Alexander Herzing's Portfolio
I am a 7th and 8th grade English teacher in my 5th year at Woods Charter School in Chapel Hill, NC. After growing up in Carson City, NV for most of my adolescence, I finished high school in Raleigh, NC, and attended UNC-Chapel Hill where I got my bachelor's degree in education. In addition to teaching, I am an advisor for a group of 8th graders, serve as the faculty advisor for MS Student Council, and help to plan events at Woods Charter. I enjoy teaching middle grades, especially at WCS, because I am given room to be creative, show leadership, and make a difference in the lives of students who deserve respect and care. I love dancing, singing, running/walking, eating, and I have recently become an avid TV-watcher. I am the proud owner of 9 tattoos. I am thrilled about the opportunities the Czech CCR program is providing me, and therefore my classroom! |
Cultural Connections Project 1: Global Collaborative Project (Video Synopsis)
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Cultural Connections Project 2: Scripted Duologue Based on Meetup Group or AirBnb City Experience (GoAnimate)
This conversation is a loose transcription of a real conversation I had with my running tour guide, David. |
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Cultural Connections Project 3: Experience-Based Travel Writing Based on Meetup Group or AirBnb City Experience
czechccr.weebly.com/travel-blog/fun-sweat-and-beers-my-run-through-prague
czechccr.weebly.com/travel-blog/fun-sweat-and-beers-my-run-through-prague
Cultural Collections Project 1: Mapping Culture
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Cultural Collections Project 2: Timelining Culture
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Cultural Collections Project 3: Curating Cultural Objects
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Cultural Reflections Project 1: The Last Word, Czech education articles
My experience with the Last Word format went well, as it illustrated connections between texts I had not seen before. In presenting my quote to the group, I chose something that surprised me: a passage about the amount of bachelor's degree candidates that would likely not finish their program. I could not imagine this statistic being so similar in the United States, and I wondered how this was normal. However, we had many texts to choose from, and my groupmates offered points based on other texts I had not focused so clearly on, and also weighed in with their conclusions about the passage based on understanding of Czech culture. It made me really appreciative of the fact that my opinion had not swayed the discussion prior to hearing what they said.
My experience with the Last Word format went well, as it illustrated connections between texts I had not seen before. In presenting my quote to the group, I chose something that surprised me: a passage about the amount of bachelor's degree candidates that would likely not finish their program. I could not imagine this statistic being so similar in the United States, and I wondered how this was normal. However, we had many texts to choose from, and my groupmates offered points based on other texts I had not focused so clearly on, and also weighed in with their conclusions about the passage based on understanding of Czech culture. It made me really appreciative of the fact that my opinion had not swayed the discussion prior to hearing what they said.
Cultural Reflections Project 2: Czech Book Club
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
I liked this book. There were many times I struggled to understand the author's purpose--as an English teacher, I am constantly urging my students to do the same, and it bothered me that I could not always discern a clear answer. The semi-nonlinear structure and the tangential storytelling were understandable, but difficult for me to prioritize (which was the most important storyline? is the information in this one chapter important although it does not mention the main characters? what am I to do with the narrator referring to himself in first person?). However, it was an interesting tale, and I learned about Czech life and Czech history more than I thought I might. I found it interesting that it quite clearly explored the dark and light sides of each of its characters so that I was left to draw my own final assumptions about them. I also was fascinated by the use of dreams in this novel, especially those that were presented as reality and then backtracked later on. Lastly, I must admit that I was entertained by the perversion and the depth to which it was explored in here. It's uncommon in my experience to see such explicit ideas explored with so much thought/study in a novel that is so well-known. In a way, I found perversion to be a central idea of this book--how do we come to terms with perversion, and what is its origin? Why do we respond to it the way we do? I appreciated that it forced me to stop and think, and not just once in the course of my reading.
View all my reviews
I liked this book. There were many times I struggled to understand the author's purpose--as an English teacher, I am constantly urging my students to do the same, and it bothered me that I could not always discern a clear answer. The semi-nonlinear structure and the tangential storytelling were understandable, but difficult for me to prioritize (which was the most important storyline? is the information in this one chapter important although it does not mention the main characters? what am I to do with the narrator referring to himself in first person?). However, it was an interesting tale, and I learned about Czech life and Czech history more than I thought I might. I found it interesting that it quite clearly explored the dark and light sides of each of its characters so that I was left to draw my own final assumptions about them. I also was fascinated by the use of dreams in this novel, especially those that were presented as reality and then backtracked later on. Lastly, I must admit that I was entertained by the perversion and the depth to which it was explored in here. It's uncommon in my experience to see such explicit ideas explored with so much thought/study in a novel that is so well-known. In a way, I found perversion to be a central idea of this book--how do we come to terms with perversion, and what is its origin? Why do we respond to it the way we do? I appreciated that it forced me to stop and think, and not just once in the course of my reading.
