| Tammy Christensen |  |
Teachers’ Voices: Portfolios in the Classroom
Mary Ann Smith and Miriam Ylvisaker,
editors
National Writing Project Corporation,
1993
In Teachers’ Voices, 13 teachers share the problems and successes of implementing writing portfolios in kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms. Getting students invested in the portfolio process seems to be the biggest hurdle, but one that can be overcome if students help create the portfolio requirements.
Portfolios may have different purposes: To show (1) best work, (2) breadth of work, (3) growth, or (4) a combination of any or all of the above. I like the portfolios that students create to show what they feel is their (1) best work, (2) favorite work, (3) typical beginning-year work, (4) typical middle-year work, (5) typical current work, and (6) a work selected by the teacher and/or family member. Students are given time to reflect on their writing periodically throughout the year. This may be weekly, monthly, or once per semester. After reflection, items are selected for the writing portfolio. Portfolio contents may be replaced at any time.
For each portfolio submission, students write a short description of the writing, why it was included, what he or she liked and would like to change, and what was learned. Before the final grading period, students also summarize what they learned from the portfolio process.
One teacher suggests to never take writing portfolios home but to conference with students individually in the classroom in order to hear their perspectives and provide individual guidance. This teacher also uses the following grading guidelines created during a classroom discussion: 25% for quality of writing (only item required by teacher), 25% for attention during mini-lessons, 25% for amount of writing, and 25% for hard work during writing time. Of course, all these requirements may be modified depending on the teacher, students, and student abilities.
Near the end of last year, I decided that this year I would accumulate students' work. This would allow students to publish some of their favorite stories that had only been taken through the first or second rough draft. However, now I believe that writing portfolios, used in conjunction with mini writing lessons and the process approach to writing, will better assist students' development in writing. I just need to figure out how to manage 52 writing portfolios in half the time allocated to most teachers. That's the reality of an immersion school. I cannot dedicate an hour to writing each day, but I'm sure I can modify the process to make it work for my situation.