PORTFOLIO (CONTINUED)

Teaching Portfolio

What is a Teaching Portfolio?

One important assignment that you have in EDUC 2301 is to continue the development of your teaching portfolio. Your portfolio is something that will continue to evolve over time. Your portfolio is a document that will demonstrate to others the skills, abilities, and talents that you will bring to the classroom. You will find it an extremely useful tool during interviews for entrance into a teacher certification program and for future teaching positions. And, because many states are now beginning to require in-service teachers to document their teaching abilities with a portfolio, you will have a head start. Never consider your portfolio as “complete.” It will change and grow during your teaching career.

Portfolio Artifacts:

Each entry in a portfolio is called an artifact. Each artifact in your portfolio needs to “say” something about YOU! By looking at a specific artifact the reviewer should be able to gain some insight into what kind of teacher you will become or what kind of teacher you are. Taken altogether, a set of artifacts should help the reviewer answer many questions: Here are just a few:

What is your background (education, coursework, professional organization membership)?

What previous classroom experiences have you had?

What are your beliefs about classroom discipline? Classroom structure? Teaching techniques?

What is your philosophy of education? How do you plan to meet the special needs that some students bring to the classroom?

Are you aware of the current challenges, rewards, and demands of teaching?

Remember, include only artifacts that say something about you and help the reviewer answer questions similar to those above. You can include student work, but make sure that it relates to you. That is, examples of student work that are the result of a lesson that you designed or taught are appropriate. Always obtain the permission of the student.

Introduce Each Artifact:

For most of the artifacts in your portfolio, you will need to include an explanation of what the artifact is and why you included it. As an example, if you include a letter written to your favorite teacher from the past as one of your artifacts, the letter will need to be prefaced with an explanation as to why you are including it. If you include a sample lesson plan, you need to include an introduction that gives an overview of the lesson and why you are including it. Did you design it or teach it? Do you consider it a good lesson? As one other example, all photographs need captions explaining what they are. Don’t make a reviewer have to guess as to what an artifact is and why it is in the portfolio. The audience for the introductions needs to be general and could include admissions officers, principals, or teachers.

Remember your audience when writing the introduction. Those who review your portfolio will not understand what the artifact is and why it is included unless you specifically tell them. Use wording similar to: “The following artifact is….” and “I’ve included this artifact in my portfolio because…”

Be sure to always mention what the artifact says about you and your potential as a future teacher. Most entries will be written in the first-person.

Sometimes the introduction can be more important that the artifact itself! For most artifacts you should start by writing a paragraph or two that discusses your views about the artifact topic. Then, include a transition such as, “As one example of, I’ve included the following artifact…..” Tell the reader what the artifact is and why you have included it. Remember that each artifact needs to say something about YOU! Your Portfolio represents your BEST work. It must be free of grammatical/spelling errors and have a professional appearance.

The Portfolio’s Format:

The format for your portfolio could take on several forms. I suggest using a one-inch (or inch and one-half), three-ring binder with sheet protectors for each artifact. This format makes it easy to add, delete and rearrange the artifacts. The sheet protectors also help preserve each artifact. Use a view binder because it allows you to easily insert a front and back cover.

Consider the following criteria when designing your portfolio. These are some of the criteria that will be used to evaluate your portfolio for the class.

Make the front and back covers attractive. The front cover needs to contain your full name and should also tell the reviewer that it is a portfolio. (Ex. “Teaching Portfolio for Jane Smith”). You should not include such things as “EDUC 2301” on the cover or probably anywhere else since it needs to meet your needs beyond Navarro College.

Think carefully about what would be best to include on the back cover. In the past, students have used it for their collage, photographs, or inspirational quotes.

You may find it useful to include a short introductory page at the very beginning of your portfolio. (Ex. “This is my teaching portfolio…in it you will find… My portfolio will give you an overview of the type of teacher I plan to become…”

Your artifacts need to be divided into sections so that a reviewer can easily find information. Please see the section below for the required sections. Be creative with your section dividers. Dividers may provide a good place to put a larger header with the title of the section and perhaps a very brief description of what the reviewer will find in the section.

When you display work in your portfolio, you want to make it look attractive. At the same time, many artifacts will need to be updated on a regular basis. Be sure to make this easy to do.

As mentioned previously, most artifacts will need an introduction, that is, a paragraph or two describing what the artifact is and why you are including it. As you open your portfolio, the introduction to the artifact should be on the left-hand page and the artifact itself on the right-hand page.

For artifacts that take up more than one page, make sure that the reader does not have to remove the artifact from the plastic cover to review it. Each page of the artifact needs to have its own plastic insert.

