HIT: Prof. Portfolios - Part I

[TK Cassidy <tkcassidy@YAHOO.COM>]

Thanks to those people who responded. I received
as many requests for hits as I did great ideas of
what to put in a professional portfolio.

I appreciate each and everyone who
responded...best!

(I love this idea!! Self promotion has always
been a weak point for me.)

        Grab that camera!  Pictures reveal so much more
than your descriptions can.  I hope you arrive at
a formula for self promotion without bragging.
Get your colleagues to describe your
contributions.  It seems better than making up
your own.  Plus it will lift your heart to read
about your work through the eyes of your peers.
Better yet, ask the children to write about
projects they have done with you!  Invite them to
take pictures.  Provide the film and cameras and
let them loose!
----------
        I'm updating mine also as I'm contemplating a
move from an elementary to a high school media
center soon... just thinking.
        My portfolio contains:
* current resume
* current teaching certificate
* awards and certificates received (for both
school and community involvement)
* newspaper clippings/pictures of things done in
media center
* copies of professional articles written (one
was published in a professional journal)
* examples of the Media Newsletters I've created
for staff
* lots of pictures and "stuff" from successful
programs and outstanding lessons
* examples of forms I've created for our staff
use
* notes and e-mails (at-a-boy type) sent from
administration and staff
* a sampling of the training manual I created for
our technology plan
* some notes and drawings from students that are
priceless
        Hope this gives you some ideas.  Let me know how
it goes!
(more in response to my response)
        It would appear so (to be a glorified resume).
Our Media District Supervisor recommended having
this sort of thing for interviews years ago.
Have been "collecting" stuff ever since.  The
last interview I had,  the principal was very
impressed with it.  I have it displayed in a
large binder with lots of graphics.  The
principal flipped through it, asked questions,
and commented on some things.  Helped her to get
a better picture and really see what I'm all
about.
--
I have a professional portfolio. Transcripts,
certifications, pictures of libraries I have
worked in, special programs, displays, grants,
certificates of appreciations, commendations,
letters of reference, newsletters, newspaper
clippings. Once you start its hard to stop. I
don't do everyone. Just the really super ones and
of programs like author visits etc. Save
programs, etc. It has come in helpful for job
interviews and awards, like teacher of year, etc.
------
Brochure that you hand out to parents/staff
outlining services at the library
Bookmarks or pictures of bulletin boards showing
creativity
Handouts showing creative use of teaching skills,
literature  appreciation
Schedule showing use of time.....
--------
It was a requirement when I was an elementary
education major.  So, when I  got to graduate
school, I made one then, too, with all my work in
it.  Now  that I have been working for three
years, I have slowly taken some of the old  stuff
out.  I have been accumulating handouts and
evaluations for the last  three years, but I
haven't organized them in any fashion-- just
thrown them  into the binder.  I know I have to
organize them some way, I just haven't  bothered
since I have been rather content in my present
position.  This would  probably be a great idea
for me to do this weekend when I am not doing
anything.  I will have to write up some little
explanations and such to go  along with a lot of
the things.  I think it gives a general
impression of my  philosophies and how I do my
work.  It is impressive to have one when you go
into an interview, even if they don't look at it.
 The fact that you have one  is a plus.
------
One thing I started doing is keeping copies of
all the handouts I prepare for the staff.  I got
a couple of big binders, and the assistant I have
twice a week remembers to save stuff too since
I'm not good at paperwork related stuff :) it's
not the most professional presentation, but it
triggers reminders of what I have done over the
years.  Wish I had thought to do it from day 1.
------
I've had a professional portfolio for about 7
years; I started one at the recommendation of a
professional counselor/head hunter. I redo it
occasionally, but basically have these sections:

