My Shape-Shifting Portfolio
Shape-Shifting Portfolio (shAp-shifting port-fO-lE-"O) - collections of skills - for example, eductional, social, service, and sprots experiences and achievements that can be arranged and rearranged in order to define and redefine oneself as a certain kind of competent persion. -James Gee, as paraphrased in "Shape Shifting Portfolios" by Elizabeth Birr Moje.
As I read this, I became ... intimidated ... by "Katie's" accomplishments... To explain my intimidation, I'll give you a brief overview of my high school experience. Every year, I'd attend the graduation ceremony because I played in the pit band that performed Pomp and Circumstance, and at each ceremony, I heard the similar "SHRINE PHENOMENON" that Moje talks about in the article. I looked up to those students who had a university's name attached to theirs and who wore the Honor Society cords around their necks. So, all through high school, I vowed that when I graduated, I'd be one of those students. For four years, I tried to get have my name attached to as many things as I could so that when I graduated, the principal could say "Megan Marie Rood will be attending SUNY Potsdam studying Adolescence Music Education. Megan is graduting with high honors, and wears the cords representative of National Honor Society." And I did. I had the "shrine" at my graduation party. But then it was all over.
I began college with the same ambitions- but quickly realized that I didn't care. I realized that my motivation was entirely in the wrong place... and since then, I haven't really done much to have my name on things. It's not that I don't care, really, it's just that for me personally, having attachments to my name is NOT the most important thing in the world.
That's why I most closely identify with Thomas, the student described in Moje's article as "[denying] shape-shifting for the sole purpose of being recognized as a certain kind of person." Honestly, I feel like this snippet-biography is not of Thomas, but of myself. I just want to be the best person that I can be: having my name on things means little to nothing to me.
And with my anecdote aside, I'd like to describe my "Shape-Shifting Portfolio" as I see it.
In all of my classes, not just 307, my goal is to soak in as much information as I can. I want to be the best possible teacher that I can, and I want to be a guiding force in the lives of my students. To me, my portfolio consists of all of the things that I've learned that will help me better relate to my students and foster learning in their lives. This includes knowing about Shakespeare, Beyonce, blogs, The DaVinci Code, four-wheelers, fashion, and anything else that teens are interested----- all while teaching kids to learn general literacy concepts THROUGH these interests.
It's difficult to pinpoint one specific reference in the article to the teacher's role in helping students develop their "portfolio." I think the biggest and best thing that we as teachers can do is constantly encourage our students to be AUTHENTIC. No Faking. No Pretending. Just- real. This includes encouraging students like Katie to support while questioning her desire to be recognized, pushing students like Thomas to define the reasons for resisting the "shrine" method of portfolio, and helping students like Mario simply define himself, who he is, and what this means.
So... as for my portfolio... I dunno... Like the Thomas in the story... it's not really tangible... but it's whatever I want it to be. Hope this makes sense.
6 comments:
Wow - what a great deal of thought and self-examination went into this assessment. It made me think because sometimes I tend to want to have "things attached to my name". I hope I do it for the right reasons, but your blog got me to wondering. I see myself when you talk about yourself when you graduated high school. The only thing is I didn't have all those things when I left high school. Maybe it's why they are so important to me now - or maybe it's just I feel being older that I have so much to prove to myself and to everyone else and the "stuff" beside my name helps me do that. Who knows, but the important thing is I wanted to say thanks for making me think about all of it.
By the way, I'm glad I make you laugh. As far as that real world experience stuff - sometimes it's just as much fun to not have some of it as it is to have it, if you know what I mean.
Megan,
I understand completely. I too don't really care about having anything "attached" to my name so to speak. For me, it's more of what I did to get where I'm at in life. I too, am more concerned with what I can do to acquire enough knowlege to help guide my students through the learning process. It's amazing to me when I watch my host teacher come out with all the different examples that he does while encouraging his students to discuss various topics. It leaves me feeling a bit envious that I don't have more information in my teaching tool box. I guess it's a good thing that I have the internet, virtually at my fingertips!
Of course, I have to add that I suppose that having some of the items "attached to my name" is a good thing and I guess in that respect it's a good thing that I do have some of those items, but they really aren't my main goal in the long haul.
You women are having an important discussion here. And I'm privileged to sign on.
Megan, I like the way you are thinking about the "portfolio" you are building for the classroom, one piece of who you are.
You are starting out with a clear vision of the classroom you want to create. And that's important and in many cases, rare.
I think of the portfolio as skills, dispositions, one's intellectual "projects," as well as a listing of accomplishments like Katie's. Those are important insofar as in and through them, if they're done in the right spirit, one accretes more layers of knowledge and understandings. That's what Barb's talking about in her comment surely.
Thanks for sharing Megain. I agree w/Darlene that this is a thoughtful post.
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
Amiable brief and this enter helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you seeking your information.
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