JESS CECCHINI'S
JESS CECCHINI'S
CIDRE Portfolio
CIDRE Portfolio
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About Me : I am a 20 year teaching veteran, Nationally Board Certified Teacher who has taught everything from Art I - IV, Honors level Art, AP Studio, AP Art History, Photography I - III, Graphic Design I - III, Crafts and Yearbook. My personal art consists of photography, watercolor and printmaking. Outside of teaching and art, I love to do things outdoors like hike and kayak.
1. One Austrian Education System Reflection
Austria has a very complex Educational System that is completed in 5 stages and allows for students to differentiate their education early on. Compulsory education lasts from ages 6-15 with the first track selected at age 10 based on the students academic ability, interests and socio-economic background. School-funding depends on the type of school. Federal schools are funded by the federal government, while Provincial schools use taxes raised in the respective province.
It appears that Austrian schools have little autonomy in the use of resources, management, leadership and planning. Austrian schools are not even allowed to hire their own personnel as this is done by the provincial governments. Based upon time spent being interviewed and on boards interviewing candidates for positions in the past, this seems like a disservice? Every position is different. Every school is too. Just because someone has the credentials, does not mean that they have the character to fit the school. I will be interested to hear more about this.
It wasn’t until 2015 that Austrian schools had end of year summatives that were standardized. In 2012, a framework for the evaluation of schools and teachers was implemented. International science and math scores vary widely and are mainly based upon grade level with primary school students below average and secondary students scoring above average.
Immigration is a main factor that affects the Austrian Education System worth mentioning. Migrants come from all over, but in particular, Hungary, Germany, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey. The primary language in schools is German; however, those who speak Croatian and Slovenian have the right to a primary education in those languages. I am not sure how this works yet? Significant percentages of students reported speaking other languages at home with their parents.
Equity is an important concern as well in the Austrian Education System due to performance differences between immigrant and non-immigrant students and the gender gap in mathematics scores. In addition, there is a large gender gap in pay as well.
In some ways, this feels very similar to the US. I see similarities in the way in which funds are procured, the use of standardized tests at the end of each year and the concern for equity. In other ways, However; the Austrian Education System is so complex, with so many tracks to follow and the selection done at such a young age, that I am still a bit lost/confused and looking forward to gathering more information.
2. Film Review: The Woman in Gold
The Woman In Gold, with its rich storyline and phenomenal leading-lady, is worth the watch and should be on your must-see-list. Helen Mirren gives a great performance as Maria Altmann, a woman who fights the Austrian government in hopes of getting a collection of stolen family paintings back. Her Aunt Adele, played by Antje Traue, is the subject of the most prized of these possessions - a painting by Gustav Klimt. Will the down-on-his-luck lawyer, a family friend named Randol Schoenberg, be able to help or will these artworks be lost forever like my understanding of the directors choice in selecting Ryan Reynolds for the role? Don’t get me wrong, I love Ryan Reynolds, as he is handsome and hilarious, but his humor doesn’t fit the bill here. However; the selection of Antje Traue as Adele and Tatiana Maslany as a younger Maria were fitting solutions for those roles. Both are carbon copies of their respective characters. On a side note, if you have not seen Orphan Black, Tatiana does an amazing job at taking on the roles of more than five clones, each with their very own believable personality. She is a force to be reckoned with! Anyways, the director also does a great job at providing some flashbacks throughout the movie to dispense historical context that drives the story along. The Woman in Gold has it all - war, romance, art, good vs. evil, sacrifice, David vs. Goliath, etc… and is free to stream on Netflix tonight.