Your portfolio is not a scrapbook, so be very selective as to what you include and do not “stuff it” with several examples of a single kind of artifact. It needs to be “professional” in appearance. “Professional” does not mean that it cannot have a “fun” appearance. Dress up the appearance with artwork, graphics, photos, and color, but again, be careful that your portfolio does not take on the appearance of a scrapbook. You may know “scrap-booking” techniques that will help you make your portfolio attractive, but be sure that you do not overuse those techniques. Remember, you are putting together a professional portfolio, not a memory album. Too much clipart or “busy” theme paper, for example, may be distractive.

Choose a font that is easy to read, especially for the introduction to each artifact and any artifact that involves a lot of text to read. Other types of fonts may be okay for titles or lists.

If you include quotes in your portfolio, provide a reference.

Photographs, especially those that include children doing an activity that you helped design or supervise, are very helpful. Make sure that you are in some of the photographs. It is always a good idea to have your camera on hand when working in the schools.

Some information in your portfolio may be confidential and not appropriate for all audiences. If there is any information that you do not want to share with your instructor or other students, leave it out at this time.

This is the order that you will need to have your Portfolio in. If you are adding to the Portfolio you did in EDUC 1301, some of these things will already be in your Portfolio and you will add to it.

Introduction

Portfolio Introduction

Personal Profile

Resume

Transcripts

Teaching/Classroom Experience

Portfolio Assignments

Field Experience

Observations

Misc.

Achievements

Certificates

Letters of Recommendation

Etc.

Required Artifacts:

PORTFOLIO ARTIFACT ONE

Individually design the ideal school for the future. What type of technology will be used? What are some of the limitations that will be placed on the use of technology?

Design the ideal classroom. Draw it out on paper using free programs online, personal artwork, etc.

PORTFOLIO ARTIFACT TWO

The requirement for content knowledge versus education methods is a current debate in teacher education. Many argue that with a sufficient knowledge base, anyone can teach. Others argue that someone with sufficient teaching skills can teach almost anything.

Compare the course requirements for elementary certification and secondary certification at your institution or college. How are they similar? How are they different? What benefits or problems do you see where the differences between these programs are concerned?

Use the Internet to find the most up-to-date information about the debate over pedagogy versus content. Search terms such as “teaching credentials” or “alternative teacher certification”. This will help you get started. Based on information you found, do you or do you not support the position that anyone with adequate knowledge can be a teacher or anyone with enough skills in teaching can teach anyone or anything? Your opinion may be somewhere in the middle. If so, please explain your decision on the issue.

Map out a plan. What other field placements, courses or experiences do you think should be required to become a qualified teacher? What level of teaching interests you (high school, middle school or elementary school)? Do you have a content area that you are interested in (like history or math)? Are there any additional specializations that you could obtain to broaden your interests and opportunities? Have you discussed these various options with your Advisor? Draft an academic plan, and then determine everything you need and want to accomplish in order to be licensed as a teacher in your area or state.

PORTFOLIO ARTIFACT THREE

One tip for teaching is to take what you learn from every situation and apply it to your classroom. Think back to the most outstanding lesson you have ever witnessed. Reflect on that lesson and attempt to re-create it.

Create a sample lesson plan of the lesson as if you were about to teach the lesson yourself. Include the learning objectives, materials, procedures, assessment and reflection in your lesson plan.

What disposition did the teacher hold while teaching the lesson? Was she excited, enthusiastic and positive? Or was it just another lesson that was presented with indifference? Did she smile? Frown? What made it memorable?

Do you recall any misbehaviors taking place during the lesson? If so, how did the teacher handle the misbehavior? If not, why do you think no one misbehaved? How did the teacher’s actions affect the student behaviors?

PORTFOLIO ARTIFACT FOUR

Write a one or two-page paper that articulates your philosophy of teaching or education.

Purpose:

Your philosophy statement is an important part of your teaching portfolio and should be given a prominent place. More than likely, you will be asked about your philosophy of teaching in future job applications and interviews. It is important that you have given considerable thought to a philosophy statement. This is your opportunity to shine.

The Introduction to the Artifact:

An introduction is not required for this artifact.

Other Artifacts:

Use your imagination as to what other artifacts you could include in your portfolio. Your textbooks have several suggestions. In addition, you will find many Internet sites that will give ideas. In order to have an above average Portfolio, you will need to include artifacts in addition to the required ones that are listed above. Here are just a few ideas. Again, don’t make your portfolio into a scrapbook. Be selective as to what you include.

Letters of recommendation written by supervising teachers, camp counselors, parents, etc.

Awards or certificates that you have received.

Newspaper articles about you or about a program in which you participated.

Letters, notes, or cards written to you by the students you worked with.

Documentation of your membership in professional organizations or teacher clubs.

Formal or informal evaluations of your work with children.

A college transcript of your coursework.

A summary of courses and workshops that you have taken that relate to teaching.

A summary of instructional recourses that you plan to use such as teaching tips, assessment strategies, professional organizations, books and articles, software, and online resources. (Again, be careful not to fill your portfolio with too many.)

A report or summary of a conference that you attended.