Building a Teaching Portfolio

At the beginning of her interview for a social studies teaching position, Susan seemed like a middle-of-the-road candidate. But then, responding to a question, she displayed photographs from her teaching portfolio showing students immersed in a lesson on the Constitution. At the request of the panel, she continued to present more photographs, a detailed lesson plan, and student exit tickets, further evidencing her student-centered instructional style. By the time she finished sharing, she was advanced to the next phase of the hiring process and ultimately hired. 

The problem with the job search process in education is that it’s unnatural. While the traditional cover letter, résumé, interview, and demonstration lesson represent teaching skills to a degree, the relationship is somewhat disconnected and incomplete. They tend to advantage candidates who are preternatural performers or have a facility using AI. One solution is to enable search committees to gather more information about the candidate and their work in the classroom. Enter the employment portfolio. 

HOW TO BUILD A PORTFOLIO

Starting a portfolio today might seem to be a daunting task, but remember a portfolio is a living document continuously morphing. If you’re a student teacher and the lesson you planned proceeded as you intended, with busy noise in the room as children learn interactively and on-task, snap a quick photo and insert it in your portfolio over the weekend. Tomorrow’s portfolio might look a bit thin, but it will grow as you add items. The adage “Less is more” also applies. For example, below we’ll suggest that you incorporate two or three exemplary lesson plans; more than that would be burdensome to a reader. You should also strategically revise your portfolio for each interview, adding, removing, or altering the order of items depending on the priorities of a particular school.

Format and use. The first employment portfolios we encountered were three-ring binders containing dozens of hard-copy documents, perhaps using tabs to separate the portfolio into sections. Most candidates now use web-based digital portfolios, which offer two advantages: They can incorporate video, and candidates can easily share the link to the portfolio with the committee. The candidate can bring a laptop or tablet with the portfolio downloaded to the interview.

Whether it’s digital or hard copy, how is the portfolio used? That’s a critical question because interview committees don’t often ask to see them. Let’s say you’re asked about your approach to writer’s workshop. Start by sharing photographs of students from your student teaching placement, showing conferencing with peers, self-editing checklists and rubrics you created, exit slips, and perhaps copies of first and final drafts. The old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” applies. Photographs (or a short video recording) and samples of student work provide a thorough and rich picture of a candidate’s pedagogical style, beliefs, and abilities. 

Some panels will ask the applicant to share the best pages in the portfolio, so we suggest that candidates identify around four items that best capture the skills and experiences they have to offer. 

Before you present your portfolio, be sure to ask the search committee or person arranging the interview whether it is acceptable to share. Some committees do not allow the introduction of portfolios until a later round in the hiring process.

Also check the school’s policy on photographing (or video recording) students. If the policy is a hard-line “no,” then limit your portfolio to samples of student work and other instructional and assessment material. Other schools may permit photographing students from the back (no faces), as long as the purpose is solely for an employment portfolio. The constraints for a hard-copy version might be different than for an online portfolio, since circulation is much more limited. 

PORTFOLIO CONTENTS

Start with the basics. The first section of your portfolio consists of traditional job application documents: your résumé, cover letter, college and university transcripts, and list of references. While not necessary, a statement of philosophy, articulating your core convictions about teaching, learning, and the value of education may enhance your desirability. You may also include an essay explaining your views on artificial intelligence, affirming that you took time to develop a thoughtful view.

Lessons. Choose a few outstanding lessons that best represent your pedagogical style and produced demonstrable results. Begin with the actual lesson plan, and add evidence of student work and engagement, including photographs and video taken while class was in progress. Don’t overlook student assessment practices. For example, include rubrics as well as both formative and summative evaluations. To show your facility with instructional technology, we recommend incorporating a list called “Classroom Technology Applications,” briefly describing how you’ve used software and hardware in your lessons. 

Professional development participation. Demonstrate that you’re a lifelong learner by providing evidence of workshops, conferences, postgraduate courses, etc., that have enhanced your professional knowledge. Artifacts might include programs showing the day’s schedule, certificates of completion, perhaps a photograph from an especially meaningful session, or a collection of ID badges. 

Testimonial statements. Include nonconfidential references from supervisors and colleagues. Among the most heartwarming items in a portfolio, and therefore highly influential, are thank-you messages from children and parents. “You were my favorite teacher because...,” “We’re grateful for the impact you had on our child...” For student teachers at the end of the term, you might ask your cooperating teacher to solicit goodbye letters and attach the best ones to your portfolio. 

Parent outreach. A hiring committee would be interested in your efforts to build partnerships with parents. Illustrations include PowerPoint slides presented on Back to School Night, emails to individual parents and a contact log, and class newsletters. Be sure to protect privacy rights by redacting names. 

Outside interests and special talents. On one hand, we recommend no more than one or two pages devoted to the candidate’s personal life; on the other hand, it conveys a complete picture. Examples include an image of a world map with pins marking countries visited, a photograph of the candidate playing guitar in concert,  an illustration of an interesting hobby, etc. 

Considered as a whole, the portfolio demonstrates who you are as a teacher: your values, experiences, and talents. As such, it enables you to stand out from the crowd of applicants, highlighting your unique and compelling ability to meet the needs of the school.