Week 8 KWL

What I know about professional development plans:

• Professional development is an important component of teaching.
  
• Professional development opportunities are available through school districts, educational associations, professional associations and colleges and universities.
• Professional development activities can include workshops, conferences, presentations, courses and self study.
• Professional development plans can include individually chosen activities around one's interests or weaknesses.
• Professional development activities can also be dictated by school or district needs, plans and policies.

What I want to know about professional development plans:

• Where or what are other options for professional development activities?
• What resources are available for professional development?
• How should one best structure or organize a professional development plan?
  

What I learned about professional development plans:

• While continuing education credits are required by all states to continue certification, there is no consensus as to how much continuing education should be required or how teachers should obtain their continuing education credits.
  
• Professional development should be considered a daily part of the teaching profession.
• Technology (such as video conferencing, electronic bulletin boards and online classes) can help increase professional development and the amount of time devoted to professional development activities.
• Some organizations recommend 20-25% of the teachers work time be devoted to professional development activities.
  
• Professional development is linked with increased student performance and learning.
  

Week 7 KWL

Things I know about presentation portfolios:

• Presentation portfolios should be well organized and easy to read/navigate.
• Presentation portfolios should utilize dividers (if print based) or separate pages (if digital) for each class or topic discussed.
• Presentation portfolios should contain artifacts that are carefully selected to represent specific skills, standards or competencies.
  
• Presentation portfolios should not be a "scrapbook" or random collection of memories and work.
  

Things I want to know about presentation portfolios:

• What is the best way to organize and present my artifacts?
• What tools can I use to best help me create my digital presentation portfolio?
  

Things I learned about presentation portfolios:

• Presentation portfolios should contain a "portfolio at a glance" or basic table of contents or outline of what is contained in the portfolio. The "portfolio at a glance" helps to organize the portfolio.
• Portfolios at a glance help guide the reader to specific areas of content in your portfolio.
  
• A portfolio should be evaluated for effectiveness at achieving its purpose.
  

Week 6 KWL

What I know about standards:

• Standards are used to describe the methods or processes of a group or organization.
• Standards are used to ensure everyone is following similar processes or procedures.
• In education there are national standards, state standards and district or school standards.
• Arizona has state education standards for each grade level.
• Arizona also has 9 professional teaching standards.

What I want to know about standards:

• How standards play a role in the development of a portfolio?
• What standards will be useful in developing my portfolio?

What I learned about standards:

• The selection of materials to include in the portfolio should be governed by standards.
• Items should be chosen that demonstrate growth and development or mastery of a particular standard.
• Portfolios can be organized according to standards. This gives structure and importance to the portfolio.
  

Week 5 KWL

Things I know about writing with a purpose and reflective practice:

• It is always a good idea to proof read your writing for grammar, punctuation, mechanics, etc.
  
• Tone in writing is important, as is knowing your audience.
  
• Professional and scholarly writing should be different in tone, style and formality than personal and creative writing.
  
• Reflection is important for professional development.
  
• Professional reflection can improve your teaching abilities and increase your impact on students.

Things I want to know:

• What are the best methods for implementing and using reflective writings for professional development purposes?
• How can reflective writings be incorporated into my weekly/monthly teaching routines?
  
• What are the best ways to use reflective writings in my portfolio?

Things I learned:

• Reflection is a tool for learning.
• It may be a good idea to have someone else proof read your writing before posting it or using it in your portfolio.
• Reflection helps to justify why you have chosen to include a certain artifact in your portfolio.
• Reflective writing can show growth and what you have learned from an experience.
  

Week 4 KWL

What I know about educational safeguards:

• Because I work as a special education teacher, I am pretty aware of privacy issues for students. All of my students IEP information, educational goals and progress are to be kept confidential.
• Written permission is required to share IEP information with individuals outside the school.
  
• You need parent permission to use photographs or video tapes of their children.
• When sending emails discussing students, one should use only first names or student initials, to protect privacy.
• Student details, like contact information, birth dates, etc. should not be shared.
• Items shared on the internet can be viewed by anyone, unless you password protect them.
  

What I want to know:

• What specifically must be done to ensure digital portfolios are safe and follow privacy rules?
• What items in a portfolio are effected by the need to safeguard student information?
• How do you ensure information posted in a digital portfolio doesn't get "stolen" or misused?
• Are their standards or guidelines that exist for regulating electronic posting of student information?
  

What I learned:

• Student work can still be shared in a portfolio without using student names.
  
• Group pictures are a good option for sharing student photos.
• When sharing videos, be sure students names are not heard in the video.
• Create permission slips specific to items being posted online (pictures, videos, student work, field trips, etc.).
• Some sites make protecting information easier than other sites.
  
• Be aware of the potential effects of sharing student items. Always consider what information is contained and who could stumble upon this information.
  

Week 3 KWL

Formats of Portfolios

Things I know:

• Artist's often use large folio type formats.
• Portfolios can be in binders with dividers and tabs.
• Student portfolios are sometimes in bins or boxes.
  
• Portfolios can be digital or electronic.

Things I want to know:

• How do you put together a paper format portfolio? What is needed?
  
• How do you put together a digital portfolio? What is needed?
  
• What are the advantages and disadvantages to each kind of portfolio?

Things I learned:

• Digital portfolios are more portable and can be shared with multiple people at the same time.
• Digital portfolios can highlight technology skills.
• Digital portfolios are easy to update, especially when things are often created electronically for lesson planning and teaching anyway.
• While presentation style is important, content is the most important component of a portfolio.
• Digital portfolios can be organized more complexly with hyper linking.
• The multi media aspect of a digital portfolio allows the portfolio content to be more complex and more specific to the individual's strengths, creativity and personality.
• Electronic portfolio development can be more time consuming and more expensive.
• Digital portfolios can be created using templates at commercial sites or using HTML at personal websites.
  

Week 2 KWL

Using portfolios throughout a teaching career:

Things I know

• As a pre-service teacher, portfolios can be used to demonstrate knowledge of the profession and best practices.
• Pre-service teachers can use a portfolio to reflect on interest in teaching and skills/traits beneficial to a teacher.
• In-service teacher uses for professional development.
• In-service teacher uses to show growth and change.
• In-service teacher uses for reflection of teaching.

Things I want to know

• How to put together and manage a portfolio as years go on and teaching experience grows.
• What are the components of a pre-service teaching portfolio?
• What are the components of an in-service teaching portfolio? What things should be saved and documented?
• What other uses are there for pre-service and in-service teaching portfolios?

Things I learned

• Portfolios are becoming and important aspect of the hiring process for teachers.
• Portfolios are beneficial during the interview process as they provide documentation and reference for interview questions.
  
• Portfolios should include a reflective aspect, an explanation of what experiences and knowledge mean to the individual.
• Portfolios can offer a more holistic view of a teacher, his/her experiences and teaching philosophies.
  
• Portfolios are an effective method for organizing and sharing components of teaching, including professional development, professional accomplishments, student work, student accomplishments and self reflection.
• Portfolios can also be a valuable tool in the classroom for documenting student work and student growth and offering a tool for student self reflection.