Educational Portfolio

A work in-progress

Capture who you are as pedagogue

What message do you want to send?

Reasons for Doing Portfolios

•Facilitates critical thinking (good for the interview)

•Develops an awareness of self (good for the interview)

•Allows for genuine and in the moment REFLECTION as an educator (good for the interview)

•Presents a holistic view of achievements (good for the interview)

•A record of professional development (good for the interview)

•A place to assess self in accordance to future plans and goal setting (good for the interview)

•Clarifies beliefs, values, skills allowing for professional coherence (just good)

•Correlate to national initiatives for establishing performance-based assessment, and accountability to the profession as a process over time (good for the interview)

•A professional document to validate teaching ability, quality, and significance (good for the interview)

•A way to assess career performance and professional contribution (good for the interview)

•Enhance the interview process, regardless (good!!!!)

•Fulfills a legal requirement—professional obligation

Nova Scotia Regulations & Legislation Related to Teacher Certification (Page 21)                     Regulations and Legislation most relevant to Teacher Certification Governor in Council Education Act Regulations S.N.S. 1995-96, c. 1 O.I.C. 97-405 (June 24, 1997), N.S. Reg. 74/97 as amended up to O.I.C. 2004-138 (March 30, 2004, effective April 1, 2004), N.S. Reg. 63/2004

•Fulfills a requirement for EDUC 434

Evidence of Key Program Strands

• Literacy

• Assessment

• Inclusion–IPPs

• Evidence of the discipline subject area focus in secondary—evidence of foci areas in elementary

• Professionalism (All of our PD Fridays)

• Depth of understanding of the priorities in our program—Diversity, Social Justice

• Professional attitudes• Relationship to Students—PEDaGOGy • Awareness of departmental curriculum,

issues, and provincial (national) priorities• Impact of electives on your teaching

practice and identity• Impact of Field Experiences on your

practice • This is a guide only – but we’d hope this

would bubble up in the portfolio….

Thoughts

• Projection: What do you want to show interested folks?

• Collection (PTT)• Selection• Reflection: Where am I? Where am I

going? Where have I been?

The process is essential for your Portfolio

Pull out the specifics to show just that!

Portfolio Categories

Awareness of selfStudents present a deep sense of who they are as individuals

devoted to the practice of teaching, and come to understand their particular personal philosophical reasons for wanting to teach.

•Statement of beliefs letter to start your portfolio (brief 2 pages)

•Resume (reflective of teaching)

•Certificates of merit, honors, distinctions, transcripts

•Unique, personal item of importance

Awareness of PrinciplesStudents present an understanding of the

emotional/psychological, intellectual, social, spiritual and physical dimensions of learning—and the dynamic interplay of

these factors—in nurturing pedagogic relationships.

•Learning methods

•Styles

•Theories

•Programs

•Learning beliefs

•Examples of engaging learning experiences

Awareness of PedagogyStudents present their development and application of

their emerging pedagogic sensitivities as part of their professional practice. This is an evolutionary process, a reflective investment in thoughtful action, as you begin to establish your pedagogic beliefs as part of your life-

long career.

•Child involvement

•Programs

•Student work, thank yous

•Pictures

•Classroom environment

Awareness of Moral Professionalism Students present a commitment to the profession, by

implementing and improving education for valued social ends, by constantly developing one’s own practice and collectively

supporting one’s colleagues, and by continually striving for the educational development and inclusion of all students.

•Conferences

•Programs

•Leadership opportunities

•Workshops

•Initiatives

•Professional Growth Targets & Goals

•Supporting letters

•Professional Interests: Curriculum, instruction, leadership, pedagogy

Awareness and Proficiency with Practices

Students will present a variety of instructional strategies that are best suited for the context of curriculum and student

needs─ ways of knowing and doing.

•Lesson Plans

•Unit Plans

•Assessment strategies

•Projects

•Student work

•IPP’s

•Classroom management & discipline

Awareness of School ContextStudents will present their awareness of the powerful

influence of school context upon curriculum implemented, and be awake to the impact of the school’s hidden and null

curriculum, societal and home curriculum, and power and politics in shaping students’ lives.

•Community involvement

•Special interests

•School involvement—extra-curricular

•Special courses

•Diversity

•News items (school related)

Portfolio Websites

• http://www.capla.ca/

• http://fcis.oise.utoronto.ca/~plar/links/canada/networks.html

• http://www.gnb.ca/0000/plar-era/e/index-e.asp

• http://prior-learning.athabascau.ca/PLA/html/overview.html

“Teachers are very important factors in the classrooms and much of what they know and think and do in their classrooms is dependent on their knowing of themselves” (Burnaford et al. 1996, p. 3).