Student Portfolios

Students lose things.

That's a no-brainer.

Along with countless other social skills that we teach our students, taking responsibility for themselves is definitely at the top of the list.  When I first began with my middle-schoolers, they really struggled being responsible... in all aspects.  If they lost things, it was someone else's fault.  If a paper wasn't turned it, it was their sibling's fault.  If a project was half-finished, it was my fault.  

How could I manage to turn this around?  Well, here's what I started with.

Student Portfolios.

I bought this hanging-file organizer at Target for $19.95.  You could also used a cardboard box but it might take a beating.  This tub has proven to be indestructible as it has been dropped MANY times.  Then, I bought extended file hangers and gave each class their own file.  In addition, each student got their own manila folder with their name and class period on it. I also have a hanging folder of ALL extra sheets from what we've done if a student needs a new one.

At the beginning of each class, they get out their portfolio along with doing their morning warm-up.  It's just a part of our everyday routine.  Everything they have done for the current unit (notes, worksheets, activities, projects, tests, etc) is in their folder.  I keep a running list on the blackboard of what SHOULD be in their folder.  Here is the flaw in my system.  Unless you actually take the work and physically put it in their portfolios yourself, you can't be ENTIRELY sure they really put it in there.  You can direct students to be more responsible, but at the end of the day, they will choose whether or not they will buy into your system and along with that, be responsible.

Every once and a while I'll find some important things in the recycling bin.  Naturally, I'll take it out and find a sassy way to ask students how their paper magically flew into the recycling bin.  I usually get a pretty creative response, which I follow up with a lovely lecture about being responsible.

Another way I use this is that when a student is absent, I put the work they missed in their folder so when they come in the next day, they know what they need to do to catch up on what they have missed.  Sometimes I'll add a note in addition that might say "see me" or "get these notes from a friend".  

This system has worked wonders and students are learning to check for absent work on their own, make sure they have what they need by cross-checking with my list, and they don't need to be told to put something in their folders or take them out/return them to the portfolio tub.

A little closer to self-responsibility and a little closer to my own freakishly-organized sanity.

:) Emily