Product

Appendix B

The Portfolio Requirement

You have one year after graduation to develop a portfolio that shows how you have used technology as a professional tool (for “teacherly” tasks) and with students as part of the curriculum. The portfolio requirements matrix is for you to use as a check-off to ensure that you’ve got all the major areas covered. You need to show evidence of achievement in each area. This evidence could be printed-out sample of work you or your students have created. It could be files saved on a disk. The day of the portfolio presentations, I will leave it up to you as to how you want to demonstrate your work. Some people have created a binder to pass around. Some people intend to show their work on-screen. All of this is fine. Other ideas:

§         Videotape your students in action

§         Include printed copies of lesson plans you’ve used

§         Include observation reports from an administrator who observed a lesson that used technology

§         Include student summaries/write-ups of what they did using technology

§         Include anecdotal (journal-type) evidence of what you’ve accomplished

Further clarification:

One computer classroom (student use) requires you to demonstrate how you have used a single computer in your room with 20 plus students. Most likely, you will have used it as a center or station and had the kids rotate to it as part of a wheel of activities in a thematic unit. Cooperative activity requires you to have your students use the computer while working in teams where every child has a specific job and a responsibility to the group. A Tom Snyder Decisions, Decisions/Choices, Choices activity would be one way to satisfy this. So would a project like the book group project in your binder. Tools include the digital camera, scanner, and (for the teacher) Averkey. Demonstrating student use of the tools is optional for K-1 teachers.

You will present your portfolio one year following camp. I will meet with you  for a “pre-portfolio” conference at your convenience. Call me to set up a time.

This is not intended to be a stressful evolution like a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation review board. It is intended to be a burr under your saddle to make you apply your new skills. It is meant to be a celebration of all that you’ve accomplished during the year. I look forward to seeing all the wonderful things you’ve done and to heaping you with praise. Call or email me during the year whenever you need me. I look forward to seeing you in your classroom and at our “alumni days”.

Roberta Niche