Portfolio Development Guidelines
OverviewThe portfolio is a tool to help secure a teaching position. This portfolio is designed specifically for an external audience, one that will make a career choice based on its contents and other criteria. The portfolio is taken on a job interview for becoming an elementary classroom teacher. The portfolio is also a tool to document professional growth activities as required by the State Department of Education.
The options for a Portfolio
Two types of portfolios are appropriate when searching for a job: the product and showcase portfolios.
The product portfolio refers to a tool that shows successful completion of specific program component. If you know the age group, the program, their philosophy, and other information about the program, then you can design a product portfolio. It should contain evidence that demonstrates your specific knowledge, skills, and abilities related to specific job responsibilities. Choose the evidence with the job qualifications in mind. Write a one page reflection for each category that relates to the specific job and how the evidence shows yours qualifications for the position.
The showcase portfolio shows your best work accomplished to demonstrate your abilities, knowledge, and dispositions. Organize each section or domain with your “best” work. A show case portfolio includes: teaching beliefs, teaching tools such as program plans, classroom environment and management and professional development such as goals for future, professional conferences attended, and memberships to professional organizations. This type of portfolio is the one recommended for new colleagues entering the field.
More information will be given in class.
Your Teacher’s Portfolio should include:
Three ring binder: nice cover sheet, table of contents
Resume: includes education, work experience etc. (one page) The career center will help you with this after you have typed up a draft. You will need to make an appoinmetn with them.
Vision statement: Explain your vision as an elementary school educator and your hopes and dreams as a professional. Consider how your values influenced your decision of entering the educational field.
Cultural autobiography: In 1-2 pages outline the significant relationships and events in your life at home and in the world that led you to choosing teaching school age children. This will take some thinking.
Self goals: What do you want to achieve in your career? Where are you in the process of becoming a teacher?
Transcripts: degrees, certificates or diplomas
Volunteer teaching experience: Choose two lesson plans to include in your portfolio. Document a one page summary for each type of lesson plan that you chose. Enclose examples in your portfolio.
Program plans: This includes pictures of student activities, student projects, classroom rules, newsletters, grading policies, classroom floor plans, volunteer work, related work experience etc. Document with photos or information about curriculum materials, daily routines and description of the environment found in the classroom. Do not take pictures of the children, only the materials used in the classroom.
Professional Affiliations: Find out about one organization in education that your classroom teacher belongs to and include a full page summary in your own words.
Professional development record: Over the course of your career you will have opportunities to grow professionally. Your portfolio is an excellent place to keep track of the training and course work completed. Keep certificates of attendance you received. Ask your mentor teacher which workshops, trainings and conferences he/she has attended. Write a short paragraph about one conference and what he/she learned from it.
Pay it forward:
Think of an idea that will change a child and put it into action. Write a full page report about this action. Follow one child or a small group and discuss how you made a difference in that child's life during this internship period.
General considerations:
1. Save everything
2. Choose a container.
3. For external reviews, use plastic sheets to protect your work.
4. Create a professional cover.
5. Organize the portfolio.
6. Begin with an introductory section.
7. Word –process everything
8. Double check spelling and grammar.
9. Neat work.
10. Have fun developing your portfolio.
References for compiling this document:
Feeney, S., Chrisensen, D., & Moravcik, E. 6th Edition, 2001. Who Am I in the Lives of Children? Merrill Prentice Hall: New Jersey Bullock, A., & Hawk P. 2001.
Developing a Teaching Portfolio: A Guide for Preservice and Practicing Teachers. Merrill Prentice Hall: New Jersey.