JJamie Utphall
“How can students use growth portfolios to improve their writing
and to better communicate and self-assess their learning?”
My goals:
Students will be able to…
• select and reflect on how learning experiences were meaningful and relevant to their lives.
•communicate how learning experiences support their development.
•better recognize and use metacognitive strategies that work best for them.
My inspiration:
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My mentors at Washington Jr. High in Manitowoc, WI
Scale for Understanding (depth of thinking)
Thin vs. Thick thinking (depth of thinking)
Keene’s Mosaic of Thought + using visual art to SEE THINK WONDER
Jess Apitz’s Growth Portfolio Model
My journey so far:
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Student work from year 2
My “new” school
Student work from year 3
My research:
Keene, Ellin Oliver., and Susan Zimmermann. Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension Strategy
Instruction. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2007. Print.
-using visual art + paintings to engage deeper thinking
Ritchhart, Ron, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison. Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote
Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2011.
Print.
-See Think Wonder chart
Costa, Arthur L., and Bena Kallick. Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind: 16 Essential
Characteristics for Success. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,
2008. Print.
-the original 16 Habits of Mind curriculum
-HOMs philosophy values students’ construction of knowledge + generation
of their own
original HOMs
-teachers must model reflection to create a “thoughtful environment”
-creates a common language for reflection + self-advocacy
Yancey, Kathleen Blake. "Teachers’ stories: Notes toward a portfolio pedagogy." Portfolios in the
writing classroom (1992): 12-19.
-Yancey discusses how portfolio models can be used to create a “highly individualized” environment,
“making possible the developmental charting of individuals” (15).
-not merely a storage folder, but a practice of routine reflection, in which students review,
consider, narrate, analyze and explore their own thinking (16-17).
-“A commitment to inquiry means that no one party to the exploration knows the answers
definitively or ideally, that all parties work together to negotiate meaning, and that making meaning is
the enterprise shared by all” (17).
-Writers of different occasions and audiences will have differing strengths and weaknesses, and
Yancey argues it’s necessary for students to experience “success and failure and to think about context,
which is crucial for development” (17). Thus, implementing a portfolio system must require students to
practice and reflect over time, rather than participating in a portfolio-like activity as an isolate event or
events a few times throughout the school year.
-implementing a portfolio system does not replace quality writing instruction, but it is a method
by which students can take an active role in their own learning.
Perks, Kevin. “Dialogue Folders: Creating Space to Engage Students.”Reflective Teaching, Reflective
Learning: How to Develop Critically Engaged Readers, Writers, and Speakers. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann, 2005. 19-31. Print.
-Provide weekly + sustained “dialogic” feedback via notebook: “I have come to the realization that if
my students are ever going to increase their command of the craft of writing in my classroom, I need to
provide a great deal of space for them to write and communicate with them about what they do as
writers” (35)
-Students begin by answering the basic questions, “How is my writing going? What is the next
step in my writing? What specific questions do I have that will help me receive feedback about my
writing?” (38)
-Perks asserts dialogue folders are motivating for students and increase engagement by citing
the “Self-Determination Theory, which “posits that individuals [are] motivated when they feel as if their
actions are self-determined” (44). In conferencing and engaging in sustained dialogue about the choices
students make in their writing, students are able to see more clearly their agency in producing an
intended effect with their work.
-the student helps choose and construct the language of writing, which also informs the teacher
with perspectives on how to best support individual learning styles. In this way, dialogue folders are a
great formative assessment for educators, as well a device to build trust and community ith student.
Cramer, Matthew. "Digital Portfolios: Documenting Student Growth." Resources. Coalition of Essential
Schools, 2009. Web. 14 July 2014.
Ruhana, Judith. "Portfolios That Make a Difference: A Four-Year Journey." The Quarterly 23.4 (2001): n.
pag. Web. 6 July 2014. <http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/237>.
My plan:
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More opportunities for writing for diverse purposes + audiences
Dialogue Journals
More Modeling + Conferencing one-on-one
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Process Papers for larger projects
Digital Portfolio + Oral Defenses
Costa, Arthur L., and Bena Kallick. Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind: 16
Essential Characteristics for Success. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development, 2008. Print.
Costa and Kallick present evidence and strategies for educators and administrators in applying the
Habits of Mind series to aid students and schools in thinking intelligently and creatively when
solving problems in and outside of the classroom. Offering detailed definitions of the original 16
Habits of Mind curriculum, the authors also provide ample description of the Habits of Mind
philosophy which values students’ construction of knowledge and generation of their own original
Habits of Mind, as well as the teacher’s modeling of meaningful reflection in order to create a
“thoughtful environment” in the classroom (95). Costa and Kallick offer insights on assessing and
reporting students’ growth in applying the Habits of Mind to their learning and lives. Lastly, the
authors offer description and resources for administrators in leading schools with the philosophy,
which further compels readers to consider the benefits of students’ participation in a mindful,
character-focused education.
Costa and Kallick’s Habits of Mind series is well known to educators experienced in the field, but
particularly helpful to educators pursuing insight into how to build a common language with
students to describe their growth, learning, and self-assessment. Thus, the Habits of Mind series
does more than merely offer a list of concepts and definitions; the series allows for “students [to]
produce knowledge...and [know] how to act on it” (xxiii). This constructivist, student-centered
approach appeals to student engagement and educators with goals of empowering students with
metacognitive strategies and self-advocacy. Costa and Kallick break down their 16 Habits of Mind
into four categories: Reflection, Attending, Generating, and Projecting, which allows educators to
match learning objectives with opportunities for relevant discussion and reflection and the specific
Habits of Mind (158). Educators will find this helpful for planning how to best embed the Habits of
Mind curriculum within their subject area, which many educators will find as their greatest challenge
when adopting the philosophy. But rather than thinking about the Habits of Mind system as merely
content or a unit of study, educators should approach embracing the series as a philosophy through
which they can infuse their existing academic content. In this way, the Habits of Mind approach can
become the classroom’s mindful reflective practice.
