MLMED - Portfolio
What is a portfolio?
A portfolio is an organized and edited collection of artifacts that provide a comprehensive view of the content and quality of one's professional accomplishments. Artifacts are material evidence of the process and products of one's work as an educator. Process includes one's educational philosophy, goals and strategies. Products are the outcomes of teaching efforts including curricula, lessons, tools and materials, student work samples, letters, performance evaluations, and other indicators of the effectiveness of the teaching process.
A portfolio is not an exhaustive catalogue of all activities and accomplishments. Artifacts, or Exemplars, are organized, selected and arranged with the purpose of illustrating one's success in meeting a set of goals or standards. All Exemplars are accompanied by a brief annotation that explains why they were selected and what achievements they illustrate.
Portfolios are useful for communicating one's professional activities in their real-world context. A good portfolio, therefore, reveals the complex and integrative nature of one's work. Portfolios are best suited for fields like education which emphasize self-assessment, analysis of change over time, and reflection by the person who compiles the portfolio contents.
How are portfolios used in the MLMED program?
The overarching goal of our use of portfolios will be to track students' progress in meeting the Professional Standards for Educators of Early Adolescents. The Standards represent Benchmarks of excellence that the MLMED curriculum is designed to help students attain. The program Strands are processes designed to model and scaffold students' attainment of the Standards.
From the beginning of the program, students will collect Exemplars and develop their Portfolios .
In consultation with their advisor, students will use their Portfolios to assess their current standing and progress towards mastery of all areas of the Standards. Students are expected to review their Portfolios with their faculty advisor on at least a yearly basis.
The Portfolio will constitute MLMED students' Masters Plan-B Projects [those who wish to complete Plan-A Theses should notify their faculty advisors at least two semesters prior to graduation].
The final Portfolio will be rated by two members of the MLMED faculty. Students must achieve a rating of "Shows Adequate Development" on all of the ratings within each of the Professional Standards.
What goes into the MLMED Portfolios?
Requirements for the Portfolio content are as follows:
I. A written Précis which contains the following, in the order listed
- A Table of Contents listing by page number all items in the Précis.
- A 2-4 page Introduction containing
a. An introduction to the writer, his/her philosophy of middle level education and professional context.
b. The Program Curriculum and Portfolio Assessment (this document). - For each of the five Standards
a. A Reflective Statement on one's past, present and future development as a middle level educator relative to the
Standard (e.g., Vision Statements; you should also explain the relevance of each enclosed Exemplar as well).
b. The MLMED Portfolio Assessment Record sheet(s) for that Standard
(1) Note each Exemplar by name and identifying Code (see Appendix), and briefly explain its relevance in
the Exemplars box for each Benchmark.
(2) Provide a numerical Self-Assessment in the "St" column for each Benchmark. - An Appendix containing
a. An Exemplar List noting each accompanying Exemplar by Code and Name (Codes are numbers or letters
attached to the Exemplar so the reader can identify and find the item, e.g., #1, #2...; you may attach any Name
you choose to an Exemplar).
b. A professional résumé or curriculum vita.
c. A "Program of Studies" listing all courses taken in the MLMED.
II. A Dossier containing all Exemplars noted in Précis.
The Dossier should be a sturdy, attractive, organized holder for the Exemplars. Exemplars should clearly bear their Code (from Exemplar List). Dossiers may consist of a box, accordion file, etc. [maximum total length of dimensions (L+W+H) of box = 36"]; or electronic medium, e.g., HyperStudio/Media/Web.
Suggested Exemplars
Students have free choice of what to include as Exemplars. You are encouraged to be creative in considering what types of materials to use. Do however, keep in mind the need for effective and efficient communication with one's readers: 2-3 (max) exemplars per benchmark; use one exemplar to address several different benchmarks; student work often says the most about your work; Quality is more important than quantity!- Edited and annotated videotape of a class session, parent conference, or professional presentation
- Curriculum guides and materials
- Lesson plans and materials
- Notes demonstrating progress and strategies in parent and/or student conferences, team meetings, etc.
- An intervention plan and progress data for changing group or individual student behavior
- Articles, reviews, workbooks, or academic papers authored that show one's ability to synthesize current theory and research
- Letters, brochures or audiotapes demonstrating effective communication with parents, teams or community groups
- Annotated examples of student work
- Annotated examples of feedback on student work
- Resource directories or resource materials compiled
- Program, photos, descriptions of projects or activities designed in collaboration with students, parents or community members
- Student and peer evaluations of classroom teaching
- Participant evaluations of workshops and presentations
- Examples of original data collection and research
- A written reflection on how you have learned from an unsuccessful professional endeavor.
Suggested exemplars for Standard 1
A paper on early adolescent development; documentation of approaches you have tried to accommodate developmental needs; evidence of work in/with multiple contexts, e.g., parent groups, homes, community agencies; curriculum designed for
inclusion of underrepresented groups, e.g., implementation of a gender equity curriculum; evidence of contribution to school or team's mission &/or vision statement; evidence of contribution to school plan to implement advisory, exploratory, flex schedule, etc.; paper linking Hawai'i's middle level movement to broader contexts; evidence of political action to improve funding for middle level schools.
Suggested exemplars for Standard 2
Evidence of prior study (e.g., your undergraduate major); a curriculum unit utilizing recent research on learning in your subject area; interdisciplinary lessons/units; arts integration projects; course work in your content field; course work in
pedagogy of your content area; presentations at local and national conferences regarding your content area.
Suggested exemplars for Standard 3
Assessment of a curriculum unit; copies/pictures/examples of student work; a plan for ongoing assessment of student learning; samples of culminating activities of units; an interpretation of standardized test results; a plan for inclusion of special needs students, or for de-tracking; documentation of learning centers used in your classroom; a video with analysis of your teaching; a plan for utilizing students' cultural/linguistic backgrounds as curriculum; assessment of efforts to achieve
gender/ability group/racial balance in class participation; assessment of efforts to utilize the Equals Project math curriculum for promoting gender equity; documentation of literacy instruction.
Suggested exemplars for Standard 4
Design/assessment of an advisory program; a self-reflection paper on your growth a communicator; feedback from a supervisor or colleague on your classroom management; feedback from students/parents on a counseling/advisory program;
documentation of work with parent groups, SCBM, community organizations; ML team meeting minutes which illustrate your role in team; self- and peer-assessment of your role on your ML or subject team.
Suggested exemplars for Standard 5
An SCBM plan which you helped develop; documentation of presentations at other schools, conferences or your school; a study of your school's efforts to curb student absenteeism; a shadow study of student life at your school; a written critique of standardized testing; a literature review; a reflective journal regarding your teaching.