View all my reviews
Cultural Reflections Project 3: Czech Film Club
For my film, I chose to watch Anthropoid, released in 2016 and starring Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan. It tells a slightly fictionalized version of the true events leading up to and immediately following the assassination "attempt" of Reinhard Heydrich, third in command of the entire Nazi Party at the time and the head of German occupation in Czechoslovakia. While the assassination was not immediately successful, Heydrich did die as a result of the assassination in Prague, and retaliation came in the form of the deaths of thousands of Czechs.
I enjoyed the movie first and foremost as a visual retelling of history, which is a tool that I have found comes in handy with teaching difficult or hard-to-imagine events/periods, especially to middle schoolers. I was able to take the events of the film seriously and with a healthy amount of belief, which I believe comes with decent screenwriting and a good attention to detail as a period piece. I came away with a good sense of the distrust that was rife in Nazi or Nazi-occupied territory. Throughout the film, the main characters are constantly making decisions on who they can trust, and seem to operate under the idea that they can never be too safe.
The parts of the movie that seemed slightly far-fetched involved the romance between the two leading men and their female collaborators, who originally join the resistance as the "arm-pieces" of the men to make them less suspicious. Very quickly, both men seem to fall in love with their corresponding women, and at the end, in a near-death scene, one of the women appears as a vision to one of the men. It seemed quite fabricated, but certainly not implausible.
My ultimate takeaway from this film, besides how much I learned, was how much it made me weigh the merits of the assassination. While of course Heydrich was an awful human being who was responsible for the deaths of millions, was the assassination worth it, especially given the thousands killed as a result of his death? At first, I didn't know. However, after speaking to my classmates who also watched the film, I was given more context and understood that many, many lives were saved as a result of hindering the Nazis in this way.
For my film, I chose to watch Anthropoid, released in 2016 and starring Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan. It tells a slightly fictionalized version of the true events leading up to and immediately following the assassination "attempt" of Reinhard Heydrich, third in command of the entire Nazi Party at the time and the head of German occupation in Czechoslovakia. While the assassination was not immediately successful, Heydrich did die as a result of the assassination in Prague, and retaliation came in the form of the deaths of thousands of Czechs.
I enjoyed the movie first and foremost as a visual retelling of history, which is a tool that I have found comes in handy with teaching difficult or hard-to-imagine events/periods, especially to middle schoolers. I was able to take the events of the film seriously and with a healthy amount of belief, which I believe comes with decent screenwriting and a good attention to detail as a period piece. I came away with a good sense of the distrust that was rife in Nazi or Nazi-occupied territory. Throughout the film, the main characters are constantly making decisions on who they can trust, and seem to operate under the idea that they can never be too safe.
The parts of the movie that seemed slightly far-fetched involved the romance between the two leading men and their female collaborators, who originally join the resistance as the "arm-pieces" of the men to make them less suspicious. Very quickly, both men seem to fall in love with their corresponding women, and at the end, in a near-death scene, one of the women appears as a vision to one of the men. It seemed quite fabricated, but certainly not implausible.
My ultimate takeaway from this film, besides how much I learned, was how much it made me weigh the merits of the assassination. While of course Heydrich was an awful human being who was responsible for the deaths of millions, was the assassination worth it, especially given the thousands killed as a result of his death? At first, I didn't know. However, after speaking to my classmates who also watched the film, I was given more context and understood that many, many lives were saved as a result of hindering the Nazis in this way.
Cultural Reflections Project 5: Urban Neighborhood Analysis (from Field Research)
For my neighborhood analysis, I chose to visit Prague 2 or thereabouts, specifically hoping to see what Prague’s “gay district” might be like. My photos explore more than this, obviously--I hope that viewers will notice the diverse architecture and colors of the buildings in this area. Many of the buildings in this neighborhood, though similar height and close together, were varying color schemes and styles. Some I recognized as art noveau, while many I could not tell but could only guess was a classical modern: colorful, with floral or statue-like trimmings. It was an engaging neighborhood to walk through for this reason alone, and almost every building was noticeably different than the one sandwiched next to it.
I also included in my photos the entry to several gay clubs. I was surprised to see that many of these clubs did not seem outwardly “gay”--that is, rainbow colors or bright signage. Though the establishments did not seem to hide it, they did appear to be more casual about the nature of the club than I’d expected. This was certainly a learning experience for me. I stopped by a bar with a small rainbow flag sticker in the window and got a drink, which you’ll see pictured as well.
This part of Prague had less graffiti than I’d seen in other parts (but still some), and a few green spaces with people walking their dogs and enjoying nature. The parks were simplistic, with heavy gray and black architecture in the form of churches or metro ventilation. I was pleasantly surprised to see one of the parks had rows of protected roses and other flowers to liven it up.
