A website for teachers who are blind or visually impaired.

Developing a Portfolio

Many people find that a professional portfolio can be very helpful in demonstrating expertise to parents and school administrators.  Today, most professional portfolios take the form of a website with a variety of information including:

I. Your resume:  
  • Your contact information
  • A chronological list of your professional experiences (include related experience such as volunteering at a school library, but not unrelated experiences)
  • A list of presentations or publications related to your professional goals
  • A list of references (this would be names and addresses of people who have agreed to serve as a reference and have their names and contact information listed on your resume), alternatively, you could places a statement such as "References available on request").
  • A list of professional affiliations, especially those that are connected to the 

II.  A list of professional goals
    This could be in the form of a professional "mission statement".  Some teachers find that the process of coming up with their professional mission statement can be very helpful in determining their own goals and objectives and defining what they would like to accomplish as a teacher.  A mission statement is not a requirement for being a teacher, however, using a document such as a mission statement could be an excellent way of communicating your passion for teaching with parents, colleagues and school administrators.

III.  A thorough explanation of your experience
    While your resume will contain a list of professional positions you have held, it will not likely provide the kind of detail that parents and administrators would find useful.  Use this section of your portfolio to demonstrate how you have been involved in teaching.  Try to make your explanation as rich with details as possible, you want those reading this part of your portfolio to get an understanding about how your experiences have prepared you for being a teacher.

IV.  A compilation of any teaching "artifacts"
    This interesting section of a professional portfolio contains examples of work that you have done with students.  It can be as diverse as photos of creative learning centers or bulletin boards and videotapes of you teaching a lesson to a student or group of students.  Some teachers find it helpful to include scanned copies of curricular materials that they have developed.  This can be very useful and can show a clear picture of who you are as a teacher.



V. A statement about your plans for the future
It is a great idea to include a statement about what you imagine for your future. If you are interested in continuing your education, or obtaining additional qualifications or certification, you should mention this. By letting people know what your future interests are, you may open up networking opportunities with other professionals who have similar interests.