Miss Brant
What to Include in Your Professional Portfolio
What is a Professional Portfolio?A professional portfolio is a quick snapshot of you as a teacher, which (if used correctly) adds an effective and unique element to your interview.
What should you include?
I cannot offer any professional advice, but these are some of my reflections, drawing upon my personal portfolio experiences:
Professional Portfolio = PEER
- Philosophy
- Experience
- Examples
- Report
Philosophy = Include your philosophy for education - what is your overarching purpose for teaching? This could be a personal statement, a short quote, or a popular educational practice (think Angela Maiers' "You Matter" manifesto).
Experience = Demonstrate relevant experience through a variety of mediums and in a variety of contexts. We all have teaching experience (practicum) - so what experiences have you had which make you invaluable and irreplaceable?
Examples = The more specific, the better. Examples help you articulate your experiences in a concrete and effective manner.
Report = Include those documents which capture who you are as a teacher: lesson plans; behaviour plan; assessment and evaluation practices; AQ/ABQ certificates; etc.
Above all, don't wait for the interviewer to ask for your portfolio - it might not happen - so take the initiative and use it to help make your answers memorable and comprehensive.
Mrs. Brant-Terry
How to Use Your Professional Portfolio
It seems so often people put so much time and energy in
creating their story of their professional journey (their Professional
Portfolio) only to come into an interview and not open it once.
1. A portfolio can be such a powerful addition to
your interview responses.
Your portfolio
is your evidence.
2. Earmark those pieces that share your beliefs in areas such as programming, assessment and evaluation, accommodating and modifying programs, collaboration with your peers and communication with parents.
3. When a question arises that addresses these areas, use your portfolio pieces to share your story. They will keep you grounded and able to answer the questions posed, concisely and with confidence.
4. Keep your portfolio current. Each time you have an exemplary example, add it. When you go to your interviews, weed out your pieces, keeping it as current as possible.
Happy portfolio use!!
Hi Kiera and Mrs. Brant Terry!
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting new blog! I'm thrilled that you've started your "What a Tem" blog and I look forward to following your blogging journey as you reflect and learn! I know I have lots to learn from you both!
First off, I'm thrilled to see that you used both an acronym AND Angela Maiers, Kiera! Your acronym of "PEER" is so perfect as it encompasses a LOT, but it also is so relevant here, as you are becoming a peer to a whole new Professional Learning Network by making your learning and thinking visible on your blog.
I think you're both so brave and innovative to create a blog this way. I'm really impressed!
I don't know if you realize, but, by writing this post, you've jumped into developing a digital portfolio. Now, peers, employers and even parents and students will more easily be able to learn about your process when they search for you online.
This weekend, I got a great tip about blogging as a professional portfolio: when you label your post (as you did with "educational philosophy, interviews, portfolio) to make things more searchable, also label it with your full names. This will help to make YOU and your ideas more Google-able!
Happy Thanksgiving,
You really are a great "Tem"!
Shauna
What a brilliant idea! Thanks so much for your support Shauna - it's such an exciting learning opportunity which we had to take advantage of :)
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