Education Spotlight: tigernoodles Talks with Teachers From the Lycée Français de New York

"As teachers, we learn from the students just as much as they learn from us."

These are the earnestly enthusiastic words of Secondary Visual Arts & Cinema Teacher Stephen Campanella, of the Lycée Français de New York. When he talks about his job, he makes it sound a lot like a "mission" - which is not really surprising, when you consider the stellar reputation of the prestigious bi-lingual (English and French) school itself.

Founded on New York's Upper East Side all the way back in 1935, with a student body of just 18, it won glowing praise the following year from the New York Times - and has spent the last ninety-plus years educating the more than 35,000 young people who have gone on to be counted amongst its alumni. The Lycée's storied history includes now-famous former students, from legendary romance novelist Danielle Steel, to future French Prime Minister Dominque de Villepin, to even Julian Casablancas and Nikolai Fraiture. respectively the lead singer and the bass player of arguably New York City's last great rock & roll band, The Strokes.

Yet to the students who fill its classrooms every day, the real rockstars are the teachers, whose dedication to approaching learning as an adaptable, ever-evolving process assures that their students will always have the opportunity to find their own path through learning.

"Experimentation from an early age is key for our students to find their artistic passions," explains Campanella. "We encourage them to create more and more personal work."

Seeking a deeper dive into the school's educational philosophy, tigernoodles engaged Stephen and his similarly titled colleague Julien Guibreteau for a genuinely enlightening conversation.

Above: Stephen Campanella with a student

Is there an overriding philosophy or approach to creative education at the Lycée Français?

JULIEN: Our recipe is a blend of French and American perspective on art teaching. The American system tends to divide art education by technique: students take drawing, painting, photography or ceramics classes. In the French curriculum, we approach the arts as a creative question to be "solved”; students encounter a wide range of mediums through multiple projects.

At Lycée, we encourage students to experiment, observe, and challenge their preconceived ideas, while building their skills progressively from one project and one year to the next. We also like to spice this dish up with a good amount of self-reflection as they document their creative journey. In every project our students have to engage with creative challenges and try to find their own way to solve them.

For me, technical skills are a means, not an end. A quiet and deep creative exploration is often as valuable as a flamboyant yet superficial piece.

STEPHEN: We love to give the students a very wide-range of artistic mediums here, so they really can find various areas of enjoyment throughout their years in the secondary art courses.

We expose them to everything from 2D and 3D work to digital mediums like photo and animation, and even more career-based pathways including cinema and architecture. The goal is for students to really find themselves in the work they create, no matter the technique. 

Above images: middle and far right, by Da Ping Luo

How does that factor into your own individual approach? Do you devise your own curriculum each semester?

JULIEN: We have been building a core set of projects for each grade based on the French curriculum, but with our own American twist to it. Stephen and I have ongoing conversations on ways to improve each project, as well as our approach of the overall curriculum. He joined the school last year and adjusted the existing projects to make them his own. 

In teaching, art or otherwise, the teacher's personality and interests always influence the content, which is why we can thrive as educators and teach with a certain level of creative freedom.

STEPHEN: We both teach similar subject matters that branch from one another; but what's great about the program we are consistently evolving is that it gives us each room to incorporate our individual artistic passions into the work we do with the kids. 

Julien and I come from similar artistic backgrounds, and have had a love for illustration, comics, and fine art from a young age; so it's nice to be able to showcase these lifelong interests of ours to a new generation of students.

Above: Julien Guibreteau with a student

So in art education, you think it's best not to be mostly guided by a set curriculum, but rather for the students to forge their own path of discovery as much as possible?

JULIEN: Agency is a progressive path, the level of guidance and scaffolding depends on the age group and ability of the student. Whether they need more conceptual or technical guidance varies enormously. As they grow older and take art as an elective in high school, prompts become more open ended, with more space for the students to diverge and be risk takers.

STEPHEN: We aim for every assignment to have proper guidelines inspired by professional techniques and art history, while the students are always given the opportunity to add their own twist to those guidelines. Individuality is key for the students to inspire one another as well, allowing them to push the boundaries of the rules to create work that best interests them, going beyond traditional artistic clichés. 

(Click on the above Instagram post, to learn more about the Lycée Français de New York's Saturday morning French classes, with sessions scheduled from autumn into winter and spring of 2027.)

Are there certain specific projects the students are currently working on that you’re excited about? 

JULIEN: I'm always excited for the new school year, projects evolve, you learn from the way students reacted to them the previous years. But also students are different from year to year, there are always surprises.

This year I'm especially excited about a "stained glasses" project I'll be conducting in Y7 - students will have to design their own stained glasses using colored films. It'll be a challenge for them as it will require a lot of planning and collaboration. They will eventually pick a design at each table, cut the pieces, and tape them together as teams. Eventually we'll have them installed on the windows of the art room's floor.

STEPHEN: I have many of the same students from last year, which makes it extremely exciting to build upon their skill sets, since I know many of their artistic interests well.

This year, I will be teaching a new Advanced Illustration & Graphic Design course for the first time at Lycée, which will be focused for students with deeper interests in commercial drawing and photography. I am really looking forward to expanding upon their abilities, combining both digital and traditional mediums to create album and book covers, as well as film posters throughout the course of the semester. This class will be meant to teach students about the business of the art industry as well, and help them to forge possible career pathways.

How can parents best be involved in their children’s creative education and development?

JULIEN: The best way parents can support their children's creative side is to expose them to art, go to museums or art galleries. Or simply at home, open an art book and talk about the art inside. Tell stories about it, pick an image and try to learn about the idea behind it.

Also, allow them a space where they can be a bit messy, at least temporarily. Encourage them to draw, even if it's just copying their favorite manga character or superhero. It's about having fun and building creative habits.

STEPHEN: Teaching in Manhattan is like a playground for collaboration with teachers and parents, allowing us to give them multiple opportunities for artistic activities and events in the surrounding area that everyone can be involved in with one another.

Creative support is key. There are so many pathways in the arts that students can follow for the rest of their lives, even if it isn't their career. Art is a stress-reliever and an incredible form of self expression for all ages; so a parent's realization of their child's artistic interests is important for their well-being as well.

(Parents: Please take a few minutes to watch this inspiring video, which focuses on the Lycée Français de New York's innovative 'Futures Literacy' undertaking.)