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The Portfolio

Preparing the Perfect Portfolio

Here are a couple of common questions that future professionals ask when thinking about creating a portfolio.

Why Should I have a portfolio? Reason # 1: Many administrators are now expecting them in interviews. You don’t want to sit in an interview and have a blank face when you are asked for it. Reason # 2. A well done portfolio presents you and your teaching ability in a way that the interview setting normally would not allow. Saying that you believe in alternative assessment is great, but showing proof with examples makes the point stronger!

What is included in a portfolio? Below is a list of common things that are often put into portfolios for education majors, however, use you imagination. Anything goes, as long as it makes you look good and highlights your abilities as a teacher!

  • Table of Contents- This allows the reader to find specific information quickly.
  • Copy of resume – Make sure it is free of all spelling/grammatical errors and on nice resume paper. Have someone proof read it.
  • Sample lesson plans – Ones you used during student teaching that you are particularly proud of. A unit you designed on your own would show your ability to think past the standard school purchased programs.
  • Copy of your transcripts – It does not necessarily have to be the official ones.
  • Letters of reference – These need to be from people who have directly observed you when you were teaching. Cooperating teacher, University professor that observed you, and if you can, get the principal at the school where you were a student teacher to write a letter of recommendation.
  • Letters from professors – These are also fine to use, but from what I understand, they don’t hold as much weight as people who have seen you interact with students. From their point of view, your performance in a college class is not as important your actual teaching abilities.
  • Philosophy Statement – Make it about a half page, you want to make your point and move on. Don’t change your philosophy statement depending on which school you are interviewing. You need to be happy at the school you will teach in, just as much as they need to find someone who will fit the school. Pretending to be someone you aren’t is not a good way to get a job, no matter how desperate you are! It will eventually show that you are in the wrong place.
  • Examples of alternative assessment you have used – If you had students do projects for assessment instead of tests, include proof of that. Assignment sheet, rubric or anything that would show that you know that tests aren’t always the only way to assess what students are learning. Maybe a short summary of how you used that assessment and why you liked it or didn’t like it.
  • Sample student work – Projects work great here.
  • Photographs of you working in the classroom with students – Another visual reminder that you like kids and are capable of being successful in your own classroom. (Be careful when taking pictures of students and their privacy. Get permission from the parents if it shows the students face in the photo.)
  • Awards and certificates – Dig up those certificates for being employee of the month. They are now useful!
  • Teacher Certification Scores – Use at your own discretion.
  • List of questions to ask them – Have some questions written down that will help show your interest in their school. Sample questions would be: How involved are parents with their child’s education in this district? What is the discipline policy at the school? How are the classes distributed (block scheduling, 7 classes a day)? Are there full time counselors/ nurses at the school? And so on……

How do I organize my portfolio? Presentation counts! How it looks, is very important.

  • I personally think the best ones are in nice leather, or leather looking three ring binders. Using a binder is practical  because information can be added and/or removed easily. A table of contents, with dividers to separate the sections is also very practical.
  • Do all typing yourself on a computer using all the computer skills that you own. Use nice fonts, Word Art and other special features give it a high quality look to the portfolio. Knowing your way around a computer and the many different type computer programs might just set you apart from the other applicants. Being computer savvy is a big deal in education right now!
  • Use resume paper throughout the portfolio to make it look just a bit nicer. Plus the paper in the portfolio will then match your resume.
  • The photographs are a definite plus. Good organization of your portfolio will show that you will be able to do the same in your classroom.