What is a Portfolio (Pro in a Box)?
Here's why we think this project is vitally important to your growth: Our Professional Development Program is grounded in reflective practice about teaching and learning. Reflective practice can be effective in the growth of a professional teacher. To be useful it must be an authentic experience motivated by the needs of the beginning teacher. It requires us to become more conscious of what we are doing and how our learners are responding. Becoming aware of our own conscious attitudes and behaviours and having the courage to change what we think or how we act can be challenging. Colleagues, faculty associates and school associates will be helpful to clarify issues and suggest possible responses to these issues.
Reflective practice is central to the assessment of a beginning teacher. Evaluation in a professional program is only valid if is makes an individual a better teacher. We warn you that treating reflective practice as only a hoop that novice teachers jump through in order to please their supervisors is damaging to their own developing professionalism.
Kate and Ray will also keep a portfolio during the year...
How to Start...The practice of reflection implies a regular event that happens a number of times during a certain time period. We require reflection a minimum of three times per week. Some of you may find doing it more often helpful. As well, reflection may be called for when significant things happen, e.g. you finish your "Child Study" assignment, a fight breaks out between students in class, your very first impression of your classroom.
The reflection may be written or presented in some other way. We only ask that it be a concrete representation which can be observed by others. We cannot experience your feelings, sensations or thoughts. We can only read your words, appreciate your creations, and see your actions.
Find a suitable box. Make is uniquely yours. Place in it any appropriate materials which you can use to indicate professional growth around teaching and learning.
In using portfolios, two significant goals are served. First, you have an opportunity to reflect on and choose those documents that support your growth. This is an important dimension of self-evaluation. Second, you may learn how portfolios are used as assessment tools - a practice currently used in classrooms throughout BC. - from your own personal experience. In that way, what is being advocated for students is also being practised in your own professional development.
Remember, a portfolio is....
Ideas for portfolio inclusion:1. The relevancy (significance) of the artifact (why you chose it) 2. The aspect of professional development to which it relates 3. How it demonstrates professional growth
Journal entries
Assignments
Profiles assessments/notes
Annotated bibliography of readings
Contributions to the "fall collection"
Lesson plans and/or reflections on lessons
Unit plans and/or reflections on the unit
Samples of student assignments, activities, assessment tools etc. that have been successful or unsuccessful. Your response to unsuccessful experiences should be included.
Copies of student teacher-student or student teacher-parent correspondence
Photographs with your students
students working/playing
displays
special events (e.g. field trips, assemblies, etc.)
Notes taken at professional conferences
Your drawings, paintings, cartoons reflecting your PDP experience
Your stories, case studies reflecting your PDP experience
Audio/video recordings of your PDP experiences
