Portfolios in the Uppers
The middle school students facilitate the majority of their fall and winter conferences by projecting a slideshow of their learning and experiences. It’s a very unique and fulfilling event for the students, families, and teachers. With March conferences just days away, Uppers have been focused on compiling work samples and photos for their portfolios. Each student is given a checklist (below) and several independent work periods to complete the assignment.
As a teacher, the process leading up to the presentations is one the best parts of the school year. It’s so rewarding to watch students gather around each other's computer screens and click through the trimester photo album. They smile, laugh, and shout as they reminisce on moments they never knew the teachers captured. They offer and ask opinions and proudly share and compare slides. They scroll through their Google Classroom assignments and say things like, “Oh, I forgot about this one”. They check in with teachers when unsure of which work to include, in turn giving us the opportunity to offer support and praise for the pieces that stand out to us. They write about their favorite games, their challenges, and what they are proud of. They play with different fonts, backgrounds, colors, and layouts. They copy, paste, crop, and align until each slide is just right.
This entire process calls for reflection, not just about what we did, but why we did it, and what came from it. It calls for students to step back and look at the trimester as a whole. It calls for contemplation about friendships, likes, dislikes, and growth. The final product and presentation showcase each students' style, organization, writing mechanics, comprehension, relationship with academics, and more. It can be a great jumping off point for conversations about school at home. This week, students will make the finishing touches on their portfolios as we wrap up the second trimester, prepare for conferences, and get ready to jump into the final stretch of the school year!
