Portfolios

 

As a teacher, I learned how powerful it can be to keep a portfolio of a child's work. It is rewarding for a child to have a record of his or her best work or the pieces that the child is especially proud of. For older students, keeping work samples can help them assess their own growth and see their improvement as writers, thinkers, artists, etc. 

There are probably many high-tech ways to keep a portfolio, but I prefer to keep paper copies of each child's work. I want my children to be able to flip through the pages of their previous work to reminisce or to reflect on their growth. 

For the time being, I am starting with binders. I slide a copy of the child's school photo into the front cover and label the binder with the child's name, school year, and grade level. Inside the binder, I use sheet protectors for most of the work, sliding larger art pieces and storybooks into the inside pockets. 

A few things I am collecting in the portfolios (collecting items created both at school and at home):

• Drawings
• Paintings
• Stories and poems 
• Prayers 
• Progress reports and positive notes from the teacher (if you homeschool, you can create your own progress notes!)
• Best writing samples 
• Project pages (for larger projects, I take a photo of the child holding the art piece/poster/etc. and then print the photographs at the end of the year to add to the portfolio)

Many times, these items spend time on the fridge or on our art wall before being placed in the portfolio binder. 

Going forward, I'm not sure if I'll really want 40+ binders in my house, so I may switch to a record-keeping box (one for each child) with manila folders or 3-prong folders for each year's work. Regardless of whether or not I switch, I plan to continue keeping two to three years' worth of work in binders for easy access. It is important for children to be able to look back at their work from the previous year or two to see how much they have grown. 

My children frequently ask to flip through their portfolios from last year, and sometimes seeing their work reminds them of something they want to try again, or it gives them a new idea! Portfolios are also a great way for you to remind your child how proud you are of their efforts! 

Looking for great ways to cultivate your child's creativity?

📖 Check out our Creative Catholic Library
✏️ Learn more about Creative Café
☕️ Explore our Creative Café workshops