Ann Adams Bullock * Parmalee P. Hawk
Many teachers use a portfolio to help secure a teaching position.
Portfolios can be used as a tool, which, in addition to teaching
credentials, allow candidates to market themselves effectively. In
metropolitan areas where jobs are competitive, the portfolio can be the
ticket a teacher needs to get a desirable position. The job portfolio is
designed for an external audience, one that will make a career decision
based on its content and other criteria. The portfolio is taken on a job
interview at the district office, the specific school or teacher
recruitment fairs. Used as a supplement, the portfolio can provide
evidence of a teacher’s knowledge, skills and disposition about
education. The number of success stories of teaching candidates who
use portfolios to secure positions multiplies each year.
The portfolio is usually organized around the central components of
teaching, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Planning and teaching curriculum
Student centered instruction
Student development
Strategies
Assessment
Practices
Classroom activities
Professional development opportunities
The portfolio allows teachers to show who they
are and what they believe through concrete
evidence.
Evidence in a teacher’s portfolio would include:
• Resume Packet pieces including: resume, philosophy of education, transcripts,
letters of recommendation
• State correlation with lesson plans (Standards)
• Lesson plans and/or teaching units
• Reflections
• Photos of classroom activities
• Classroom organizational strategies
• Classroom management procedures and management plan
• Classroom rules
• Samples of student work
• Original ideas
• Professional development certificates or materials
• Parent communications or newsletters
• Parent contact logs
• Letters from students and parents
• Test preparation strategies
• Technology competencies of teacher
• Professional Development plans
• Related work experience/volunteer experience
• Membership in professional organizations
Organizational Tips
•
Use a three ring binder with a clear plastic window on the cover
•
Create a colorful cover with a title and your name (show off your technology abilities here)
•
Cover Sheet
•
A user friendly table of contents
•
Make sure that your teaching evidence is grammatically correct and free of misspellings
•
Make it neat and manageable
•
Don’t include every piece of evidence that you have collected in the past five years. Be
selective!! Less is better!!
•
Careful consideration of contents and creative display add value.
The Job Interview
Take your portfolio to all job interviews. Inform interviewers of the portfolio but
don’t “push” it on them. Surveys have found that principals and teachers on
interview teams at school levels were more interested in reviewing portfolios than
administrators at central offices.
Another choice would be to leave your portfolio for a day so it can be reviewed.
Teachers who create portfolios are viewed as organized and productive. Portfolios
can “break the tie” between two candidates who seem equal. Portfolios give
teacher candidates a competitive edge over other candidates with equal
credentials. Developing a portfolio can get you the job you want.
“Teacher Portfolios – How Valuable Are They?”
A panel discussion with school district personnel.
Portfolios...
...paint a picture of you as a teacher – what do you want your picture to say?
...display your basic writing skills!
...are most helpful if they are concise and contain examples of “Best Practices”, not a
scrapbook of everything you’ve ever done.
...should be self-explanatory. Neatly label each page so we know what we’re looking
at.
...tell us how organized you are (or how disorganized)! Know where everything is in
your portfolio – you don’t want to fumble around looking for a specific item.
...that include pictures tell us how you might organize your classroom, if you’ve worked
with diverse populations, if you display student work in your classroom, etc.
...Show what’s important to you, the things you do well and where your values lie. Do
you have pictures of things or people?
...Should include a worthwhile lesson plan so that you’re always prepared to present if
asked.
...are generally not used in screening (initial) interviews, including job fairs.
...are more often used on-site at the school where the opening is available.
...for second career candidates may include a “work experience” section if you can
relate it to education (math, computers, etc.)
...might give you an edge if you and another candidate are equal in every other way.
…on CD-ROMs or websites are not necessary. However, if you do have these, they
tell us something about you (goes above and beyond, comfortable with technology).
...(sigh) may not always be used as part of the interview process, many times due to
time constraints. Feel free to ask if you may send it prior to the interview or leave it with
us at the conclusion of the interview. We do understand and appreciate how much time
you’ve put in treating your portfolio.
...and finally
“The most important thing to remember in developing is
CONTENT and YOUR LOVE FOR CHILDRENthe rest we can teach you!”
-Dr. Kenneth King, Assistant Superintendent for personnel, East Orange Public Schools, NJ
The comments above reflect the opinion of panel members based on numerous years of
experience in recruiting teachers. Compiled and distributed by the Bloomsburg University
Career Development Center.