Clinical Experiences Handbook
Professional teaching portfolio
What is a professional teaching portfolio?
“A teaching portfolio is a structured collection of evidence of a
teacher’s best work that is selective, reflective, and
collaborative, and demonstrates a teacher’s accomplishments over
time and across a variety of contexts” (Edgerton, et. al, 1991).
Unlike a resume, a portfolio captures the complexities of teaching
and demonstrates your professional and personal growth. A portfolio
is a living document that constantly evolves with the maturation of
your teaching style and philosophy of teaching.
Why should I create a professional teaching portfolio?
Professional development
Many initial licensure programs at the University of Minnesota will
require you to create a professional teaching portfolio centered
around the Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice for Beginning
Teachers. Creating this portfolio will allow you to demonstrate how
you meet these standards through examples of your course work,
classroom experience, and work or volunteer experience. The process
of compiling your portfolio will help you become aware of areas in
which you are particularly strong, as well as those in which you
need further development. In this way, it is an excellent tool for
self-assessment. As you work on strengthening all areas of your
teaching practice, your portfolio will evolve to reflect that
growth.
Personal development
The process of portfolio development provides an opportunity to
reflect on your personal development and to illustrate the strengths
and skills that are unique to you. It may also motivate you to
create goals that will direct your professional future.
Job search
A portfolio is also a tool for you to use when looking for a
teaching position. Your portfolio will show prospective employers
your best work, giving them a much better picture of who you are as
a beginning teacher, and expanding on the information that can be
found on a resume and transcripts. An employment portfolio can be
assembled separately, or can be assembled using relevant pieces from
your professional teaching portfolio.
How do I construct a portfolio?
Your portfolio may be kept in a three-ring binder or filing
system so that you can easily upgrade the materials to reflect your
growth as a teacher. You may also consider creating an electronic
portfolio. More information about e-folio, an electronic portfolio,
is included in this appendix. It is recommended that you use the
Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice for Beginning Teachers as
the framework for your portfolio. Below is an outline containing
some examples of items you may want to include in your portfolio.
Remember, these are just ideas to help get you started — this is a
chance for you to be creative and express your personal uniqueness,
skills, and abilities.
Introductory section
- Title page
- Table of contents
- Resume
- Transcripts
- Letters of recommendation – These could differ from the letters in
your credential file.
- Teaching philosophy – What are your beliefs about teaching and
learning, and how have you tried to put these beliefs into action?
Exemplars The bulk of your portfolio will include exemplars demonstrating your
ability to meet each of the ten Minnesota Standards of Effective
Practice for Beginning Teachers. It is recommended that you include
a section, clearly labeled, in your portfolio for each standard. Be
choosy – select your finest work so as not to include too much
information. Each section may include:
- Lists of pertinent coursework along with brief descriptions of the
courses whenever possible. These courses can be from your
undergraduate or graduate level courses. The same courses may appear
in several different sections of your portfolio since most will
address more than one standard.
- Projects and assignments from coursework, such as papers,
projects, curriculum, and lesson plans.
- Narratives or descriptions of work or volunteer experiences.
- Published reports/documents.
- Certificates, awards, and honors.
- Narratives of paid and non-paid experience.
- Audiotapes, videotapes, and photographs from your classroom.*
Electronic portfolio
We recommend eFolio Minnesota: www.efoliomn.com. There are
many electronic portfolio products available including the
University of Minnesota’s portfolio system for students, faculty,
and staff: https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jsp. Licensure
candidates are encouraged to select the electronic portfolio product
that best meets their needs. The next section describes how to get
started with eFolio Minnesota and apply the University of Minnesota
teaching standards template.
Getting Started with eFolio Minnesota
Getting started
- Go to www.efoliomn.com and
select the sign-up button on the efolio home page to create your account. This account will provide
access to your Web (portfolio) site.
- eFolio Minnesota allows you to create three types of Web sites:You are expected to select the site that best meets your needs. For
this tutorial, we will create a “Student” Web site.
Here you are asked to enter a custom code in order to define the
design for your portfolio. The University of Minnesota has provided
custom codes for your convenience.
Custom code: “umteacher”
- Complete the eFolio signup form by providing your name,
e-mail address, birth date, username, password, etc.
Retrieve your efolio account information from the email address you
specified on the form. The e-mail will contain your Web site address,
username, and password. Your Web site address will look as follows: http://janedoe.efoliomn.com.