3. One Book Review: The Devil In Vienna
The Devil in Vienna is the story of two best friends whose families are on opposing sides during World War II in Austria. Leiselotte’s father is a member of the SA and her brother Heinz is in Hitler’s Youth movement while her best friend Inge’s Jewish father owns an import/export business. The story is often told through letters written back and forth between the two main characters and journal entries made by Inge, the 13 year old, Jewish main character who is based off of the author herself. While the book takes off slowly, it gets into the meat of things quickly and stays there until the end. The main characters, as well as those who are supporting players are believable, interesting and necessary to the story. Both Lieselotte, Mitzi and Mutti help to lend sympathy to the stories' Catholic characters, while O.O. and Vati bring Jewish support to the mix. The “Devil” that just so happens to be in Vienna is Hitler as you may have guessed, but could also be many of the secondary and tertiary characters that show up as well. As this is a YA book, Stories of anti-semitic hate are an everyday item in the news reels; therefore, this book is quite relevant in today’s times and could easily be used as a teaching tool in any classroom. This Devil in Vienna is an easy and enjoyable read for any age, not just the YA audience. I will note that even in a time of war, there is romance to look forward to! This book is for those who enjoy themes of friendship, conflict, war and history. I enjoyed the book and will be passing it along to other family members to read. If you would like to read The Devil in Vienna by Puffin Books (ISBN 978-0-14-240236-8), copyright 1978, you can pick it up on Amazon for $7.99.
4. One Documented Waypoint for Group-Created Clio Tour: Click on the image below to see where you can find a great summer concert series! https://theclio.com/entry/171236
5. Visual Thinking Analyses 1
As we were walking around the museum, a peer commented that everyone looked so miserable. She was pretty accurate (for this section at least) because, like with this image, artists were making symbolic images as a reminder of death - memento mori. Often those images came in the form of a still-life. I thought that this image was truly the most miserable, but was an interesting take on the memento mori concept! Instead of having a reflection of the two people (as they are) in the mirror, you see their skulls. I would venture to say that, like Arcimboldo's faces made from fruit, veggies and fish, that this image is a precursor to Surrealism, as it is nightmare-like!
Visual Thinking Analysis 2
I think that I chose these two images because my favorite genre of art is Surrealism. While this is not Surrealist, it has dream-like and nightmare-like elements in it. It is very imaginative for a time that is otherwise full of serious paintings. Among the most creative: in the top left corner there is a naked woman on a flying fish and in the bottom right is a giant woman in red, on her hands and knees being rode like an animal. On her back is a giant jar that is pouring out a liquid, which she is cathing in a bowl and on top of that is a person riding backwards holding a baby.
6. Four Cultural Insights Posted as WhatsApp Texts
Below you will find photos and text that I have added to the group text thread. They are from various places and activities over the two weeks.
At the Belvedere this afternoon: so the question is...would it be the umbrella that is stopping the rain from getting you wet or the natural sponges? The more I think about it, I would imagine that the sponges on the underside of the umbrella and the handle would wick moisture from teh top and eventually start to drip on you from the underside.
One of the things that I have noticed walking around Austria, Slovakia and Hungary is that there are no two doors alike (well there is actually a matching door across from this one to make this space symmetrical). As a lover of art and architecture, I find this fascinating! Craftsmanship and history rules over duplication and industrialization.
Melk Abbey was started during the Romanesque Period in art and while there are lots of reasons to call it Baroque as they did on our tour, I wanted to point out that the yellow striping that went around the buildings, symmetry in the fascade and geometric qualities are most likely remnants from the 11th c. start. Most of these building projects happen over such a long time that they have an identity crisis...the gold ornamentation, curves and interior polychrome marble are Baroque.
We went caving in Budapest today and we were truly impressed with the infrastructure - it felt super safe - with cement floors, metal railings, and grated stairs when water was an issue. It was beautiful and best of all - the temp was in the 50's. We actually were slightly chilly at the end.
7. TYPE-A TRAVEL: A Travel Essay On Finding Your Way Around Vienna And The Surrounding Areas Without Panicking
I went to Vienna, Austria with a group of teachers who had almost the entire trip planned for us. We just had to get there, navigate to any activities we might want to do in our free time, including a free weekend and get home at the end of it all. How hard could it be? I mean, our facilitators had spent plenty of time going over the odds and ends of this trip with us (and if they spent more, would I have paid attention?). We went over information about money, insurance, packing, getting from the airport to the hotel and more. We had checklists and I spent lots of time going over them - crossing things off, highlighting other things, etc… Here are the items beyond the list they gave us and those similar generic lists you find on the internet that are important to know when traveling in and around Austria.
