One Teacher's Experiences With Student Portfolios

Abstract

At the start of my second year of teaching, I faced the challenges and pressures felt by all educators upon returning to the classroom. I experienced feelings of confidence and self-doubt simultaneously. My first year as a teacher had been rewarding and fulfilling; I knew I had chosen a profession I could truly enjoy. My greatest fear, however, was that I would remain content with lessons that had "worked" during my first year of teaching and that I would become satisfied with what teachers fresh out of university methods classes might consider mediocre. Therefore, as I looked toward the start of the fall semester, I established several personal and professional goals. In order to compel myself and my students to engage in active learning processes, I decided that one of my goals would be to guide them in the development of portfolios.