        First: - copies of my teaching certificates
         - copy of resume (with extras in the back in
case I want to hand some out at an interview)
        Second: - projects done with classes and
teachers (newspaper clippings, newsletter
articles, photographs) like book fairs, special
units (Pig Out With Reading and me in Miss Piggy
outfit), research projects, etc. depending on
grade level
        Third:  - Technology --
information/documentation about grants
(Adventures in Supercomputing, math classes,
etc.), computer night open house, Internet
instruction
        Fourth: - Community Involvement -- volunteering
at public library with barcoding and moving to
new facility, teaching ice skating classes, etc.
        I put these in plastic sleeves and can remove
and update them depending on the job. For
elementary I usually take out the high school
stuff and vice versa. I use the same font on all
the pages I type, but some of the news articles
are different. I use a colored (light blue)
divider sheet for the different sections printed
on card stock.
        The whole thing is in a 3 ring binder -
black leather type with reinforced tips on the
corners so it looks professional. In my cover
letter I put a sentence in stating that my
portfolio is available for them to see. I take it
with me on interviews and if there is an
appropriate time I mention it so they can look
through.
-------
Our school went to professional portfolios last
year for the first time.  We were told that a
portfolio could be anything we wanted, and as
formal or informal as we wanted, as long as it
showcased what we did.  I decided to do mine as a
scrapbook, figuring that what we did in the LC
was basically what I did.  So I took pictures,
kept handouts, collected student work, etc., and
did photo spreads on all LC activities, including
Battle of the Books, Children's Book Week,
Electronic Bookshelf, skills lessons in progress,
story hour activities, etc. I included lesson
plans, activities, bulletin board displays, story
corner decorations -- in essence everything we
did all year long.  When it was finished, I not
only had a portfolio, but had a very impressive
record of what the LC had done all year.  I think
it both surprised and impressed my administration
to view a record of a very active Learning
Center, and has been very handy to have, to show
off what we do.  Hope this helps,
-------
I started keeping items in a portfolio last year
because our principal told us that soon that
would be their method of evaluation. I was
evaluated yesterday while a world history class
was doing research for term papers.  I also
turned in my portfolio.
        I have included: letter to my advisory board,
newspaper clipping about state library council
membership, list of new materials given to
various departments, thank you note from a
teacher, approval to write a grant, planned
activities for the library, book fair results,
teacher contact log-special deeds for teachers,
open late notice and others
-------
I recently interviewed for jobs. Some search
committees wanted to see a portfolio, others were
not interested at all.
        I have included in my portfolio:  copies of
projects done with students  (both blank and
completed with goals and objectives attached),
letters of  recommendation and thanks,
photographs of media center activities and photos
of student projects generated in the media
center. I included a couple of  video
presentations made by students and a powerpoint
presentation on  floppy to show that I use
"current" technology...
------
I guess you could call it a portfolio  -- I keep
a collection of the activities I develop to use
with students and teachers.  I have a box of
paper copies and then in recent years the files
are saved on zip cartridges as well.  I also have
a couple of collections of photos of special
events we have held which are in an album.
--------
My Assistant Supt. requested that all of us have
a professional portfolio. He never said what to
put into it, so I just put in what I thought
would be a good representation of my
accomplishments and responsibilities as Director.
 I have published two articles, so copies of
those items are in there.  (My asst. Supt. asked
me when my next article is coming out!!!!) Gads,
he obviously doesn't know how much effort goes
into those things--at least for me.  Then I have
copies of all the instructional design efforts I
do with teachers (22 in November).  I list of all
the meetings I host, presentations I gave, or
conferences I attended and any vendors I have
talked to.  I know I do forget to put in a lot of
items which probably should be there, but I just
can't spend that much time recording all the
stuff I do.  It might be a good idea to post any
responses you get, so that if I'm missing
something for my own portfolio, I can start
including it.



=====
T. K. Cassidy, MLIS   tkc@storylady.com - http://storylady.com
Stepping up to a Library Power LMC - Aldert Root, Raleigh NC

85% of what goes on in a writer's head is none of their business.
                - Stephen King *Bag of Bones*
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