J ust as artists, writers, teachers, and business people compile portfolios of their best work, a complete picture of the achievement of a child. Over time, the gains of the student can best be seen much clearer through a collection of works in their individual portfolio than is represented by a report card grade or test scores. Portfolios accumulate work from a variety of sources, which aid in presenting a complete picture of the child. Portfolios are collections of student work representing a selection of performance. It contains a student's best pieces and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the pieces.
Portfolios are a record of the activities undertaken over time in the development of a product.
They can also support cooperative teaming by offering an opportunity for students to share and comment on each other's work. Portfolios are valued as an assessment tool because, as representations of classroom based performance, they can be fully integrated into the curriculum. They supplement rather than take time away from instruction. Portfolios show where a child has been and what they have accomplished. They reveal progress that has been made over the year or years.