Cramer, Matthew. "Digital Portfolios: Documenting Student Growth." Resources. Coalition of
Essential Schools, 2009. Web. 14 July 2014.
Flanagan, Joseph M. "Inquiry, Dialogue, and the Teaching of Writing." Reflective Teaching, Reflective
Learning: How to Develop Critically Engaged Readers, Writers, and Speakers. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann, 2005. 49- 66. Print.
Keene, Ellin Oliver., and Susan Zimmermann. Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension Strategy
Instruction. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2007. Print.
Perks, Kevin. “Dialogue Folders: Creating Space to Engage Students.” Reflective Teaching,
Reflective Learning: How to Develop Critically Engaged Readers, Writers, and
Speakers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2005. 19-31. Print.
Kevin Perks explores how to help students become and see themselves as more effective writers
by providing weekly “dialogic” feedback via notebook: “I have come to the realization that if my
students are ever going to increase their command of the craft of writing in my classroom, I need to
provide a great deal of space for them to write and communicate with them about what they do as
writers” (35). Perks describes the student-writers’ need for space, not just physical space, “but also
consistent time and opportunity to engage...in dialogue about writing.” The chapter describes how
Perks used dialogue folders to “sustain conversations with students about their writing” over time
and across a diverse array of writing purposes and audiences (46). Perks suggests students begin the
dialogue folders by answering the basic questions, “How is my writing going? What is the next step
in my writing? What specific questions do I have that will help me receive feedback about my
writing?” (38). From here, Perks reflects on how this process allowed students to learn and practice
how to talk about their writing and “foster conversation” so that the educator can better analyze
student progress; select, devise implement, and assess differing teaching strategies” to promote
students’ improvements (41). Lastly, Perks asserts that the dialogue folders are motivating for
students and increase engagement by citing the “Self-Determination Theory, which “posits that
individuals [are] motivated when they feel as if their actions are self-determined” (44). In
conferencing and engaging in sustained dialogue about the choices students make in their writing,
students are able to see more clearly their agency in producing an intended effect with their work.
Perks compels educators to focus on using dialogue folders as a method of delivering sustained
positive feedback and not as a tool for formal assessments of student work. While the educator will
make formative observations and relay insights regarding patterns in the choices the student-writer
makes, dialogue folders are not a method of summative assessment and should be used only in the
most organic and genuine way possible. Many educators who use this method initiate the folders as
a way in which to build trust and community with their students. Only after this trust is earned can
dialogue folders become an effective academic tool. Rather than the students passively regurgitating
information relayed by the teacher, dialogic instruction allows educators “insights into how to
further support [students] in their efforts,” as well as “opportunities for negotiation and
collaboration between student and teacher” (37). Thus, the student helps choose and construct the
language of writing, which also informs the teacher with perspectives on how to best support
individual learning styles. In this way, dialogue folders are a great formative assessment for
educators, as well a device to build trust and community with student.
Ritchhart, Ron, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison. Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote
Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass,
2011. Print.
Ruhana, Judith. "Portfolios That Make a Difference: A Four-Year Journey." The Quarterly 23.4
(2001): n. pag. Web. 6 July 2014. <http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/237>.
Yancey, Kathleen Blake. "Teachers’ stories: Notes toward a portfolio pedagogy." Portfolios
in the writing classroom (1992): 12-19.
Yancey discusses how portfolio models can be used to create a “highly individualized”
environment “making possible the developmental charting of individuals” (15). According to
Yancey’s descriptions, portfolio pedagogy allows educators to aid students in composing for
different audiences and occasion, which means teaching writers who are sensitive to process, who
value reflection and inquiry and the belief that learning occurs through writing. Yancey argues that
an effective portfolio system is not merely a storage folder, but a practice of routine reflection, in
which students review, consider, narrate, analyze and explore their own thinking (16-17). Yancey
also posits how portfolio work is a collaborative, constructivist process valuing inquiry through
“writing and thinking that students and teachers undertake together. A commitment to inquiry
means that no one party to the exploration knows the answers definitively or ideally, that all parties
work together to negotiate meaning, and that making meaning is the enterprise shared by all” (17).
Thus, the students become active learning and must make choices to direct their own learning.
Student becomes teacher, and the teacher must model for students how to work towards their goals
in writing by “comparing composings, matching objectives with performance, sustaining dialogue
with a peer group, collaborating between student and teacher, and learning how to become a better
writer of rather than to write papers” (17-18). Thus, Yancey’s stance encourages educators to stress
the consistency over time and process of using a portfolio model rather than what kind of
assignments should be included and showcased.
Yancey reminds educators that writers must experience authentic challenges when learning and
reflecting on their choices as writers of different texts. Writers of different occasions and audiences
will have differing strengths and weaknesses, and Yancey argues it’s necessary for students to
experience “success and failure and to think about context, which is crucial for development” (17).
Thus, implementing a portfolio system must require students to practice and reflect over time, rather
than participating in a portfolio-like activity as an isolate event or events a few times throughout the
school year. This can be challenging for educators, especially high school teachers who are not
always supported in implementing a writers’ workshop model in their classrooms; however, many
educators feel the particular educator can be creative in implement a particular portfolio system that
best fits the needs of the specific students and classroom. Overall, implementing a portfolio system
does not replace quality writing instruction, but it is a method by which students can take an active
role in their own learning.