Teaching Portfolios and Portfolio Conversations for Teacher Educators and Teachers

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss our experiences as university faculty members and teacher educators in constructing portfolios of our teaching and in holding portfolio-based conversations with colleagues in order to enhance our effectiveness as teachers. Based on these experiences, we describe guidelines that others might follow as they participate in a similar process. In particular, if (a) portfolio conversations focus on teaching artifacts and teachers' questions about their own practice, (b) the sessions are efficiently run, (c) the portfolio review group is carefully organized, and (d) the portfolio contents are built around a specific and extended teaching enterprise, then portfolio conversations may help teachers improve practice. We also discuss the implications of our experiences for teacher education.