Reflective Portfolio Math 130-131 Spring 2004

Math 131

Spring 05

Reflective Portfolio

For this assignment, you will reflect upon your yearlong experience in Math 130/131 and think about how you will continue this learning in your future as both a student and a teacher. The portfolio will highlight some of your most significant mathematical accomplishments of the year. If you continue to Math 132 with another instructor, the portfolio will be a way to introduce yourself to the instructor. Many of you will need to do a final portfolio for your education program, and you might draw upon material from this portfolio.

A portfolio is much different from your regular notebook. The challenge and creativity involved in creating a portfolio come from how you select and describe a small selection of your work from the year.

Your portfolio must include the following:

1. Introduction and/or Table of Contents

2. Math Autobiography

3. Letter written at the end of Math 130

4. Three Concept/Process reflections, one from each list (see below)

5. Continuing Learning Essay (see below)

Your portfolio may also include the following:

6. One more Concept/Process reflection

7. Up to three more examples of your best work that didn’t fit into any of the above categories.

Concept/Process Reflections:

List 1 (Processes): Problem Solving, Reasoning, Representation, Mathematical Communication, Mathematical Connections

List 2 (Whole Numbers/Operations): Number Systems, Mental Math, Models of Operations, Algorithms

List 3 (Other Topics): Algebraic Thinking, Number Theory, Fractions, Geometry

For each of the above lists, choose one topic on the list. Choose the topic that seems most compelling to you, perhaps because it is the topic where you learned the most, or you improved the most, or you achieved the most, or it was the most interesting to you. Choose two to four items of your work to support your choice. These items can be reflections, write-ups, photocopied pages from your notebook, homework you didn’t turn in, test questions, etc.

For each reflection, write an essay (1 to 4 pages long) describing why you chose the topic. Make a case for your achievement or improvement or whatever you are claiming. Explain why you chose each item and how each item fits into the case you are making. If it’s helpful, you can put individual post-its on the work you’re including to further describe it.

Continuing Learning Essay:

Write an essay describing how you intend to continue as a math learner/teacher. If you are continuing to Math 132, discuss your goals for that course. Whether or not you are continuing, summarize your major accomplishments and challenges in Math 130 and 131. Discuss how you see yourself as a teacher of mathematics. Some questions to think about: What pedagogical strategies will you use to teach mathematics? Are you ready? If not, what do you need to help you get ready? How will you continue to learn mathematics, both for teaching and for the rest of your life? What will you do when children ask a question, and you don’t know the answer? What if the curriculum includes a topic you’ve never seen before? How will you pull out the mathematics in children’s play and other informal activities?

Optional Items:

If you have trouble choosing between topics or just think you’d have a better portfolio if you did so, you may include a fourth Concept/Process reflection.

If some of your best work doesn’t fit into any of your other reflections, you may include it. Write a brief explanation of why you choose to include each piece of work.

Organization:

It is important that your portfolio be well organized. It should be in a folder or three-ring notebook. It should be attractive and easy to navigate.

Scoring:

Level 5: Goes beyond a level 4, by including exceptionally reflective essays, by making exceptionally good choices of work, etc.

Level 4: Essays are thoughtful, well written, and show much self-understanding. The choice of work consistently supports what is written in the essays. Portfolio is well organized. Portfolio shows that you have mastered a significant amount of course material.

Level 3: Essays are mostly thoughtful, well written, and show self-understanding. The choice of work usually supports what is written in the essays. Portfolio is organized. Portfolio shows that you have mastered much course material (or equivalent).

Level 2: There is much good in the essays, but they do not always show self-understanding, and there is some inconsistency in the choice of work. Portfolio has some organizational problems. Portfolio shows that you have mastered some course material (or equivalent).

Level 1: Some good work, but serious problems with the assignment.

To Commentary Doc File PDF File Home