Just as professionals assemble portfolios of their work, many schools are asking students to gather portfolios documenting the progress of their learning. Sometimes, staring the progress in the eye astounds even the child. Jena's teacher, Jan Lindeman, includes more than just writing samples, spelling tests and math projects in her students' portfolios. Some teachers require not only best work from a variety of subjects, but examples of children struggling.
Some portfolios are even multimedia affairs.
Lindeman includes an audio tape of each child reading aloud over time and fast forwards it to different points in the year during conferences. One Orland Park teacher recommends videotapes of student speeches, queued to a special spot. All this material is fodder for discussion at the parent-teacher conference. Copyright 2000, Digital Chicago Inc.