Teaching portfolio
A teaching portfolio is a collection of materials that can effectively assist an educator during interviews. A portfolio contains teaching artifacts and reflective pieces designed to strengthen a candidate's responses by demonstrating applied skills or talents and articulating personal teaching philosophies.
General tips:
- Be selective; display your best work.
- Include a table of contents and maintain structure.
- Include specific samples of your teaching performance.
- Remember the reflective component. Reveal not only what you have done, but why you did it, and how well the lesson or activity met the outcome goals.
- Avoid the temptation to include every lesson plan or teaching activity you have ever created.
Elements to include in a portfolio:
Portfolios are meant to be shown during the interview process. Contents are often kept neatly in a three-ring binder.
- Table of contents
- Resume
- State certification
- Official transcript of grades
- Letters of recommendation
- Statement of teaching philosophy
- Student teacher evaluation report
- Summary/samples of pupils' evaluations of [student] teaching
- Original test and test item analysis
- Samples of lessons plans
- Learning activity packet
- Pictures of bulletin boards
- Case study of pupil
Teaching portfolio resources
Clinical Experiences Handbook: Professional teaching portfolio
The teaching portfolio [.pdf] (NC State University)
Electronic portfolio resources
University of Minnesota electronic portfolio
eFolio Minnesota (eFolio Minnesota)
Interfolio.com (Interfolio, Inc.)
Web resources
Suggestions for writing an educational philosophy statement (Oregon State University)
TiPPS for philosophy of teaching statements (University of Hawaii)
Selling Yourself: Creating the Ultimate Teaching Portfolio (teachnet.com)
May 2007