Teachers' Reports of the Effects of Preparing Portfolios of Literacy Instruction

Abstract

24 third- and fourth-grade teachers constructed portfolios of their literacy teaching for a school year, documenting, among other things, their literature and writing instruction and their student assessment practices, then convened in June for 2 days of portfolio follow-up exercises at an assessment center. This article examines 1 third-grade teacher's portfolio, along with her reflections on how the project influenced her teaching and thinking. I use self-report data from 18 other teachers to extend this teacher's reflections on the pedagogical and nonpedagogical effects of the teacher portfolio. Teachers reported using more varied strategies for assessing student progress and improvement in planning and adapting literature-based language arts instruction. They also reported enhanced reflection about teaching, self-confidence, and sense of collegiality. The collection and construction of instructional artifacts, along with opportunities for social interaction in the project, appear to have promoted teachers' reflection, which formed the foundation for the teachers' growth.

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