Situating observations as part of a teaching portfolio

Abstract

This opinion piece draws upon research in the field of teacher development and educational development to argue for the use of teaching portfolios as a developmental tool into which observations and observational data can be integrated. Looking at observations from developmental perspectives rather than for the purposes of appraisal allows teaching professionals and practitioners to feel more comfortable about the very idea of observations. Furthermore, the use of portfolios can serve as a means of presenting vignettes of practice that tell the story of teachers' journeys on a professional continuum that is "a process of becoming" and one that is never finished (Mann, 2005).