Teacher Portfolios

Creating a Professional Teaching Portfolio can be an asset whether you a searching for a new position or reflecting on your current one. The use of a portfolio can show your growth as an educator over time as well as highlight your successes. In an article on Scholastic online, Dr. Kenneth Wolf, of the University of Colorado write, "Portfolios have much to offer the teaching profession. When teachers carefully examine their own practices, those practices are likely to improve. The examples of accomplished practice that portfolios provide also can be studied and adapted for use in other classrooms."

According to Dr. Wolf, there are some key elements to include when creating your portfolio. He has split these elements into 3 categories:

Background Information

• resume
• background information on teacher and teaching context
• educational philosophy and teaching goals

Teaching Artifacts and Reflections Documenting an Extended Teaching Activity

• overview of unit goals and instructional plan
• list of resources used in unit
• two consecutive lesson plans
• videotape of teaching
• student work examples
• evaluation of student work
• reflective commentary by the teacher
• additional units/lessons/student work as appropriate

Professional Information

• list of professional activities
• letters of recommendation
• formal evaluations

For ultimate effectiveness, Dr. Wolf recommends annotating the artifacts within the portfolio to give understanding and clarity to the items included.

Teacher portfolios have become increasingly valuable for teachers as they apply both for new positions and for license renewal. In fact, many undergraduate programs require their students to begin assembling portfolios as part of their senior project or exit requirement. Vanderbilt University’s Center for Teaching provides extensive information for building a professional teaching portfolio - for both new and experienced teachers.

Pepper offers a type of portfolios within their coursework that varies from a traditional portfolio. Participating in Pepper courses allows teachers to submit their reflection/journal entries, tasks, and assignments to a their Pepper Portfolio. As this is done a course specific portfolio of key work to share with others is created. This personal portfolio will be a powerful tool for the organization of all a participant's coursework for future reference and allows the user to select portfolio elements that can made available for others to view for feedback and collaboration.

I’ll be talking more about creating and using Pepper Portfolios next time - how they differ from a traditional portfolio and how to use them. In the meantime be sure to keep learning and growing professionally by completing Pepper courses.

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