portrubric

IN PREPARING THE SECTION FOR EACH STANDARD

Criterion

Questions to ask yourself

What might this look like?

Standard

Have I included a statement of the standard and all indicators to begin the section?

Standard 9: Reflection and Professional Development.  A teacher must be a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of choices and actions on others, including students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community, and who actively seeks out opportunities for professional growth.  The teacher must:

A.  understand the historical and philosophical foundations of education;

B.  understand methods of inquiry, self-assessment, and problem-solving strategies for use in professional self-assessment;

C.  understand the influences of the teacher's behavior on student growth and learning;

D.  know major areas of research on teaching and of resources available for professional development;

E.  understand the role of reflection and self-assessment on continual learning;

F.  understand the value of critical thinking and self-directed learning;

G.  understand professional responsibility and the need to engage in and support appropriate professional practices for self and colleagues;

H.  use classroom observation, information about students, and research as sources for evaluating the outcomes of teaching and learning and as a basis for reflecting on and revising practice;

I.  use professional literature, colleagues, and other resources to support development as both a student and a teacher;

J.  collaboratively use professional colleagues within the school and other professional arenas as supports for reflection, problem-solving, and new ideas, actively sharing experiences, and seeking and giving feedback;

K.     understand standards of professional conduct in the Code of Ethics for Minnesota Teachers in part 8700.7500; and

12. understand the responsibility for obtaining and maintaining licensure, the role of the teacher as a public employee, and the purpose and contributions of educational organizations.

Indicator (3 per standard)

Have I included the letter and the language of the indicator?

Indicator H: The teacher must use classroom observation, information about students and research as sources for evaluating the outcomes of teaching and learning and as a basis for reflecting on and revising practice.

Artifact (1 for each indicator)

Have I named my artifact and explained what it is? Can the reader easily locate the artifact? Have I highlighted and/or used margin notes on the artifact to identify the relevant specifics?

Artifact: Action Research Project Summary. The student teacher includes a brief summary of an action research project she conducted in which she attempted to see if the seating arrangement she used in her classroom influenced her ability to get students actively involved in class discussion.  The results and conclusions of her research have been highlighted in the summary. The student briefly explains the artifact.  See also these samples from previously submitted portfolios: Sample 1 and Sample 2.

IN PREPARING THE SECTION FOR EACH STANDARD

Criterion

Questions to ask yourself

What might this look like?

Rationale (1 for each indicator)

Have I explained why I chose this artifact for this indicator? Have I described how the artifact specifically relates to this indicator and standard?  Have I elaborated on my beliefs about teaching with respect to this indicator? Have I used “first person” and included personal examples?  Will this artifact and my accompanying rationale convince the reader that I have “achieved” the given indicator?

Continuing the action research example above: The student teacher explains how she had been having difficulty getting her students engaged in class discussion.  When discussing her problem with colleagues, one of them suggested a different seating arrangement.  That’s when she decided to try a little experiment by using one seating arrangement in one of her two classes for this subject and another arrangement in the other.  She systematically carried out her experiment, taking notes on how many starter questions she had to use in each class.   She included this evidence because she said it illustrated one of the ways that she has used her classroom observations and research to increase the effectiveness of her instruction (she found that a circular seating arrangement was more effective). See also Sample 1 and Sample 2.

Total Standard Reflection (1 for each standard),

Have I carefully considered what this standard means for my teaching and my beliefs about teaching?  In my reflection, have I gone beyond the particular indicators and artifacts I used as evidence?  Have I connected this standard to what I believe and what I do in the classroom?  Have I made connections to “Principled Practice?” in the Department’s conceptual framework?  Have I shared how personal experiences have helped me understand this standard? How might my teaching change in ways that will further exemplify this standard?

Continuing the action research example above: The student teacher reflects on what it means to her to be a “reflective practitioner.” She writes that it means she not only knows what she is doing when teaching, but also why she is doing it and what evidence there is to support her approach.  She also describes how, each day or evening, she takes time to reflect on that day’s lessons – did she accomplish her objectives, why or why not, what can she do to improve on that lesson, etc.? In short, she describes how she is able to interpret classroom activity in order to make sound instructional decisions, and she relates this idea to the Department’s idea of “Principled Practice” in the conceptual framework. See also Sample 1 and Sample 2.