Portfolio Development what is a portfolio?

Different Types of Portfolios for Elementary Teachers

Background: An elementary school has implemented a new reading program. The principal has

decided to require teachers to build portfolios in relation to the reading program. This chart shows

how each type of portfolio can be used in relation to the new program. The teachers are the devel-

opers. All three types of portfolios, process, product, and showcase, are identified, with the four

components outlined for each.

Type

Purpose

Audience

Sample Evidence

Reflection Focus

Process

To show the

teacher’s 

individual growth 

in using the new

reading program

over 1 year

Principal,

teacher*

1. Lesson plans showing

reading program being

implemented

2. Student work

3. Audiotapes of various

students reading once a

month for the school

year

4. Running records showing

successful and struggling

students’ progress over

the year

5. Parent conference 

write-ups indicating the

new program had been

implemented

For each piece of

evidence, the teacher

could describe how it is

related to the reading

program and the

strengths and

weaknesses of

implementing the

program.

Product

To show that 

each teacher had

implemented

specific

components of 

the reading

program

Principal

Specific components

outlined by the principal at

the beginning of the year.

Each teacher would have

the same types of evidence;

e.g., all teachers might be

required to have lesson

plans showing the

correlation to the reading

program.

The teacher would

focus on the strengths

of the required

evidence.