Dr. Meisels is a Professor in the School of Education and a Research Scientist at the Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan. Kathleen - I understand that WSS includes much more than a folder full of samples of the students' work. In addition it employs developmental guidelines, checklists and summary reports. You are right. Work Sampling is much more than a portfolio system.
Training is needed and substantial.
The WSS is designed for students in preschool through 5th grade. The longer a teacher uses it, the more internalized it becomes. In many respects, what we have done is to formalize good teaching by organizing teachers' observations, opportunities to record and evaluate children, and then teaching them to evaluate and draw instructional decisions from this information. We also have designed quite a few ideas for teachers and administrators to help them introduce this to the community. It shows them that their teacher really has unique information about their child.