PORTFOLIO

CURRICULUM GUIDE

GRADES 9 —12

ATLANTIC UNION CONFERENCE

1997
 PORTFOLIO CURRICULUM GUIDE

GRADE S 9 - 12

Committee Members

COORDINATOR Rosemary Tyrrell

Associate Director of Education
Atlantic Union Conference

CONSULTANT Beverley Bucknor

Bethel Elementary School
Northeastern Conference

CHAIRPERSONS Jeanette Bryson

Cedar Brook SDA School
Southern New England Conference

Roberta Merrow
Pine Tree Academy
Northern New England Conference

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Agnes Jones

Northeastern Academy
Northeastern Conference

Matthew Lombard
Greater Boston Academy
Southern New England Conference

Marlon Sargeant
Bermuda Institute
Bermuda Conference

Trudy Wright
Superintendent
Northern New England Conference

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 TABLE OF CONTEN TS

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

DEFINITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

GOALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

OBJECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

PORTFOLIO DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

PORTFOLIO COMPONENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

PORTFOLIO COORDINATOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

EVALUATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

STORAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

IMPLEMENTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

SAMPLE FORMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

SAMPLE PORTFOLIO ADAPTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

SELECTED ARTICLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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 ATLANTIC UNION CONFERENCE

PORTFOLIO CURRICULUM GUIDE

GRADES 9-12

INTRODUCTION

As Christian educators, we are well aware that "every human being... is endowed with
a power akin to that of the Creator—individuality, power to think and to do." (Education
p. 17) We also recognize that "it is the work of true education to develop this power, to
train the youth to be thinkers, and not mere reflectors of other men's thought." (Loc. Cit.)
Students must be more involved in determining, reflecting upon, and evaluating their own
learning in order to become "thinkers." Students must be encouraged to reach "higher
than the highest human thought can reach." (Ibid., p. 18)

It is with this lofty goal in view and a firm conviction that the wise use of portfolios will
help us to reach that goal, that this guide to secondary portfolios is presented.

DEFINITION

The portfolio is a collection of purposeful, integrated, representative student work.

GOALS

Portfolios will help students cope with change by developing flexibility in thinking through:

— reflection
— communication
— core concepts
— self-sufficiency
— citizenship
— integrated knowledge
OBJECTIVES

The objectives of a portfolio are to:

— facilitate and intrinsically motivate students to learn.

— allow students to assume ownership and responsibility.
— make students aware of their own learning.
— provide a concrete display of students’ work and development.
— give honor to students by showing his/her best work.
— enhance self-esteem.
— foster a sense of pride in accomplished tasks.
— provide tools for effective communication.
— demonstrate student effort, progress, and achievements.
— give evidence of student leadership development.
— develop student goals for their portfolios.
— provide a tool for student and teacher reflection.
— improve critical thinking.
— analyze and evaluate student work.
— gain a fuller understanding of student abilities and needs.
— show growth and progress.
— give students a voice in the curriculum.
— develop organizati onal skills.
— demonstrate student creativity.

PORTFOLIO DESIGN

The portfolio design is a process of collection, selection, and reflection of students’ work.

I. COLLECTION OF STUDENTS’ WORK:

Students’ work may contain samples or tangible reminders not limited to the following:

— writing samples
— assignments
— photos or drawings
— checklists of skills mastered
— notes from classes, meetings, interviews, or conferences
— audio tapes

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 — autobiography
— videos or computer disks
— awards and letters of recommendations
— work that represents skill mastery
— teacher-recommended work
— peer-recommended work
— work from various disciplines

II. SELECTION OF STUDENT WORK

The selection of students’ work for the portfolio is an ongoing process in which the
student learns to choose samples from the collection:

— work that represents the student-established goals.

— work that meets the Atlantic Union Curriculum goals.
— work that is personally fulfilling and enjoyable.