Go a few days early
*This will help you get acclimated to the time change and avoid having jet-lag when the rest of your party arrives. You will be able to meander through the streets for a day or two and get a lay of the land as well.
*When we went, several members of our groups had delayed flights or were missing their luggage for a few days.
You need to know the end of the line (the last stop) when using public transit
*For instance, if your last stop is Linz hbf, know that it may not say this. It could say Salzburg hbf for instance, as Linz is just one stop on a train going to Salzburg.
Know how to read an OBB ticket for seat assignment and scanning
*While a few of us were on a train to Budapest, I overheard my friends in front of me get berated by a ticket officer for showing them the “reservation” instead of the ticket. He then unkindly proceeded to explain what the difference was. I was able to peek over the seat, gain some inside information and show him the ticket instead of the “reservation.” I will post a photo of both so that you can see the similarities and understand the differences.
Save euro coins for the restrooms ladies (men only have to pay when they use a stall)
*When you get the chance to use a free restroom in a cafe, restaurant, museum, etc… do so, otherwise restrooms are 0.50 euro. The great thing about paying for a restroom is that they are generally pretty clean!
Not everyone in Europe takes the euro, so download an app to help with conversion rates.
*I paid 15,740 Hungarian florints for dinner for three and to hear that number was shocking and strange! At the current exchange rate, this meant that I paid 41.01 euros or 45.37 US dollars. Not a bad price for garlic chicken w/mashed potatoes, pork medallions wrapped in bacon with mashed potatoes, fish and chips plus three drinks.
*Almost everyone will take a credit card, but having an app to know whether or not you are overpaying in a tourist area can be useful.
While English is spoken by almost everyone in Vienna and Salzburg, less touristy areas in Austria have less English speaking citizens, Baden had the least out of all of the cities visited.
*Smaller towns, outside of major cities will, in my experience provide you with a mixed bag of compassion and understanding (as does those types of places in the US). Here is a couple of examples: In one of Baden’s many cafe’s, those of us who ordered from the counter got scolded when we sat down at a table (because they have table service and we were not following the unlisted norms). However, later in a fruit market, we were given free apricots from a sweet old man. He took pity on us for not knowing the language and understanding how much money he was asking for. He mimed that if we were going to eat them, we could just take them.
Look ahead at the top sights that you may want to see and make sure to be aware of any wait times, reservations needed, closed exhibits, etc…
*We arrived at the Upper Belvedere Museum at 3:30pm only to be told that the next tickets are at 4:15. It was not a big deal on that day to wait, but it was the very last chance that we had to visit The Kiss!
*While visiting Linz, we bought a Linz Card to use transit and visit museums, only to find out that all of the museums were closed on Mondays.
I am sure there are items I am missing, but these are the extras that I ran into more than once on this trip. They are simple and easy things that you can account for that will help your vacation to be a little less stressful. Some of the most memorable experiences from this trip overall are the two bike tours we took (Salzburg and Vienna), caving (Budapest), hiking the Alps (Mariazeller) and the Ossuary (Brno). I will leave photos and a link to each below. Vienna’s location makes it such a perfect hub for those who also want to take day trips to Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia and more. While busy, Vienna does not feel overrun with tourists like San Francisco, New York, Yellowstone or Disney World. If I could go back to one of the places that we visited, it would be Salzburg as it was the perfect size to walk and within minutes you were in the countryside. There was plenty to do and great restaurants. If you are into Mozart, the city is of course a huge plus. Wherever you decide to go on your next vacation - HAVE A NICE ONE!
You will receive a fun sticker at the end of your Frauline Maria Bicycle Tour in Salzburg, Austria
Stalagmites (550 ft. below the surface) in Budapest, Hungary
The Austrian Alps from The Three Lakes Trail in Mariazeller, Lower Austria
The Ossuary in Brno, Czechia - one of the most visceral and moving experiences I had while on this trip
The bicycle tour in Vienna was so much fun. Make sure to get Horst as your tour guide.
If you don't want to ride a bicycle, no problem! Horst gives walking tours, carriage ride tours and more.
