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OSSTF District 11- Thames Valley
Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation

680 Industrial Road, London, Ontario, N5V 1V1
Phone: (519) 659-6588; Fax: (519) 659-2421; Email: osstf11@execulink.com

District 11 Office

District 11 Office

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 Professional Portfolios

A District 11 OSSTF Resource Pamphlet

Click on any of the headings below to go to that section of this Resource Pamphlet.

Definition: What is a Professional Portfolio?

Rationale: Why should Teachers have a Professional Portfolio?

Pedagogical Underpinnings

Practical Organization: How should a Teacher's Professional Portfolio be organized?

Resources

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Definition: What is a Professional Portfolio?

A Professional Portfolio is a dynamic record of your qualifications and professional growth over time. 

Your Portfolio should demonstrate the depth of your commitment to teaching through evidence of your teaching and your students’ learning.

 

Rationale: Why should Teachers have a Professional Portfolio?

There are many good reasons to maintain a Professional Portfolio:

bulletThe OSSTF supports professional standards and professional growth:
bullet“I will strive to achieve and maintain the highest degree of professional competence and will always uphold the honour, dignity, and ethical standards of my profession.” (Source: The OSSTF Pledge)
bullet“It is the policy of OSSTF that it is the professional responsibility of members to participate actively in professional development programs.” (Source: OSSTF Handbook)
bullet“It is the policy of OSSTF that professional development should be an activity that is designated specifically for the personal and professional growth of members. (Source: OSSTF Handbook)
bulletThe Ontario College of Teachers supports professional standards and professional growth:
bullet“Professional learning is at the heart of teacher professionalism...[M]embers of the Ontario College of Teachers engage in a wide variety of professional learning in order to improve their practice and enhance student learning…Educators participate in learning opportunities offered by their employers, the Ministry of Education, faculties of education, professional organizations, federations and subject associations. Through this professional learning, College members demonstrate a commitment to continued professional growth.” (Source: Ontario College of Teachers website)
bulletThe Teacher Performance Appraisal system, mandated by the Quality in the Classroom Act 2001, is based upon the “skills, knowledge and attitudes that teachers require” and is designed “to promote professional growth”. It includes an Annual Learning Plan which includes “the teacher’s professional growth objectives, as well as his or her proposed action plan and time lines for achieving those objectives.” (Source: Supporting Teacher Excellence)

 

Pedagogical Underpinnings

The suggestions given here for the development of a Professional Portfolio are based upon the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession developed by the Ontario College of Teachers and upon which the Teacher Performance Appraisal system is based.

“"What does it mean to be a teacher?" Professional self-regulatory bodies use the term "standards of practice" to refer to the descriptors that answer this question. For the teaching profession, this description includes statements about students and student learning, professional knowledge, teaching practice, leadership and community, and ongoing professional learning.”

The Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession are organized under five basic principles which are described in the quotations below from the College of Teachers website:

bulletCommitment to Students and Learning
bullet“Members of the Ontario College of Teachers demonstrate care for and commitment to students. They are dedicated in their efforts to teach and to support student learning. They treat students equitably and with respect. They encourage students to grow as individuals and as contributing members of society. Members of the Ontario College of Teachers assist students to become life-long learners.”
bulletProfessional Knowledge
bullet“Professional knowledge is the foundation of teaching practice. Members of the Ontario College of Teachers know the curriculum, the subject matter, the student, and teaching practice. They know education-related legislation, methods of communication, and ways to teach in a changing world.”
bulletTeaching Practice
bullet“Members of the Ontario College of Teachers apply professional knowledge and understanding of the student, curriculum, teaching, and the changing context of the learning environment to promote student learning. They conduct ongoing assessment and evaluation of student progress. They modify and refine teaching practice through continuous reflection.”
bulletLeadership and Community
bullet“Members of the Ontario College of Teachers are educational leaders who create and sustain learning communities in their classrooms, in their schools, and in their profession. They collaborate with their colleagues and other professionals, with parents, and with other members of the community to enhance school programs and student learning.”
bulletOngoing Professional Learning
bullet“Members of the Ontario College of Teachers are learners who acknowledge the interdependence of teacher learning and student learning. They engage in a continuum of professional growth to improve their practice.”