III. REFLECTION

Reflection is an ongoing process. It is an analysis of the quality of each entry

submitted by the student, teacher, peers, and others. Portfolio entries should be
accompanied by an explanation of their learning significance. Sample reflection forms
are included in this guide. (See sample C)

PORTFOLIO COMPONENTS

The format of the portfolio should be neat, labeled, dated, written in ink, or keyed. It should
include the following components:

— table of contents
— autobiography of the student as a learner
— entries
— portfolio entry form
— portfolio entry reflection form
— peer response entry form
— general response form (optional)
— portfolio final reflection form
— teacher assessment

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PORTFOLIO COORDINATOR

During a portfolio conference, the portfolio coordinator helps students establish goals for
their portfolios through dialogue concerning their interests, abilities, and long-term goals.

The portfolio coordinator may be a(n):

— homeroom teacher
— advisor
— class sponsor
— designated person

EVALUATION

Suggested rubric:

For each of the characteristics listed below, a score is given with the following rubric.

Strongly exhibits this characteristic — 5

Adequately exhibits this characteristic — 3
Little exhibition of this characteristic — 1
Characteristic not present — 0

Characteristics for Evaluation

1. Does the portfolio show growth or change over time?

2. Does it include the process as well as the final product?
3. Does it demonstrate thoughtful reflection on one's own achievement and learning?
4. Does the portfolio identify or develop goals for further achievement?
5. Does the portfolio contain an adequate amount of information?
6. Does the portfolio contain adequate quality in individual pieces?
7. Does the portfolio contain adequate variety in the kinds of items included?

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STORAGE

It is suggested that:

— working portfolios be the responsibility of the student.

— permanent portfolios be the responsibility of the school.
— permanent portfolios become the property of the student upon graduation
or school transfer.

Storage Suggestions

Possible containers for portfolios may include the following:

Paper Files

— hanging files
— file folders
— pizza boxes
— manila envelopes
— portable file
— file folder
— accordion file
— zipper binder

Electronic Files

— CD's
— floppy disks
— microfiche
— video
— audio tapes

IMPLEMENTATION

The coordinator needs to review the portfolio with the students quarterly, keeping in mind
that the portfolio should be simple, meaningful and student directed. Before the student
begins the process of collection, selection and reflection, the following steps should be
implemented:

— introduce the concepts

— present the format
— discuss the components
— select the container
— develop an individual portfolio plan (IPP)
— discuss the assessment criteria

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 SAMPLE A — PORTFOLIO ENTRY FORM

NAME DATE

Assignment/Project/Title

Group Individual

1. Why did you choose this for your portfolio?

2. What did you like about this entry?

3. What could you have done to improve it?

4. What do you want to share about your assignment that would help your reader
understand it better?
 SAMPLE B — PORTFOLIO ENTRY REFLECTION FORM

NAME DATE

Respond to the following questions:

1. How is this quality work?

2. What process di d you follow to produce this?

3. What were the problems and what did you do to solve them?

4. Why have you selected this piece for your portfolio?

5. By what criteria should your piece be evaluated?

6. How does this relate to prior learning?

7. What do you see as an appropriate grade for this work and why?

8. I feel confident about this work because...

9. I still don't understand ...

 SAMPLE C — PORTFOLIO FINAL REFLECTION FORM

NAME DATE

Respond to the following questions:

1. How is this piece more effective than your last entry?

2. How does this work meet your portfolio goals?

3. Why is this piece important to you?

4. How would you change this piece if you could continue working on it?

5. What did you learn?

6. How does your work show your persistence (self-confidence, motivation, etc.)

7. What did you enjoy most about doing this work? Why?

8. How did this work challenge you? W hy?

 SAMPLE D — PEER RESPONSE

The entry I read was

Entry by

Some of the strengths of this entry are

An example of a strength is
 SAMPLE E — GENERAL PORTFOLIO RESPONSE

STUDENT DATE

While looking through this portfolio please note the following:

a. These are some of the things I enjoyed about this portfolio:

b. These are some of the strengths I observed in this portfolio:

c. This is what I learned about this student from this portfolio:

d. I recognize growth in this area:

 SAMPLE INTRODUCTORY LET TER

Dear Parent/Guardian:

As Christian educators, we are well aware that "every human being... is endowed with
a power akin to that of the Creator—individuality, power to think and to do." (Education
p. 17) We also recognize that "it is the work of true education to develop this power, to
train the youth to be thinkers, and not mere reflectors of other men's thought." (Loc. Cit.)
Students must be more involved in determining, reflecting upon, and evaluating their own
learning in order to become "thinkers." Students must be encouraged to reach "higher
than the highest human thought can reach." (Ibid., p. 18)

It is our firm conviction that the wise use of portfolios will help us to reach that goal.
A portfolios program will be introduced into our school this year.

