1. Assessing My Writing with Portfolios

2. What is a portfolio?
A collection of artifacts put together to get at the full story, to help students, teachers, and others understand in depth one or more aspects of student learning.

3. Why are portfolios important?
When I assemble and share my portfolio, I engage in “thinking about my own thinking.” This deepens my ability to learn, my desire to learn, and the learning itself.
Collecting, organizing, and reflecting on my own work helps me understand myself as a learner and nurtures a sense of accomplishment.

4. What kind of portfolio will I assemble?
I will assemble a GROWTH PORTFOLIO.
A GROWTH PORTFOLIO tells the story of how I, as a student, have grown as a learner. It shows what I can do now that I could not do before.

5. Which artifacts should be included in my portfolio?
Dated entries that document learning for each writing outcome.
Ideally, each portfolio will have 5-7 entries.
All portfolios MUST include the following entries:
Diagnostic Essay
Writing DBA (Timed Argument)
Fall Semester Final Exam Essay
I will record reflections for each entry on the departmental cover sheets provided.

6. How will I judge the quality of my portfolio?
Strong
Developing
Not Yet
Change Over Time
The student selects material that clearly demonstrates growth in the specific outcomes. The reviewer can easily see how and in what areas the student has grown.
The entries show evidence of some growth, but the growth is limited. The change from one sample to another is evident, but not dramatic.
The entries in the portfolio do not show evidence of noticeable student growth or change over time. Either noticeable growth has not occurred, or the student has not selected the samples of work that would illustrate that growth clearly.
Organization, Format, and Structure
Items in the portfolio are clearly labeled and dated; the sequence is purposeful. All sections of the cover sheet are completed.
Most items within the portfolio are labeled, dated or both. Most of the sections on the coversheet are complete.
Few items (if any) are clearly labeled or dated. Most or all of the sections on the cover sheet are incomplete.
Self-Reflection
Several examples of self-reflection show thoughtful consideration of personal strengths and needs based on in-depth understanding of the writing outcomes.
Self-reflections provide at least a superficial analysis of strengths and needs, which may or may not be tied to specific writing outcomes. Comments may refer to likes/dislikes or difficulties/challenges without insights regarding growth, needs, changes, or goals.
Either no self-reflection is included within the portfolio, or the self-reflection is very basic (“I put this in because I like it” or “This is in my portfolio because we were asked to put it in.”)

7. Self Reflection

8. How do you Reflect? A reflection paper has 3 elements
A brief summary of what happened.
The identification and explanation of why the event(s) was important
What you learned and how you will change/improve as a result of the event.

9. Steps to Self Reflection
Brainstorm characteristics of
good argumentative/research/
procedural essays.
Incorporate academic vocabulary
as they create the list (organization,
voice, idea development, detail,
documentation, etc.)

10. Steps to Self Reflection
As a class, fill out cover sheets for 2 or 3 essays in a mock portfolio.
Match entries with the stated writing outcomes using the terms you generated during the brainstorming activity.
Refer to the rubric as you write.

11. Steps to Self Reflection
Using the coversheets, view examples of good and bad reflections and rate them in groups based upon the rubric.
Summer Creek High School
English Department
Student Portfolio Coversheet
Name: _____________________________________ Date: _____________
Title of Selection:______________________________________
This composition shows my level of achievement on the following learning outcome:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My strengths in achieving this learning outcome are…
One area of this learning outcome that I still need to work on is …

12. Learning Outcomes This composition shows my level of achievement on the following learning outcome:
Evaluating how the author’s purpose and stated audience affects the tone in persuasive writing AND write an argument that includes a clear thesis based on logical reasons. These reasons are supported by precise and relevant evidence, such as facts, expert opinions, quotations and/ or expressions of commonly accepted beliefs.
Synthesize the research process of planning, gathering and organizing to produce a written research paper that correctly cites all researched information according to a standard MLA format and shows the primary and secondary sources.
Write an analytical essay that includes introductory and concluding paragraphs and a variety of sentence structures; a controlling thesis; and an organized structure; rhetorical devices; transitions between paragraphs; and provides relevant (important and related) information and valid (convincing) inferences.

13. Outcome: Write an effective argument essay
**Now that you have looked back on your writing from the first semester, what were you proud to see and what will you work on? Remember, when writing a reflection response, consider band include the three elements of reflective writing: 1. A brief summary of what happened. 2. The identification and explanation of why the event(s) was important 3. What you learned and how you will change/improve as a result of the event.
Outcome: Write an effective argument essay
Targets
Clear thesis
Logical reasons that support the thesis are present
Includes precise and relevant evidence: quotes, stats, facts, expert opinions
Successfully incorporates the elements of argument: claim, opposing view, counter argument
Writing is done in academic tone and language
Organization contributes to clarity of the writing and the reader’s understanding of the topic
Your reflections/evaluations about your work
should contain:
2 strengths based on the learning outcome
Why these targets are your strengths and how they make your paper good
1 weakness based on the learning outcome
Why this target is your weakness AND how you will work to improve it on future writing samples
Outcome: Write a fully supported literary analysis
Targets
Includes easily identifiable introductory, body and concluding paragraphs
Exhibits a variety of sentence structures,
Contains a controlling thesis
Effective use of rhetorical devices: analogy, concrete details, diction, figurative language (simile, metaphor, imagery), foreshadowing, inference etc.
Proper use of transitions: Above all, Finally, Meanwhile, Moreover, Afterward, First and foremost, Next, All things considered, For this reason, Accordingly, Of course, For instance, For example, On the other hand, Arguably etc.
Relevant information is used
Valid inferences are made
Your reflections/evaluations about your work
should contain:
2 strengths based on the learning outcome
Why these targets are your strengths and how they make your paper good
1 weakness based on the learning outcome
Why this target is your weakness AND how you will work to improve it on future writing samples