How to develop a professional portfolio: A manual for teachers

Campbell, D. M., Cignetti, P. B., Melenyzer, B. J., Nettles, D. H., & Wyman, R. M. (2001). How to develop a professional portfolio: A manual for teachers (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Work portfolio: ongoing systemic collection of selected work in courses and evidence of community activities

Presentation portfolio: a selective and steamlined portfolio compiled for the expressed purpose of giving others an effective and easy-to-read portrait of your professional competence.

Model standards for beginning teachers' licensing and development

The INTASC Principles

INTASC stands for Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium. The INTASC website can be found here. There are ten core INTASC principles that a potential teacher should master and reflect on throughout their undergraduate coursework. The digital portfolio reflects the growth of the potential teacher's understanding of these principles. In order to demonstrate mastery of the principles, each INTASC principle should include reflections, artifacts, and artifact rationales.

Listed below are the basic core INTASC principles. The knowledge, dispositions, and performances associated with these principles are listed here.

•Principle 1

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

•Principle 2

The teacher understands how children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and personal development.

•Principle 3

The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.

•Principle 4

The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

•Principle 5

The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

•Principle 6

The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

•Principle 7

The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.

•Principle 8

The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of the learner.

•Principle 9

The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

•Principle 10

The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students' learning and well-being.

Evidence to include (more than 50 possibilities for artifacts) (p. 75):
1. anecdotal records, 2. article summaries or critiques, 3. assessments, 4. awards and certificates, 5. bulletin board ideas, 6. case studies, 7. classroom management philosophy, 8. community resources documents, 9. computer programs, 10. cooperative learning strategies, 11. curriculum plans, 12. essays, 13. evaluations, 14. field trip plans, 15. floor plans, 16. goal statements, 17. individualized plans, 18. interviews with students, teachers, and parents, 19. journals, 20. lesson plans, 21. letters to parents, 22. management and organization strategies, 23. media competencies, 24. meetings and workshops log, 25. observation reports, 26. peer critiques, 27. philosophy statement, 28. pictures and photographs, 29. student portfolio, 30. position papers, 31. problem-solving logs, 32. professional development plans, 33. professional organizations and committees list, 34. professional reading list, 35. projects, 36. references, 37. research papers, 38. rules and procedure descriptions, 39. schedules, 40. seating arrangement diagrams, 41. self-assessment instruments, 42. simulated experiences, 43. student contracts, 44. subscriptions, 45. teacher-made materials, 46. theme studies, 47. transcripts, 48. unit plans, 49. video scenario critiques, 50. volunteer experience descriptions, 51. work experience descriptions.

Audiences: advisors, interviewers, mentors, colleagues, professional organizations, yourself