Developing Your Portfolio - Enhancing Your Learning and Showing Your Stuff: A Guide for the Early Childhood Student or Professional

by Marianne Jones, Marilyn Shelton

Overview

Portfolios have often been used as a way for teachers to monitor and assess their students' progress, but this book picks up on the current trend of using portfolios to assess teachers themselves as part of their degree requirements. As a professional development tool, portfolios are also useful for classroom teachers in evaluating their practice, and in showcasing their skills and accomplishments for use in interviews.

Veteran teacher educators Marianne Jones and Marilyn Shelton provide practical and comprehensive guidance specific to the needs of pre- and in-service teachers of young children. This thoroughly revised and updated new edition features:

• A flexible and friendly approach that guides students at varying levels of experience through the portfolio process
• New material on the portfolio planning stage and additional coverage on the importance of developing a personal philosophy
• A companion website with additional instructor materials such as printable templates, exercises for improving portfolio skills, and more

Both theoretical and practical, the book addresses issues and mechanics related to process and product, instruction and guidance techniques, the role of reflection, and assessment strategies. With concrete examples, rubrics, tips, and exercises, this book will provide a step-by-step guide to creating a professional teaching portfolio.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415800525
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	03/07/2011
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Marianne Jones is Professor of Child Development and Chair of the Child, Family, and Consumer Science Department, California State University, Fresno.

Marilyn Shelton is Professor of Literacy and Early Education, California State University, Fresno.

Table of Contents

1. Human Development and Constructivism 2. How Portfolios Reflect Constructivism 3. Portfolio Orientation: Purpose, Type, Context, Structure, and Audience 4. Planning and Organizing for a Successful Portfolio 5. Philosophy: The Unifying Element of Portfolios 6. Reflection: The Defining Feature of Portfolios 7. Building a Portfolio 8. Structure, Design, and Construction of Print and Electronic Portfolio

Editorial Reviews

"Jones and Shelton provide a detailed model for using teacher portfolios as an expression of constructivism and reflective teaching practices. Whether you are a college instructor, student, or teacher of early childhood education, this book offers a comprehensive look at the portfolio development process. With clarifying definitions and detailed examples, this text prepares the reader to become an intentional, disciplined user of portfolios for a variety of purposes."

—Margie Carter, Early Childhood Instructor and Consultant

"This timely book offers an alternative to standardized testing and competitive grading as the way to assess what teachers—and by extension, children—know. Emphasizing the construction of knowledge through action, reflection, and documentation, it presents detailed guidelines for portfolio development."

—Elizabeth Jones, Faculty Emerita in Human Development, Pacific Oaks College

"This book is valuable to those in the child development and early education fields of education."—Reference and Research Book News

From the Publisher