The development of portfolios is a procedure that will encourage students to take an

active part in their learning. The storage of the working portfolio will be the responsibility
of your student. The permanent portfolio becomes the property of the student upon
graduation or transfer and may be used for job interviews or entrance to schools.

We look forward to sharing your student's portfolio experience with you.

 SAMPLE STUDENT-LED CONFERENCE SCRIPT

I. Introduction

A. Thank your parents for coming, for taking time out of their day.
B. Introduce your parents and advisor to one another.
C. Offer your parents some refreshments.

II. Conference

A. “Please hold your questions or comments until the end.”

B. Offer them an index card to jot down questions while you speak.
C. Subject discussions:
1. “In Language Arts I have been....”
a. “I chose this work because....”
b. “My goal in Language Arts....”
2. “In Mathematics I have been....”
a. “I chose this work because....”
b. “My goal in Mathematics..”
3. “In Science I have been....”
a. “I chose this work because....”
b. “My goal in Science....”
4. “In Social Studies I have been....”
a. “I chose this work because....”
b. “My goal in Social Studies....”
5. “In ___________ I have been....”
a. “I chose this work because....”
b. “My goal in____________....”
6. “In____________ I have been....”
a. “I chose this work because....”
b. “My goal in____________....”
D. “This quarter I have especially enjoyed....”
E. “It is easiest to be successful in .”
F. “It takes more work for me to be successful in .”

III. Conclusion

A. “Do you have any questions or comments?”

B. “Thank you for coming and listening.”

(Countryman 1996, p. 67)

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 SAMPLE

PORTFOLIO

ADAPTATION

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 PORTFOLIOS IN THE SECONDARY ENGLISH CLASSROOM

The Atlantic Union Conference Curriculum Committee has mandated that

portfolios must be part of the K-12 curriculum by the fall of 1998. Because
integration of portfolios into the traditional classroom situation requires education
(and sometimes persuasion) on the part of educators as well as parents and
students, we offer the following rationale and statement of purpose for use of
portfolios. Both are based on a presentation Dr. Chuck Christensen of the
University of Mass-Lowell gave to the Curriculum Committee on January 23, 1996.

RATIONALE

1. Tests are not the most effective measurements of competency.

2. Portfolios are excellent ways of helping students feel good about themselves and
their accomplishments.

3. Portfolios are good forms of review.

4. Portfolios give students open-ended opportunities to improve.

5. Portfolios give students the opportunity to observe and assess their strengths and
weaknesses.

6. Portfolios provide a way to make a positive bond with parents.

7. Portfolios give proof of the students’ hard work.

8. Portfolios help establish the validi ty of what happens in the classroom.

PURPOSE

1. To create opportunity for student self-evaluation.

2. To establish tangible evidence of student growth and progress that can be shared
with several audiences.

3. To create a continuous dynamic process of evaluation beyond point-in-time

testing.

4. To help develop organizational skills and goal setting.

5. To increase self-esteem as a learner.

6. To develop real-life, transferable skills.

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 A CAUTION BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION

As D. P. Wolf says in his article Portfolio Assessment: Sampling Student Work

(Educational Leadership, April 24, 1989, p.37), "Portfolios are messy. They demand
intimate and often frighteningly subjective talk with students. Portfolios are work.
Teachers who ask students to read their own progress in the 'footprints' of their works have
to coax and bicker with individuals who are not used to being assessed. Halfway through
the semester, at least half a dozen recalcitrants will lose every paper or sketch or tape they
have ever owned. More importantly, teachers have to struggle to read and make sense
of whole works and patterns of growth. Hence, hard questions arise: 'Why bother? What
comes out of portfolio-based assessment?' The immediate answer lies in integrity and the
validity of the information we gain about how and what students learn."

Most teachers start an assessment project like portfolios as a pilot with one class
for a unit, semester, or year instead of trying to implement it across the board. Teachers
should keep in mind that it will take some experimentation before a particular portfolio will
“work” for them. Even others’ “successful” projects will need to be modified and adjusted
for individual teachers, particular classrooms, and specific students.