 

Practical Organization: How should a Teacher's Professional Portfolio be organized?

bulletUse a binder
bulletUse dividers within the binder to organize the sections of your portfolio
bulletUse plastic sheet protectors to prevent damage to documents
bulletIf you have large documents or objects that you wish to include, use 8 ½ x 11 inch colour photocopies or photographs of them.

 

bulletThe first section of your Professional Portfolio should contain evidence of your professional and academic credentials:
bulletOntario Teacher’s Certificate
bulletyour most recent Certificate of Qualification from the Ontario College of Teachers
bulletDegrees/Diplomas/Trade Certificates
bulletTranscripts
bulletOSSTF Certification Rating Statement
bulletYour résumé

 

bulletThe remaining sections of your Professional Portfolio should be arranged in suitable categories. Tip: Since the Teacher Performance Appraisal program including the Annual Learning Plan were developed to correspond with The Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession, it would be a logical extension to organize your Professional Portfolio in this way also.
bulletCommitment to Students and Learning
bulletSome examples of items you could include in this section might be:
bulletA lesson plan which shows that different learning styles are accommodated
bulletPhotographs of bulletin board displays which encourage learning or provide models or sample products of assignments.
bulletProfessional Knowledge
bulletSome examples of items you could include in this section might be:
bulletCopies of your degrees or diplomas or trade certificates
bulletAn assignment which has students draw upon a variety of up-to-date resources
bulletA sample of a marked assignment showing constructive feedback to the student
bulletTeaching Practice
bulletSome examples of items you could include in this section might be:
bulletA unit plan which shows how the various lessons correspond with the learning expectations in the curriculum guidelines
bulletA lesson plan with your reflections on how the lesson might be revised for a future occasion in order to better address curriculum expectations or learning styles
bulletLeadership and Community
bulletSome examples of items you could include in this section might be:
bulletSomething that shows your involvement on a school committee
bulletSomething that shows your participation in a curriculum forum or online discussion of educational issues
bulletOngoing Professional Learning
bulletSome examples of items you could include in this section might be:
bulletYour Annual Learning Plan
bulletYour notes on a Professional Development workshop in which you participated
bulletCertificates indicating successful completion or attendance at workshops, seminars, conferences

 

bulletMany kinds of things are suitable as evidence of pursuit of professional growth. The categories of the Professional Learning Framework provide a listing of many valuable kinds of professional growth activities:
bulletAcademic Programs (ex/ courses, workshops, PD in-service…)
bulletResearch Activities (ex/ research new methodology…)
bulletProfessional Networks (ex/ join a subject association…)
bulletProfessional Activities (ex/ read professional journals…)
bulletMentoring and Networking (ex/  cooperative unit planning…)
bulletProfessional Contributions (ex/ present or organize a workshop…)
bulletLearning through Practice (ex/ try out new instructional strategies…)
bulletTechnology and Learning (ex/ integrate technology into lessons...)
 
bullet
A good place to look for ideas that would show professional competence and growth and that you could include in your Portfolio is the Teacher Performance Appraisal document itself, specifically the section which describes the “Look fors” (or Performance Indicators) listed under each of the sixteen “Competencies”. See Appendices F and G of that document.
 
bulletWhen you engage in any kind of professional growth activity, decide where it best fits within the five categories.
bulletIf you receive a certificate of participation or completion of some kind, include it in the appropriate section.
bulletIf you have created something that can be included easily in the binder--a lesson plan, a rubric, a worksheet, a test, for example--do so.
bulletIf there is no certificate or document you can include, you could write a description of what you did, how it enhanced you professional growth , and how it might enhance your teaching or assessment strategies, or improve student learning.

 

bulletYour Professional Portfolio should be unique to you and reflect who you are as a teacher and reflective practitioner.

 

bulletIt should go without saying, but be sure that your Portfolio does indeed look “professional”. Something that looks shabby or which is disorganized or messy, or which contains errors will reflect poorly on you.
 
bulletYour Professional Portfolio, like your résumé, should be dynamic. It should be updated constantly; as you continue to grow professionally, your Portfolio should show evidence of that.

 

Resources

bulletThe Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession
bulletOSSTF Advice to Members concerning Teacher Performance Appraisals
bulletTeacher Performance Appraisal Checklist
bulletThe Teacher Performance Appraisal Manual and Approved Forms and Guidelines can be downloaded from the Ministry of Education's website.

 

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(OSSTF Motto)

Revised Friday, October 13, 2006

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