Electronic Teaching Portfolios-Part 5
See the other parts of this series: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Most likely, you already know what should be in a teaching portfolio, either through your education classes or your own hard copy portfolio, but maybe there are some pieces missing. Now is the perfect time to add those things back in as you build your electronic portfolio. We all learn in our teacher education classes that everyone needs a teaching philosophy, and I have to agree that this could very well be the most important piece of your E-Portfolio. After talking off-record with my own administration and other principals I know on a personal level, I have found that when faced with a large volume of information such as a teacher’s portfolio at an interview, the first place they check is for the teaching philosophy to make sure it fits with the school’s ideals.
Of course, the philosophy isn’t the only necessary component of the portfolio, so let’s take some time to talk about your teaching philosophy and all of the other must-haves in an electronic teaching portfolio.
Teaching Philosophy
What IS your teaching philosophy? How often do you really think about it? Was it only an assignment way back in your classes in order to get your teaching certification? I certainly hope not, but when faced with grading, testing, and all of the other things associated with being an educator, it isn’t always on the forefront of our minds. However, it is something that I consider to be a “living document” meaning it needs to be revisited and revised as you learn new techniques and come across new situations in your classroom. If you haven’t revised your teaching philosophy since your college classes, now is the time to get it out, dust it off, and think about if you still agree with what you wrote or if you can write it better. After all, your teaching philosophy is a great place to show off your personality and passion as a teacher.
That being said, you should truly believe in what you are writing as you think about your teaching philosophy. This isn’t something you can just type up and put down things you think an administrator would want to read. This statement needs to be a reflection of you and your style. Polish it up as much as possible. Make sure your grammar and spelling are completely correct and it looks good. Throw in some pizazz via quotes that reflect your style or your formatting. Your philosophy shouldn’t be stuffy, but it also shouldn’t be casual. You can have the best of both worlds–showing your personality in a professional manner.
Other Must-Haves
While all portfolio textbooks seem to give different advice for what MUST be included in a portfolio, there are a few things that are very helpful to have in yours.
First of all, a rationale section explaining why you chose to have an electronic portfolio over a traditional hard-copy portfolio is a nice touch. This shows your willingness to jump into the electronic age and that you understand technology is the wave of the future. Your rationale shouldn’t be something like “it’s easier to lug around than my binder” but more of why technology is important to you and your classroom.
Most textbooks agree that a permission statement is a must. This is a section that basically says you have permission from students (and their parents) to include their work as your artifacts. It should also include permission from any administrators or college professors whose evaluations you’ve included throughout the portfolio, and any signed release forms from students’ parents if pictures of the students are used. You do not necessarily have to include the signed release forms in your portfolio, but you should have a file of them in case someone asks to see them. If you do not have permission, it can be considered plagiarism to include those artifacts. I have yet to run across someone who says “no” when I ask for permission to include them in the portfolio, so just ask and get the signed permission slips in a file!
Another important part of the portfolio is the authorship statement. An authorship statement is pretty basic, but it assures the reader that all the work within the portfolio was yours and you didn’t take it from somewhere else. This part should also include a short sentence about how nothing on the artifacts themselves was changed, except maybe names on papers to keep anonymity of students in tact. Representing your work as yours is important to potential employers to make sure you aren’t stealing someone else’s work and taking credit.
You may also want to include your resume for easy access. Of course, you’ll want to send a hard copy of this in any sort of application, but if it’s also in your electronic portfolio, it will be a great connection to remind administrators whose artifacts they are looking at and what your prior experience is in the teaching field. Make sure your resume is professional and polished before including it. Your word processing software probably has a nice resume wizard included that will give you a professional look without too much hassle.
Finally, a personal information section is always a nice touch to a portfolio. This is a section that can really show who you are and how your outside life influences your teaching style. Being human is a plus. This doesn’t have to include super interesting or strange things to make you stand out. This is all about you and your life. It’s designed to show what a great person you are and how lucky the administration is or would be to have you.
So now you know what should be included, and it’s time to really start in with the electronic part of the E-Portfolio process. Stay tuned to find out where to start!
