Day: April 1, 2019

Here is a list of some of the things you should collect for your portfolio:

• Resume
• Educational transcripts
• Training certificates
• Letters of reference
• Proof of credentials you’ve obtained
• Philosophy of teaching statement
• Images of classroom arrangements and other physical features of your learning environment
• Images of outdoor enhancements you’ve made on the playground
• Lesson plans or project plans your developed
• Images and descriptions of children engaged in lesson you’ve designed
• Documentation of children’s learning
• Examples of parent letters or newsletters you’ve written
• Summaries of parent surveys
• Past performance evaluations
• Description of any leadership responsibilities
• Awards or recognitions you’ve received
• A description of past and present committee involvement, highlighting leadership roles
• Descriptions of your volunteer work
• Goals or an outline of a 3-5 year plan
• Personal reflections on experiences and/or your progress toward your goals

Unless required by an outside agency, place copies of important documents in your portfolio. Keep your originals in a safe place whenever possible!   What other items have you incorporated into your professional portfolio? Tell us on our Facebook page.

For the main article Creating a Professional Portfolio, CLICK HERE

For the article Benefits of Developing a Professional Portfolio, CLICK HERE

For the article Organizing your Portfolio, CLICK HERE

For the article Director’s Corner: Supporting Employees as they Create Professional Portfolios, CLICK HERE

The first and most evident benefit to creating a portfolio is the fact that it will help you illustrate your skills and abilities to future employers and other professionals in the field.  It is an excellent way to highlight your skills and show evidence of the experience you have acquired throughout your career.

More importantly, pulling together your portfolio provides you an opportunity to reflect on your experience, identify strong practices, and recognize opportunities for growth. Gathering evidence of your skills is an opportunity to think critically about how your experience compares to best practices in the field of ECE.  You also have a chance to reflect on what you have learned throughout your career and determine how you use new information in your professional practice. 

Here are a few additional benefits according to a 2017 post in Forbes Community Voice^TM entitled, Nine Advantages of Developing Your Own Professional Portfolio:

• Generates credibility
• Offers a reminder of your outstanding achievements
• Helps people visualize working with you
• Sets you apart from other candidates
• Gives you a chance to show creativity
• Shows consistency between what you say and what you do

For the main article Creating a Professional Portfolio, CLICK HERE

For the article What Goes into a Professional Portfolio, CLICK HERE

For the article Organizing your Portfolio, CLICK HERE

For the article Director’s Corner: Supporting Employees as they Create Professional Portfolios, CLICK HERE

One of the ways that we assess young children’s learning is through the use of portfolios.  These are collections of work that we can analyze to identify current skills, tracking progress, and recognize areas of growth.  Children’s portfolios typically include a wide range of images, work samples, descriptions, and dictations that provide a clear picture of a child’s abilities.  It is a compilation of work that continues to grow as children move through the first years of their lives. 

A portfolio can serve a similar purpose for teachers, who often have to demonstrate their skills for accrediting and credentialing agencies. Portfolios can also come in handy as teachers pursue new career opportunities within the field. Creating a portfolio is an excellent way of providing a clear picture of your strengths and skills to other professionals in the field.

In this month’s newsletter, we will explore the benefits of creating a professional portfolio and strategies for organizing its contents in order to present the best picture of your professional experience.

For the article Benefits of Developing a Professional Portfolio, CLICK HERE

For the article What Goes into a Professional Portfolio, CLICK HERE

For the article Organizing your Portfolio, CLICK HERE

For the article Director’s Corner: Supporting Employees as they Create Professional Portfolios, CLICK HERE