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 PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

“Assessments in which the teacher observes and makes a judgement about a pupil’s skill
in carrying out an activity or producing a product.”

ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS

1. A clear purpose; understood by teacher.

2. Performance criteria which can be observed, rated, judged.

3. An arranged setting to allow the performance to be shown.

4. The performance is scored, rated.

DEVELOPING PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Identify the overall performance — perform it yourself or visualize it.

2. List the important aspects of the performance (specific behaviors).

3. Express the performance criteria in terms of observable behaviors or product

characteristics.

4. Check for existing performance criteria before defining your own.

“If you don’t have a clear sense of the key dimensions of a sound performance — a vision
of poor and outstanding performance — you can neither teach students to perform nor
evaluate their performance.”

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 Name

PORTFOLIO TABLE OF CONTENTS

JUNE

I. GOALS
A. Student goals written in September
B. Parent goals written in September
C. Update of goals written in November
D. Update of goals written in March
E. Final reflection on goals

II. READING
A. Complete list of books read during school year
B. January Reading Response Journal self-evaluation
C. January Reading Response Journal sample
D. June Reading Response Journal self-evaluation
E. June Reading Response Journal
F. Book cover #1 (December)
G. Book cover #2 (February)
H. Slave-Immigrant diaries (could also do in Writing section)

III. WRITING
A. Sample from September-November Term
B. Analysis of sample
C. Sample from November-January Term
D. Analysis of sample
E. Sample from February-June
F. Analysis of sample
G. Sample of Current Events writing

IV. PROJECTS
A. Family Tree
1. Self-and Teacher-evaluation sheets
2. Photo
3. Other (e.g. documents obtained, stories
discovered, etc.) *

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 B. Country Research Project and Presentation
1. Self-and Teacher-evaluation sheets
2. Research Paper
3. Map
4. Other (e.g. flag pattern, visuals used in
presentation, etc.) *

C. Play: Looking for America

1. Self-evaluation
2. Photo
3. Program
4. Script of your scene
5. Other (e.g. sketches of set, early scripts,
stage notes) *

D. City Sites
1. Self-evaluation
2. Essay
3. Interview
4. Other (e.g. journal, photos, model drawings,
display pieces) *

E. What Makes America, America?

Final essay and reflection

*Optional

Please remember that you are free to include other things in your portfolio. For example,
you may have more writing pieces that you want to include under the Writing Section. Or
you may have some tests or quizzes that you want to include. Just be sure to include them
in the proper section.

Students are responsible for saving and organizing their own work.

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 Name
English I
Poetry Portfolio
During this unit, you will create a portfolio of the work you learn, share, and create. It will
be kept in a folder in the classroom so nothing will get lost. You may access your folder
at any time, but do not take it from the room without permission. When the unit is
completed (on semester exam day) you will have a record of your poetic efforts in class!

POETRY PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS

Table of Contents

A. Your Poetry
1. Keep all drafts of each poem you write.
2. Make a clean copy of each poem you write for credit.
3. Staple the clean copy to your drafts.
4. Each clean copy should also have a title page with the following information
included:

— Your name
— The date the poem is due
— The poetry assignment/type
— A sentence or two about the inspiration for the poem
— A sentence or two about the writing of the poem

5. Make sure each poem has a title

B. OTHERS’ POETRY
1. File the favorite poems of others that you bring to class for sharing
2. Each poem should have a title page stapled to it with the following information
included:

— Your name
— The date of the assignment
— The requirement of the assignment
— A sentence or two about what the poem means to you

C. POETIC TERMS AND ASSIGNED POETRY AND POETS

1. File the poetic terms we discussed in class at the beginning of this unit.
2. File the poetry handouts from class and the information about the poets.

D. EXTRA CRE DIT ) YOUR PERSONAL SELECTIONS

1. You may include any other selections of your favorite poems or poets.
2. You may write more poetry than is require

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY/RESOURCE LIST

Afflerback, Peter. The Reading Teacher, April 1995 v48 n7 p622 (3).

Armstrong, Thomas. Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD,

1994.

Assessment Workshop, http://www/valdosta.peachenet.edu:80/coe/coed/coke/Assess.html

Baker, Eva L. Educational Leadership, March 1994 v 51 n6 p58 (5).

