Hey there...I'm a teacher!!! Not so good to be a teacher in CA right now though! Arnold, you suck.
In California teachers have standards they have to teach to - not academic standards, but standards for the teaching profession. These are the six main standards:
1. Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
2. Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning
3. Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
4. Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for All Students
5. Assessing Student Learning
6. Developing as a Professional Educator Together these six standards represent a developmental, holistic view of teaching, and are intended to meet the needs of diverse teachers and students in California.
When I was in my program, and doing my student teaching portion, I had to create a portfolio that had samples of how I was meeting these standards...and each one of the above had sub-standards. Go here:
Standards for Portfolio in CA
In all honesty, I just had to do it for school to get my credential...nobody wanted to see my portfolio on job interviews...at all!!!
You basically take student work samples, memos you have received, lessons and units that you have taught, in clear plastic sleeves.
I hope this helps. I haven't been on the board for quite some time...been busy with my administrative program coursework. I had to develop a program and be the leader of it...which I am still in the process of running. Takes a lot of time and work.
If you have anymore questions, email me. I do not frequent the board as much as I used to.
~Elegant