Portfolios

 

What are they?

 

Portfolios are used as a collection of papers that represent the writing you are capable of doing.  In your case, as a student, your portfolio will represent your writing- the good, the bad, and the ugly.  That’s right, a portfolio includes things that aren’t necessarily great, but as you have probably heard a few teachers say, “Write and re-write until it is finished (correctly).”  What you will have then are rough drafts (the very first copy that you wrote), the 2nd draft (what was actually your final draft when you first turned it in for a grade) and you will have the last draft (the copy you have after making all corrections to the paper you previously turned in for a grade.  By including all drafts in a portfolio a teacher can accurately measure the progress you have made through your re-writes (and more re-writes).

 

Who Uses Portfolios?

 

Do you know someone who is an architect, a professional model, a professional artist, or a teacher (of course, right!)?  All of these people, teachers included, should have a portfolio.  You can’t be perfect at everything all of the time- people don't expect to see perfection in a portfolio, but they do expect to see growth and improvement. 

 

Why Use Portfolios?

 

More and more schools are using portfolios as a method to see the stages of students’ writing processes.  Your writing should be much better now than it was in the 5th grade, and it should be better in eight weeks than it is today.  The improvement you will make during your sophomore year is what you will capture through the use of a portfolio.  This will enable both of us to visually see the areas of your writing you have strengthened and the areas that need additional concentration.

 

How Do You Put A Portfolio Together?

 

You will submit in your portfolio all of the essays you have written this semester and eventually this school year. You will include every draft of each essay.  You will also correct each of the essays you wrote.  If you omit any of the drafts then you will not receive full credit for your portfolio.  At the end of the semester compile your portfolio. 

 

In addition to including corrected drafts of all the essays you have written up to this point, you will also include one NEW essay on the topic I will assign to you.  This essay will carry the most points for the portfolio.

 

Essays will be put into a binder/notebook (this will be your portfolio) and at the end of the semester you will submit the portfolio to me for a grade.  You will be given several days in class to work on the portfolio.

 

What’s It Worth

 

I’m not kidding myself.  I know that if the assignment is going to be important to you then you want points for it, right?  This portfolio will count as your semester test.  I doubt that any of you can afford a zero on your semester test so I suggest that you put together a nice portfolio.  Ultimately, this represents 20% of your semester grade! Impress me please!  :-) 

 

Points are not awarded based solely on the fact that the essays are simply put into the portfolio.  Anyone can hole punch papers and put them into a binder.  However, since part of putting a portfolio together is learning to be responsible for your own papers and tracking your own progress, some points are alloted for inclusion of necessary materials.  Don’t fool yourself; these points are not enough to earn you a good grade.  You will have to work to earn the points needed to make even a bare minimum passing grade and you will certainly have to work hard to earn an A.

 

The points will be awarded (or not awarded) according to the following scale:

 

                                                                 

The portfolio has a title page                                                            0 through 5     _____

 

Portfolio includes all essays written this semester (or year)

And there is a “new” final draft of each essay with all

Errors corrected                                                                     0 through        _____ 

Portfolio includes at least one rough draft of

            each essay                                                                              0 through        _____    

The portfolio is neatly and logically organized                                 0 through        _____

 

Finalized essay one is worth a range of 0-100 points

                                                            You scored                                                      /_______  

 

The total score you can make is                 points

 

Your total score is                   points for an average of                  .

 

Any questions - - - ASK!!!