Guidelines for Professional Teaching Portfolio

PHY 353 -- Student Teaching Seminar
Illinois State University Physics Department
Physics Teacher Education Program
Carl J. Wenning, Program Coordinator

Portfolio Format:

The professional teaching portfolio shall be organized as follows. There will be three main sections, each in some way showing the degree of compliance with areas of NSES, NSTA, INTASC, Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, and the ISU Conceptual Framework.

1. Personal teaching philosophy

The personal teaching philosophy defines who the student will be as a teacher. It details the student teacher's commitment to teaching in a way that is consistent with national, state, and professional, and university standards. These standards include the NSES, NSTA Professional Teaching Standards, INTASC Core Standards, and Illinois Professional Teaching Standards.

2. Self assessment and evidence of compliance with NSES/ISU teaching standards

This section, the heart of the professional teaching portfolio, is divided into five sub-sections, each focusing on a single NSES teaching standard. Supporting evidence must be provided for each of the five NSES standards. In addition, each student teacher will include evidence that demonstrates compliance with the ISU Conceptual Framework, "Realizing the Democratic Ideal."

NSES Teaching Standard A - Teachers of science plan an inquiry-based science program for their students.
NSES Teaching Standard B - Teachers of science guide and facilitate learning.
NSES Teaching Standard C - Teachers of science engage in ongoing assessment of their teaching and student learning.
NSES Teaching Standard D - Teachers of science design and manage learning environments that provide students with the time, space, and resources needed for learning science.
NSES Teaching Standard E - Teacher of science develop communities of science learners that reflect the intellectual rigor of scientific inquiry and the attitudes and social values conducive to science learning.
ISU Conceptual Framework - Teachers exhibit the ideals contained in "Realizing the Democratic Ideal."

Each NSES sub-section will have a short overview statement, followed by a minimum of three pieces of documentation that represents progress toward gaining competency or actual attainment of that goal. The number list found below, "Supporting Evidence", provides several valuable suggestions. The group of documentary evidence must be followed immediately by a brief reflection that describes: (1) the context in which these items of evidence were developed or collected, and what you learned from these experiences; (2) what these items of evidence tell about your progress toward your personal goals and/or your growth as a teacher of science; and (3) what these items demonstrate about your progress toward the NSES teaching standards. The ISU Conceptual Framework sub-section will contain a reflection dealing with the student teacher's commitment toward "Realizing the Democratic Ideal."

An overall reflective commentary must conclude this section of the portfolio. The reflective commentary guidelines are as follows:

a. Tell about yourself. In this section share specific information about yourself. (e.g. personality characteristics, hobbies or experiences that have defined and shaped your life, etc.)
b. Why you want to be a teacher. This section should describe what motives you to become a teacher (e.g. influence of others, love of children, love of subject matter, a specific experience, etc.)
c. Highlights of student teaching. Describe how your student teaching experience has helped to shape you as a teacher. Tell about your most meaningful experience and how this has helped to shape your philosophy of teaching.
d. Tell what you have learned about yourself during student teaching. This should be a short summary of the portfolio experience. What did the preparation of the portfolio mean to you? How has your teaching philosophy changed as a result of your student teaching experience?

3. Five-year plan for professional development

The professional development plan must contain a minimum of five personal goals for professional development, and must comply with the State of Illinois' license renewal program (http://www.isbe.state.il.us/recertification/certrenewal.pdf). Imagine your ideal teaching position five years after graduation. What will you need to know to be able to perform well in that position? What skills will you need to have? What skills will you need to improve? What attitudes and dispositions will you need to develop to succeed and be satisfied with your work? What experiences do you need to prepare for this position? What will be your greatest challenge as you work to become successful?

All information will be provided in a three-ring binder. Each section will be set off with an appropriate divider. The portfolio will contain a title page and a table of contents. See course instructor for example of a successful professional teaching portfolio. The portfolio will be assessed with the use of a Grading Rubric.

Portfolio Documentation:

The professional teaching portfolio MUST contain at least three (3) different types of documentary evidence to support each of the NSES/ISU teaching standards outlined above. Suggestions for supporting evidence will be found below listed by teaching standard:

NSES Teaching Standard A (student teacher regularly presents inquiry-based lessons)

• Evidence of inquiry practice (videotape of teaching, student projects and/or reports, project guidelines, "non-directed" laboratory activities, lists of questions use during lesson, lesson plan, written comments provided by university supervisor and cooperating teacher including mid-term and final cooperating teacher evaluations, bi-weekly university supervisor observations, letters of recommendation from any administrator, etc.)

NSES Teaching Standard B (student teacher guides and facilitates learning)

• Evidence showing concern for student growth and development in intellectual, social, and moral dimensions (classroom rules and regulations, evidence of the use of cooperative learning, corrective actions for students with behavior difficulties, corrective feedback provided to students including written comments on returned exams, papers, or projects, etc.).
• Evidence of student learning/achievement (grade book records, test results, special projects, enrichment activities, etc.).

NSES Teaching Standard C (student teacher engages in assessment of students and self)

• Evidence of reflective self-assessment of knowledge and skills (self-assessment using Student Teaching assessment instrument, essay based upon any reasonable set of teaching standards with the exception of the ISU Conceptual Framework (used elsewhere), documentation of changes in teaching based upon self-assessment, etc.)
• Evidence of student assessment (alternative assessments, performance assessments, traditional tests, lab reports, peer assessment, etc.)

NSES Teaching Standard D (student teacher maintains conducive learning environment)

• Evidence of effective student and/or class management (reflections on improvements of student conduct, two-part comparative videotapes, letter of commendation from parent, letters from students, etc.)
• Evidence of special projects to improve school site and/or faculty (includes gathering special materials such as surplus computers, presentation of a new demonstration, assisting with professional development of inservice teachers, etc.)

NSES Teaching Standard E (student teacher develops effective learning communities)

• Evidence of the use of cooperative learning (guidelines for cooperative work, results of cooperative group work, videotape showing the results of jigsaw projects, etc.)
• Evidence of extracurricular involvement (post-school activities as Science Club, Scholastic Bowl, WYSE, JETS, etc.).
• Evidence of the use of community and school resources (field trips, guest speakers, etc.)
• Evidence of assessment of students' attitudes, values, or dispositions (survey, written comments derived from discussion, etc.)

ISU Conceptual Framework "Realizing the Democratic Ideal"

• Evidence of commitment to the ISU Teacher Education's moral and intellectual virtues (essay relating to all virtues, citing at lest three different types of experiences if possible)

Return to PHY 353 Syllabus

Return to PHY 353 Student Tasks/Assignments