How can students use growth portfolios to better communicate
and self-assess their learning? Jamie Utphall
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My PDP Version How can I research, create and implement a
growth portfolio system in my classroom so that students can better
communicate and self-assess their learning towards mastering
specific grade-level skills and content derived from the Common
Core State Standards?
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My Goals (Adapted from WI Teacher Standards) Students will be
able to select and reflect on how learning experiences were
meaningful and relevant to their lives. communicate how learning
experiences support their development. better recognize and use
metacognitive strategies that work best for them.
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My inspiration: Thanks to my mentors at Washington Jr. High
Tammy OConnor Jess Apitz Kathy Lemberger Jill Hendricks
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SeeThinkWonder activity Carnaval de Saturno by Ricardo
Ponce
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Choose 1 and cite specific details from the painting for
support Describe how this image reminds you of characters,
conflicts, + themes from The Crucible (Jill Hendricks) Create and
defend a new title for this painting (Jess Apitz) Describe how your
thinking has changed/deepened after our discussion about the
painting (Tammy OConnor) What do you need to know to better
understand this painting? (Kathy Lemberger)
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Jesss Portfolio Model Jesss Portfolio class Student selects
academic indicators to prove using artifacts + written reflection
using artifacts + written reflection Artifacts come from all
subject areas + various points during the year Student prepares
+delivers the defense in May for Jess, parents, current + future
teachers, principal, + other students
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My journey so far: Portfolio Event in English 9
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My journey so far : Portfolio embedded in Accel. E9 Workshop
MNs Portfolio Defense + Discussion (1:30 2:10) JAs Portfolio
Defense + Discussion How can I use these discussions to propel
students deeper reflective writing?
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Moving to a new school
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My journey so far: Portfolio Project : Quarter 1 Event AT from
English 9 Fill in the blanks and sticky note evidence that meets
the standard Portfolio Project : Quarter 2 Event FL from English 10
conference audio Pick evidence that demonstrates mastery Compose
intro + inclusion paragraphs for portfolio Present orally KR from
English 10 Its a small world!
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My journey so far: Portfolio Project : Quarter 3 Event JT from
English 9 Create + Defend an analogy that describes your growth in
English class this year so far. Use specific examples of your work
to support your analogy. Timed In-class MELCON
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After GMWP orientation How do students know how they know ? How
can I help students better communicate how they know they know? How
can I use the 16 Habits of Mind to give students a reflective
vocabulary to describe their thinking and learning?
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Draw a Square activity How many different ways can you divide
the square into 4 parts?
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We can decide on what attitude we use to approach a given
situation. We can choose how we act on our existing knowledge and
how we create new knowledge.
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The problems the world faces today will not be solved with the
same level of thinking that created them. Albert Einstein What does
Einstein mean? To What sort of problems might Einstein be
referring? Albert Einstein by Debra Hurd
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The problems the world faces today will not be solved with the
same level of thinking that created them. Albert Einstein What does
Einstein mean? To what sort of problems might Einstein be
referring?
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Shawn Achor TEDtalk: The happy secret to better work What
Habits of Mind did Achor describe? What new Habits of mind might
Achor coin?
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Choose one of the 16 Habits of Mind and write about a time you
demonstrated it. -or- Create your own Habit of Mind, complete with
a definition, symbol and quote/words of wisdom. Write about a time
you demonstrated it
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My journey so far: Portfolio Project : Quarter 4 Exemplar: AK
from English 10 Breaking the mold: HWs unconventional letter
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But why were some students portfolios + reflective writing
still so superficial and meaningless?
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BECAUSE I NEED TO CHANGE HOW I TEACH WRITERS.
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Yancey, Kathleen Blake. "Teachers stories: Notes toward a
portfolio pedagogy." Portfolios in the writing classroom (1992):
12-19. not merely a storage folder, but a practice of routine
reflection A commitment to inquiry means that no one party to the
exploration knows the answers definitively or ideally, that all
parties work together to negotiate meaning, and that making meaning
is the enterprise shared by all (17) its necessary for students to
experience success and failure and to think about context, which is
crucial for development (17) a portfolio system does not replace
quality writing instruction, but it is a method by which students
can take an active role in their own learning
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Perks, Kevin. Dialogue Folders: Creating Space to Engage
Students.Reflective Teaching, Reflective Learning: How to Develop
Critically Engaged Readers, Writers, and Speakers. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann, 2005. 19-31. Print. Provide weekly + sustained dialogic
feedback via notebook: I have come to the realization that if my
students are ever going to increase their command of the craft of
writing in my classroom, I need to provide a great deal of space
for them to write and communicate with them about what they do as
writers (35) How is my writing going? What is the next step in my
writing? What specific questions do I have that will help me
receive feedback about my writing? (38) Dialogue folders are
motivating for students and increase engagement by citing the
Self-Determination Theory, which posits that individuals [are]
motivated when they feel as if their actions are self-determined
(44)
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Other Resources Cramer, Matthew. "Digital Portfolios:
Documenting Student Growth." Resources. Coalition of Essential
Schools, 2009. Web. 14 July 2014. Ruhana, Judith. "Portfolios That
Make a Difference: A Four-Year Journey." The Quarterly 23.4 (2001):
n. pag. Web. 6 July 2014..
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What is Reflection? activities Concept Definition Map Creating
+ Publishing Analogy Comics Shades of Reflection
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My Plan More opportunities for writing for diverse purposes +
audiences Dialogue Journals More Modeling + Conferencing one-on-one
Process Papers for larger projects Digital Portfolio + Oral
Defenses
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TW Write-out Describe your process for composing your
multi-genre project What are you most excited about sharing this
afternoon? What is one thing you would change if you had an 45
extra minutes before presenting? What does your audience need to
know about your project in order to understand it fully?