10 Your own professional development
In this chapter
Creating a teaching portfolio
A portfolio is:
- A personal record drawn up and compiled by the teacher, often according to institutional, departmental, or college guidelines.
- A structured means of reflection on one’s work, a process of self-evaluation and goal setting.
- An approach to teaching enhancement whereby a teacher can gauge successes, opportunities for improvement, and means for their fulfillment.
- A means of presenting information for job search or career enhancement, such as promotion, tenure, job application.” – University of Saskatchewan, Teaching and Learning, Teaching Portfolios
Your teaching portfolio can include a number of elements that tell the story of your development as an educator. Even if you are not going in to an academic or other teaching profession, this portfolio can help you document the knowledge, skills, and values that you developed during your education. Your teaching portfolio may include:
- A teaching philosophy
- Your CV
- Materials that document your teaching effectiveness
- Activities to improve instructional skills
- Honours, awards, and recognitions
- And perhaps other elements
Adding your roles to your CV
Your work as a TA is part of your professional development and helps you develop skills for your career. In your CV, record:
- Your TA roles
- The specific skills you can now demonstrate, such as facilitating online sessions
Learning more, next steps
This could be a great time to write down the aspects that went well as a TA and any aspects that did not go as well or made you uncomfortable. Now, what are are the next steps? These steps could include:
- Asking another student to attend of of your DGDs and give you feedback
- This a great way to do peer mentoring
- Meet ahead of time to identify your goals and any areas that you are trying to work on
- Taking a course or workshop
- Setting SMART goals for the next time you TA. See the Growth & Goals module for details
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