I had plenty of questions about all that I saw in my neighborhood, specifically relating to the gay clubs and the way that parks are designed in the district and Prague as a whole. Are gay men proud of being gay, or is pride a much more personal concept here? Is there interest in "sprucing up" the parks or making them more vibrant and inviting? Being a more effective field researcher, to me, would involve spending more time talking to locals and learning about their thoughts and feelings. It would also likely entail a closer study of Czech history in regards to my inquiries!
For my neighborhood analysis, I chose to visit Prague 2 or thereabouts, specifically hoping to see what Prague’s “gay district” might be like. My photos explore more than this, obviously--I hope that viewers will notice the diverse architecture and colors of the buildings in this area. Many of the buildings in this neighborhood, though similar height and close together, were varying color schemes and styles. Some I recognized as art noveau, while many I could not tell but could only guess was a classical modern: colorful, with floral or statue-like trimmings. It was an engaging neighborhood to walk through for this reason alone, and almost every building was noticeably different than the one sandwiched next to it.
I also included in my photos the entry to several gay clubs. I was surprised to see that many of these clubs did not seem outwardly “gay”--that is, rainbow colors or bright signage. Though the establishments did not seem to hide it, they did appear to be more casual about the nature of the club than I’d expected. This was certainly a learning experience for me. I stopped by a bar with a small rainbow flag sticker in the window and got a drink, which you’ll see pictured as well.
This part of Prague had less graffiti than I’d seen in other parts (but still some), and a few green spaces with people walking their dogs and enjoying nature. The parks were simplistic, with heavy gray and black architecture in the form of churches or metro ventilation. I was pleasantly surprised to see one of the parks had rows of protected roses and other flowers to liven it up.
I had plenty of questions about all that I saw in my neighborhood, specifically relating to the gay clubs and the way that parks are designed in the district and Prague as a whole. Are gay men proud of being gay, or is pride a much more personal concept here? Is there interest in "sprucing up" the parks or making them more vibrant and inviting? Being a more effective field researcher, to me, would involve spending more time talking to locals and learning about their thoughts and feelings. It would also likely entail a closer study of Czech history in regards to my inquiries!
Cultural Reflections Project 6: Czech Education Analysis (from Field Research)
REFORM
Reform, in its most literal sense, can be defined as "form or create again." It differs from simply forming or creating in that it tends to seek change to an already existing idea or institution. It functions as a noun and verb, and is often used in referring to the way governments often change a society or existing institutions when they come into power, or changes that people and organizations might lobby their government for. Though not explicitly positive, it's commonly associated with positive change or progress, though this certainly depends on one's perspective.
In my experience learning about Czech education at the Pedagogical Museum, I thought over and over about the concept of reform. It seems as though there has been much progress made as it comes to teaching in substance, style, and accessibility. An early reform I noticed was the shift from "Christian Literacy" in schools in the 13th-15th century to a more statewide and well-rounded system controlled by municipalities. Most importantly for Czech culture, Jan Comenius' impact in the 16th and 17th centuries put emphasis on learning as a way to improve the world. Through this lens, education was reformed to become more widely available and more useful for each student. This paved the way to other reforms, like the multi-tiered school system and preparatory schools for teachers.
After Czechoslovakia was formed following WWI, more reforms followed as education borrowed ideas from neighboring countries. Nationally, schools seemed to become more consistent, and education was a regular part of children's lives. This was a stable and centralized time in Czech education and government (as I understand it) and allowed the system to get its footing. Of course, this changed dramatically during WWII, when Nazi occupation disrupted the education of most students. Soon after, a very different type of reform came: that of the Communist regime. In learning about the changes made during this time, it appears as though many of the changes ensured that students across the country attended modernized schools with a standard curriculum. Though there was a distinct loss in national identity, the government at the time certainly focused attention on education as a foundation of continued Communist ideals.
Lastly, reform came as the Czech Republic emerged in 1989. The number of universities grew dramatically within the next decade and a half, and teachers and leaders were able to again establish an independent education system based on Comenius' goals of improving the world. Currently, reform is discussed in regards to universities regarding tuition, accreditation, and retention.
Personally, I like to view reform as a positive concept, and also believe that there is always room for progress, regardless of how small the changes may be. Though my scope of Czech education is quite limited, I can see many are eager for reforms to the current system much like the way American teachers and families are. I consider it my duty to advocate for the change that I view as most beneficial to the student experience en masse, and I certainly hope to see large-scale reforms to North Carolina and American education in my lifetime.
REFORM
Reform, in its most literal sense, can be defined as "form or create again." It differs from simply forming or creating in that it tends to seek change to an already existing idea or institution. It functions as a noun and verb, and is often used in referring to the way governments often change a society or existing institutions when they come into power, or changes that people and organizations might lobby their government for. Though not explicitly positive, it's commonly associated with positive change or progress, though this certainly depends on one's perspective.