How do I use my portfolio in a job search?
While it is becoming more and more common for prospective employers
to use portfolios as part of the interviewing process, your
professional teaching portfolio as a whole may not always be
appropriate for the job search. You may choose to create a smaller,
more concise version for an interview situation. Prior contact with
the hiring official may help you determine exactly how much
information you should present in your portfolio. Here are some
suggestions for what you may include:
- The introductory section from the professional teaching portfolio,
including resume, transcripts, letters of recommendation and your
teaching philosophy.
- A classroom management plan.
- One or two examples of your finest lesson plans.
- One or two examples of assessments you have used.
- Letters and/or evaluations from students or parents.
- Pictures of special events, bulletin boards, and your classroom.*
- A reflective piece.
For additional information on creating a portfolio, you may refer to
the American Association for Employment in Education’s Job Search
Handbook for Educators. If you do not already have this resource,
you may pick up a copy at Exploratory, Transition, and Career Services
in 127 Appleby Hall.
Edgerton, R., Hutchings, P., & Quinlan, K. (1991).
The Teaching
Portfolio: Capturing the Scholarship in Teaching. Washington, DC:
American Association for Higher Education.
* When using videotapes, audio tapes, photographs, samples of student
work, and journal entries, matters of privacy must be taken into
consideration. If your portfolio is being used for public or
employment purposes, written permission must be requested from the
participants represented in your exemplars. In the case of students,
written permission is required from a parent or guardian. It is
usually best to avoid or delete names of individual students, as
well as posed or formal photographs of individual students.
Examples of how you might illustrate your competency in each of the
Standards
Standard 1 – Subject matter
- Brief course descriptions of classes you have taken that are
relevant to the subject you are becoming licensed to teach. Much of
this will be reflected in your undergraduate studies. Include
courses from your major and minor areas of study.
- Projects and papers completed in through courses.
- Descriptions or narratives of real-world experiences you have had
which relate to the subject matter you will be teaching such as a
study abroad experience, projects, picture documentaries, and
grants.
Standard 2 – Student learning
- Demonstrations of your understanding of cognitive theories through
papers or projects that address the multiple ways in which students
learn.
- Narratives of experiences in which you have seen a variety of
developmental abilities in students
- Examples of your ability to assist students in strengthening their
reading and writing skills.
Standard 3 – Diverse learners
- Examples of diversity projects you have completed through
coursework or activities in which you have participated.
- Lesson plans demonstrating ways in which you have helped students
understand their cultural differences.
- Examples of units that incorporate ideas which assist students in
understanding issues of diversity.
Standard 4 – Instructional strategies
- Lesson plans that demonstrate a variety of teaching methodologies,
such as Socratic questioning, higher-order thinking skills, and
cooperative learning.
- Examples of technologies you have used in your teaching.
- A performance package developed that demonstrates your
understanding of the Minnesota Graduation Rule.
Standard 5 – Learning environment
- A classroom management plan.
- Written anecdotes of how you have created a positive environment
for learning.
- Pictures (i.e. bulleting boards) that demonstrate how you create
the classroom environment.
Standard 6 – Communication
- A narrative about the different communication styles you use in
order to motivate students.
- Videotaped examples showing you in action and demonstrating your
ability to communicate with students.
- Examples of how you have incorporated technology into your
classroom, i.e. Web page development.
Standard 7 – Planning instruction
- Examples of how you apply learning theories to your teaching.
- A large unit of instruction which you have assembled and
instructed.
- Examples of curriculum proposals which you have created.
Standard 8 – Assessment
- Examples of the varieties of assessment strategies you have used.
- Your philosophy of grading, evaluation, and/or assessment.
- A demonstration of your understanding of authentic assessment
through use of rubrics.
Standard 9 – Reflection and professional development
- A narrative on how your teaching has changed and grown as you gain
experience.
- Descriptions of seminars, activities, and courses in which you
have participated in that have contributed to your professional
growth.
- Student evaluations/assessments of your instruction.
- Membership and roles in professional organizations.
- Honors and awards.
Standard 10 – Collaboration, ethics, and relationships
- Examples of activities that you have used to draw parents into the
classroom.
- Examples of how you connect students to the community.
- Partnerships, relations, and projects with community agencies.
August 2005 |
