In other cases, one teacher is the primary researcher, and his or her colleagues act as a support system, offering technical help or suggestions. Districts must provide time for such collaborations. Goals 2000 funding supported the last three years of our work. All teachers and administrators who have been involved in developing a portfolio do it for the powerful professional development experience it provides. Tenured teachers may also choose this portfolio as an alternative to the traditional strategies of clinical supervision with the permission of their primary evaluator.
Administrators learn how to support teachers finding ways to improve student performance.
Region 15 administrators provide support to all teachers engaged in creating portfolios, and some administrators are actively engaged in the research focus of a portfolio. This year, a quarter of the administrators in Region 15 are developing their own portfolios. Teachers developed many effective strategies for studying student work and discovered important connections between teaching and learning. Information provided by teachers' portfolios provides direction to the adaptations made in curriculum, instruction, and assessment throughout the entire region. We have learned that the focus and scope of the research must be tailored to meet the professional development needs of the teacher.