In my experience learning about Czech education at the Pedagogical Museum, I thought over and over about the concept of reform. It seems as though there has been much progress made as it comes to teaching in substance, style, and accessibility. An early reform I noticed was the shift from "Christian Literacy" in schools in the 13th-15th century to a more statewide and well-rounded system controlled by municipalities. Most importantly for Czech culture, Jan Comenius' impact in the 16th and 17th centuries put emphasis on learning as a way to improve the world. Through this lens, education was reformed to become more widely available and more useful for each student. This paved the way to other reforms, like the multi-tiered school system and preparatory schools for teachers.
After Czechoslovakia was formed following WWI, more reforms followed as education borrowed ideas from neighboring countries. Nationally, schools seemed to become more consistent, and education was a regular part of children's lives. This was a stable and centralized time in Czech education and government (as I understand it) and allowed the system to get its footing. Of course, this changed dramatically during WWII, when Nazi occupation disrupted the education of most students. Soon after, a very different type of reform came: that of the Communist regime. In learning about the changes made during this time, it appears as though many of the changes ensured that students across the country attended modernized schools with a standard curriculum. Though there was a distinct loss in national identity, the government at the time certainly focused attention on education as a foundation of continued Communist ideals.
Lastly, reform came as the Czech Republic emerged in 1989. The number of universities grew dramatically within the next decade and a half, and teachers and leaders were able to again establish an independent education system based on Comenius' goals of improving the world. Currently, reform is discussed in regards to universities regarding tuition, accreditation, and retention.
Personally, I like to view reform as a positive concept, and also believe that there is always room for progress, regardless of how small the changes may be. Though my scope of Czech education is quite limited, I can see many are eager for reforms to the current system much like the way American teachers and families are. I consider it my duty to advocate for the change that I view as most beneficial to the student experience en masse, and I certainly hope to see large-scale reforms to North Carolina and American education in my lifetime.
Cultural Reflections Project 7: Czech Literature Analysis (from Field Research)
(I opted out of the Literature Analysis)
(I opted out of the Literature Analysis)
Cultural Reflections Project 8: Czech Art/Visual Analysis (from Field Research) For my art analyses, I chose two starkly different pieces by Czech artist Rudolf Nemec. The first was one that struck me based on the juxtaposition of dark and light--the figure in the center was almost completely white and spectral in nature, while the surrounding background was a mixture of dark, brooding blue and green. The center appeared to be in agony and some sort of unpleasant bondage. I used clues to gather this information: it was on its knees, its hands appeared to be behind its back, and upon close inspection, the face appeared to show strain and/or suffering. It felt like a stretch to make any sort of judgment about Czech culture based on this image, but we have been learning plenty about the cultural bondage suffered by the Czech people during Communist reign, which I soon learned was the time period in which the painting was made. A conversation with one of my peers connected the work to the Shroud of Turin based on the facial expression, which I would certainly not have thought of otherwise, and another peer suggested that the knees meant praying or even torture. I read shortly after that this work was called The Suffering of Saint Sebastian and was made in 1978. Suffering I was correct about, but I had not come remotely close to connecting this with religion like my peer! When she learned this, she also noticed the many white lines extending in a nearly random formation as being possibly arrows or wounds to the saint. It was a revealing conversation, though ultimately many of our thoughts were not too dissimilar. The second piece was from a later stage in Nemec's life, best illustrated by the fact that it was on the next floor up in the museum. The difference between his styles was shocking--this new piece had a yellow background, with geometric shapes in red and blue placed seemingly random in two panels. Adding to the confusion were the blue dots covering the painting, with some parts more opaque than others. I spoke at length with a peer about this painting, and it was only through her comments and observations that I was able to understand the work easier. I told her that I was so struck by the artist's change in style and the chaos of the new style that it was hard for me to identify specifics in the piece. She told me that I was missing an obvious piece: there were obviously two characters in the painting, which appeared to be a man and a woman, and they both had something in common, which was a circle in the middle. Then, she was able to connect it to one of Nemec's earlier pieces she'd been studying that had a circle in the middle as well! It was an illuminating conversation that helped us both to understand what we saw, but especially me. Looking back, I can't believe I missed what my peer pointed out. We found out the piece was called Tribute to Prof. A Strnadel and was from 1983. I wish that this gave me more context, but it certainly piqued my interest and made me want to know more about who Strnadel was. I cannot say that it taught me about Czech culture besides that perhaps my view of life under Communism was not entirely correct before. |
Cultural Reflections Project 9: Czech Site Analysis, Site-Based Travel Writing
czechccr.weebly.com/travel-blog/a-day-in-cesky-krumlov-is-a-day-well-spent
czechccr.weebly.com/travel-blog/a-day-in-cesky-krumlov-is-a-day-well-spent