Portfolio Partnerships

[Air]

Hi all, just wanted to share this with you...

My experience of documenting childrens learning has undergone a huge shift in direction....portfolio partnerships is truly about encouraging children, parents and teachers to contribute their ideas, thoughts and experiences.

The children’s portfolios share the child’s individual story, their perspectives on life and their continual learning journey while attending our particular setting.

From the very first day children are encouraged to take ownership of their books. Each portfolio contains a variety of information, observations, planning, photos, children’s writing and drawings – really anything the child or their family would like to include. Children’s drawings and thoughts are transcribed for them if they request it.

These portfolios are about sharing and becomming more involved in the learning journey, allowing children ownership of their story by choosing to add a drawing or photo to their books, or perhaps to sit and read, revist and share past experiences with peers and adults.


Perhaps the most exciting part about these portfolios is that they are out to be seen. Parents and children are actively encouraged to add to them and look at them whenever they please (I appreciate that this may indeed be the case in your setting, but my past personal experience had been very different)

Can you tell just tell how much I'm loving my job?!

xXx

[janeb]

We use the learning journals and, like you, try to encourage the children to take 'ownership' of them, sharing them with their parents at regular intervals.

We just introduced the idea of putting them out in our setting too - and the children really love looking through them with their friends. It's just like looking through old photo albums.

However, we don't do it enough and you have inspired me to have some out on a daily basis (Our stoarge problems mean that they have to be kept on a top shelf) - maybe 3/4 different ones every day?

Thanks

[Air]

Hi Jane

Fantastic to read that you are enjoying using a similar documentation process....what I love about how these living and learning portfolios are embraced in my work environment is that there is no right or wrong way....a quote that totally expresses the thinking behind these is:

Every context will be different –no service will look the same, but instead reflect, with individuality and uniqueness, the community in which it is embedded.

To me this says it all.....it is not only acknowledging that all children are unique, but their individual communities are too....my previous work experience had not been so flexible, indeed we were told that our documentation had to fit a certain format.

I can appreciate that making the portfolios/journals work can be a challenge...one setting here has a portfolio table set up, a space designed to encourage the children, parents and staff to contribute their ideas, thoughts or experiences regularly.
Photographs of the children and adults are displayed in various combinations to give the children and parents permission and confidence that everyone can join in!
There are also suggestions of events from home that could be included, such as trips/holidays. The table has a variety of resources, pens, pencils, scissors, glue sticks, rulers, staplers etc. The children's portfolios are on a small table besides this, making them accessible.....the children love flicking through them and will add a drawing or staple something in, it is so wonderful to see this as a shared experience rather than just from one perspective.
At another setting, the portfolios are stored in low level individual pigeon holes allowing children to have access to their portfolios throughout the day.
This enables the children to add to them as they please, alongside working on them together with their teachers/parents.

xXx