Blake, Jane. A Portfolio-based Assessment Model for Teachers: Encouraging

Professional Growth. NASSP Bulletin, October 1995 v 79 n 573 p37 (10).

Brandt, R. On Assessment in the Arts: A Conversation with Howard Garner. Educational

Leadership, Dec/Jan 1988 v45 n 4 p30-34.

Coleman, Hardin L. K. Portfolio Assessment of Multicultural Conseling Competency. The

Counseling Psychologist, April 1996 v 24 n2 p216 (14)

Erickson, H. Lynn. Stirring the Head, Heart, and Soul, Redefining Curriculum and
Instruction. Corwin Press, 1995.

Fontana, Jean. Portfolio Assessment: Its Beginnings in Vermont and Kentucky. NASSP
Bulletin, Oct. 1995 v79 n 573 p25 (6).

Glatthorn, Allan. Developing the Classroom Curriculum, Developing a Quality Curriculum.

Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 1994.

Grady Profile Portfolio Assessment Software. http://www.aurback.com/

Gronlund, Norman E. How to Make Achievement Tests and Assessments. Allyn and
Bacon, 1993.

Guskey, Thomas R. Educational Leadership, March 1994 v51 n6 p51 (4).

Hanley, Tom V. Exceptional Children, Dec.-Jan. 1994 v61 n3 p222 (8).

Hartman, Virginia F. The Annotated Portfolio: An Experiential, Proactive Learning Strategy.

http://www.so.cc.va.us/vcca/hart2.htm

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Bibliography/Resource List, cont.

Jacobs, H. H. Interdisciplinary Curriculum: Design and Implementation. Alexandria, VA,

ASCD, 1989.

Jamentz, Kate. Educational Leadership, March 1994 v51 n6 p55 (3).

King-Sears, Margaret E. Curriculum-Based Assessment in Special Education. Singular

Publishing Group, 1994.

Kuhs, Therese M. Portfolio Assessment; Making It Work For The First Time. Mathematics
Teacher, May 1994 v87 n5 p332 (4).

Lambdin, Diana V. Planning for Classroom Portfolio Assessment. Arithmetic Teacher,

Feb. 1994 v41 n6 p318 (7).

Mahood Joseph. An Introduction to S c ie n c e P o r t f o l i o s.

http://www.gene.com/ae/21st/TL/mahood port.html

Melograno, Vincent J. Portfolio Assessment: Documenting Authentic Student Learning.

JOPERD — The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, Oct. 1994 v65
n8 p50 (10)

Mikhtari, Kauider. Portfolio Assessment in Teacher Education: Impact on Preservice

Teacher’s Knowledge and Attitudes. Journal of Teacher Education, Sept-Oct. 1996
v47 n4 p245 (8).

Moran, Esther Q. Project Portfolio Assessment. Education, Fall 1994 v115 n1 p51 (7).

Nidds, John A. How Functional Is Portfolio Assessment Anyway? Education Digest,

January 1997 v62 p47 (4).

Paulson, F. What Makes a Portfolio a Portfolio. Educational Leadership, April 1989 v48
n5 p60-63

Performance and Portfolio Assessment for Language Minority Students.

http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu:80/miscpubs/cal/contesl/ed346747.html

Portfolio Assessment. http://r D lab.cl.uh.edu:80/COURSE/INST 593A/Portfoli o.html

Portfolio Assessment of Your Work — A Guide.

http://www.wtvl.K12.me.us/~ahaley/portfol.html

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Bibliography/Resource List, cont.

Russell, David. Collaborative Portfolio Assessment in the English Secondary School

System. The Clearing House, March-April, 1995 v62 n4 p244.

Student Portfolios: A Collection of Articles. http://www.business 1.com/iri

sky/StuPort/stpi.htm

Tierney, Robert J. Portfolio Assessment in the Reading-Writing Classroom.

http://www.crocker.com/~r...portolioassess.html

What is Portfolio Assessment? http://www.cs.binghamton.edu:80/~lol and/port.html

Wolf, D. P. Opening Up Assessment. Educational Leadership, April 1989 v45 n4 p24-29

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SELECTED

ARTICLES

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