When printing from home, this is what your TICKET looks like.
This is the other portion that prints. It looks very similar and has your seating assignment (sitzplat). This is your RESERVATION, but not the ticket for scanning.
8. LESSON: MODERN MONDAYS - The Woman In Gold, Knightlab Timeline Project
OBJECTIVE: -Students will learn how to curate a timeline on Knightlab
for future use, but also become familiar with Gustave Klimt’s Woman in Gold, looting of Artwork by the Nazi Regime during WWII and Austria’s Art Reparations.
LINKS TO PRIOR
LEARNING: -On Mondays. Throughout the school year, students look at Modern and
Contemporary artists, so this will be an earlier Monday within the school year, fitting within our major 20th and 21st C. timeline
CROSS-CURRICULAR
CONNECTIONS: -Civics/government (law applications), History (WWII), Economics (value
of art)
STEPS: -Students will watch The Woman in Gold and discuss in groups
*Possible questions include:
After seeing the movie, do you still have questions?
Would you have made the same decisions as Maria?
What are the major themes of this movie?
What questions does this movie bring up about the value of art?
-Students will receive a short demo in class and then a video for backup on how to use knightlab.
-They will then research and collect a list of 10-15 possible facts to use within their timeline, along with photos to supplement their information
*Must haves: Dates/photos for The Woman in Gold, WWII started, Maria was finally granted the portrait of her Aunt Adele.
-Additional items to include, but are not limited to: birth and death dates for Gustave, Maria and Adele, other famous works by Klimt or other contemporaries (particularly those that may have been stolen by the Nazi’s and then later returned during by the Austrian reparation process), information about the Eagle’s Nest, Salt Mines and other locations where the artwork was taken and who were the major players within the Nazi Regime who were behind taking the art.
VOCAB: reparations
DIFFERENTIATION: -Students will receive a demo and a video on the process and I will be
available to help as needed
-Students have leeway on how many items they include and some choice in what they include in their timeline.
21st CENTURY
SKILLS: -Communication, Critical thinking and problem solving, Creativity
and Innovation, Working in Groups, Managing Projects and Time, Productivity and Accountability, Work Independently
EVALUATION: -Students will be evaluated on participation in group discussions
(minor grade) as well as the independent final timeline (major grade)
9. Three Technical Projects on Selected Cultural Theme: The Evolution of the Austrian Artist in the Early 2oth Century.
After visiting several sites in Austria, I have decided to focus on the evolution of the Austrian artist. Students often consider abstract art as the easiest art to create or art that is "less than", so I want to show them that these famed (and not so famed) Austrian artist were trained in a Classical manner with realism at the center. They could and did create illusionistic images, but chose to move towards abstraction as the world was changing around them. Considering who and what influenced these artists is paramount to their evolution.
CLICK HERE FOR A NIFTY ANIMATION ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF GUSTAVE KLIMT: https://youtube.com/shorts/iPcm1rEDM_Q?feature=share
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE "1 Second Everyday" DOCUMENTERY ON THE AUSTRIAN, SLOVAKIAN, HUNGARIAN AND CZECIAN SITES WE EXPLORED OVER THE TWO WEEK TOUR: https://youtu.be/-O0r58Agexw
GOOGLE MYMAPS: On the right is a screenshot of the locations that I felt important to anyone interested in the work of Gustave Klimt, Egon Schiele and Richard Gerstl. The first layer includes primary museums in Vienna, while the second layer includes museums of lesser value to the artists listed OR museums outside of Vienna (but within a short train ride). In the final layer, I included a museum in Switzerland which is much farther away and other niche locations like the cemetery where Klimt is buried.
Click on the small map to the left and open in a new window to explore my map.
KNIGHTLAB TIMELINE: Austrian artists & their influences
KNIGHTLAB TIMELINE: Austrian artists & their influences
*This timeline shows how Klimt, Schiele and Gerstl started out painting realistically but eventually altered their style drastically (in different ways from one another). All during this time, the art world was changing while the world was changing.
*Click the link below to view who and what influenced Gustave Klimt, Richard Gerstl and Egon Schiele.
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