The common model of the teaching portfolio is that of a container a vessel that contains all possible information about one s teaching. We will explore the idea of constructing the teaching portfolio as an argument. Like any other argument, a teaching portfolio should be comprised of a thesis, pieces of evidence, analysis of that evidence, and a conclusion. The statement of teaching philosophy lays out the portfolio s thesis. It anchors the portfolio and provides the scaffolding for the evidence that follows.
Analysis refers to a written analysis of the evidence.
Brief analytic descriptions must link the evidence to conclusions. The portfolio s conclusion might both summarize the argument and suggest future directions for further developing teaching and learning. How do you motivate them to learn, how can you measure your effectiveness, etc. Examples and anecdotes are worthwhile tools as is a running theme or metaphor to tie the ideas together. The Portfolio is most effective with an annotated Table of Contents.