The spring semester is officially in full swing at the Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central). And while Central’s robust extracurricular life often takes center stage, there is always a story unfolding in any YUHSG classroom. In Ms. Chevi Friedman’s freshman English class, that story is, quite literally, a recent unit on storytelling and how humans learn from narrative. Students put the unit into practice by telling stories about themselves, crafting their own identity poems after reading the long-time classroom favorite “Where I’m From” by poet George Ella Lyon.
Meanwhile, the seniors of Ms. Lisa Rothstein’s AP English Literature course are discussing different poetic forms. “After discussing the cyclical nature of the villanelle, the sestina’s need for a non-linear story, and the terza rima’s religious origins, a student observed that the iterative nature of the line weaving in the pantoum would work best with subjects that are annoying, since the lines don’t leave us alone,” Ms. Rothstein said. “We’re thinking of writing ‘Stomach Acid Pantoum.’”
Central’s English students also consider the real-world applications of stories in addition to their historical and literary context. Ms. Kayla Whitaker’s senior English students concluded their media literacy unit by writing their own op-eds, the subjects of which have ranged from the importance of mental health awareness to why fans should be allowed to compete on Dancing with the Stars.
The collaboration between classes continues in other parts of the building, and sometimes in unexpected ways. Ms. Naida Gonzalez’s gym classes are coordinating with Mrs. Ruth Fried’s freshman Biology course to execute a lab that will monitor the influence of fatigue on muscle contractions. Under the direction of Central’s lab coordinator and Biology lab instructor, Mrs. Shulamith Biderman, the lab, “Making Connections,” will challenge students to observe whether they can open and close a clothespin more times after resting, or immediately after exercise. “The upperclassmen are serving as control groups for the experiment,” Ms. Gonzalez said. “It’s nice to see all grade levels coming together to help the freshmen with their projects.”
Shifting the story from STEM to studio art, the juniors of Mr. Joel Golombeck’s Art III course are working on collaborative narrative projects in which they will tell a story through a minimum of four images. “We’ve done a lot of research on Pixar and their storytelling methods to understand ways of building character and emotional connection quickly and powerfully,” he said. The story of student work – and student progress – is the Central narrative. “Mr. Golombeck’s art class gave me insight into the world of animation and how illustrators choose characters’ emotions based on the audiences they are targeting,” said junior Miriam Siegman. “It’s opened up a new world of art for me – I’ve really enjoyed it.”
