“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” might soon be part of middle school curriculums across the city, as part of a new set of guidelines that emphasize teaching about film, television, and animation.
The Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts: The Moving Image, released in October, is the fifth in a series of basic guides designed for arts teachers and administrators to shape their curriculum, said Department of Education spokesperson Ann Forte.
And yes, it suggests a viewing and discussion of “Body Snatchers” for eighth graders, to analyze the timeline of technical innovation in film. Students should be able to understand the movie frame as the “proscenium arch,” and recognize other social and historical developments associated with the film, according to the Blueprint.
Naomi Grant, an art teacher at P.S. 36 on Morningside Drive, has Blueprint information tacked up on the board in her classroom. Grant said that the Blueprints are useful because they cover what any good art class would, such as shape, color, texture, and layering. And because they are so broad, she said, they do not dictate every classroom experience.
“The guide suggests working with arts organizations, but it’s up to the principal to decide what is best for her school,” Forte explained.
Although Grant was not yet familiar with the latest film guidelines, she said that she was unsure how some aspects of the Blueprint would fit in at P.S. 36, which enrolls students in pre-k through third grade.
“The pre-professional components seem better fit for older children,” Grant said. “My philosophy comes from giving children an experience. A place to play and explore.”
Because the Moving Image Blueprint was published so recently, Forte said she is unsure how widespread its influence would be in classrooms. Yet its impact locally may be stymied by the lack of built-in arts programs in many local schools, since art teachers are the ones to decide how to use the guidelines.
P.S. 76 on 121st Street has not had an art teacher for two years, the school’s parent coordinator, Cecilia McCoy, said. She still remembers how much the children enjoyed arts activities, especially a postcard contest.
“We were amazed at our kids, that they were such good artists,” McCoy recalled. “It’s good for art to be in the classroom. Some kids really learn through art—drawing, connecting. It always comes back right around to literacy—whether it’s English, math, science, technology—and literacy in creating art is important.”
Forte said that no additional funding is provided to implement the Blueprint’s curriculum guidelines, and that it’s up to individual school principals to decide how to use their budget resources. The Department of Education hasn’t provided supplementary funding for the Blueprint in the past.
Renee Darvin, an instructor at Teachers College, places graduate students who want to become arts teachers in schools around the city. She said she hasn’t been able to place many students in nearby schools because relatively few have arts programs with teachers who are part of the faculty, not artists in residence or from other institutions.
“There’s a dearth of art programs in schools around the neighborhood, and we’re also interested in placing our students largely with our alums because they speak the same language—our program is unique, and then people can put into practice what they’ve learned,” Darvin explained.
Career education has special relevance in New York City, where 17 prime-time television series and more than 200 films were shot in the past year, according to a Department of Education press release.
“The lessons in Blueprint will help students develop understanding of career opportunities available here in New York City and beyond,” Forte said.
McCoy supports this aspect of the Blueprint for providing students with ideas for their futures.
She said the program will help students prepare for “what’s ahead,” and added, “This is New York City. I do believe it has a lot, tons to offer in schools.”
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