etc. – students worked on drafting five-image storyboards to tell their stories. Next, they work in small groups to decide what types of frames tell the story best and use digital cameras to shoot their stories.

“It’s a great way to ignite kids’ interest in our Advisory Program,” said Mustacchi. “I am super excited to be able to apply the Jacob Burns Film Center curriculum into both media and advisory.”

PHOTO: Pierre Van Cortlandt media literacy teacher Johanna Mustacchi works with Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School seventh-graders to brainstorm ideas about respect for their storyboards about Langston Hughes’ short story, “Thank You, Ma’Am.”/courtesy Croton-Harmon school district.