The Portfolio Group

Present: Cheryl, Gayle, Donna and Michaelann

Topics:
Re-inviting and re-kindling past members to re-collaborate: Tim, Allison, Paul and Ron (on an in-school basis)

Re-do Norms and ground rules with new combination of people.

Dates for next Meeting for the semester – Tuesdays are best

Deadlines approaching for group commitments:
March:
Nona Lyons book chapter – Cultivating and Scaffolding Reflective Practice
Outline:
Opening
Individual Portfolios
School Portfolios
Individual Journals
Traveling journals
Synthesis with reflective practice
Closing
Possibly add in use of CFG protocols

Can use as a foundation Craig’s three existing portfolio papers
(Craig to bring copies next Meeting)

Thoughts:
Building a community is a foundational piece
People do get better at reflection
Use chunks from previous proposals
Use pieces from previous AERA pieces (Michaelann to bring copies to next meeting)
Ron’s Journals – Cheryl has these
Student traveling journals – Ron and Michaelann have

Cheryl – paper on Lanier about one teacher coming full circle – curriculum maker vs. curriculum implementation

For Nona Lyon’s chapter we need to brainstorm different exemplars

Accountability in student journals

IP – Gayle from Reagan work vs. IKE PDAS
SP – Donna and Janet (old chapter), Allison Drew, Paul and Michaelann IKE
IJ – Tim and Ron
TJ – Donna, Michaelann and Ron link to student journals
Work on draft for December 18th meeting at Wilson at 3:30pm.

Traveling Journals:

Students First – Gayle
Community – Michaelann
Cheryl – Leadership
Donna – Reflective Practice

Each person gave a quick overview of the work they had been doing in the journals

AERA Paper – Traveling Journals:
20 pages or more

Themes –
Running into Boundaries
Incompetence and overworked and over stressed
Bumping into the Compliance culture

For December Meeting:
Traveling Journals Paper has these three items:
Theme:
Process:
Product:
(Per areas individually discussed)

{Theme: Collaboration; Process: idea of traveling journals; Product: Group journals and student journals}

Remember the value of making connections

Homework for DECEMBER 18, 2207
Brainstorm ideas for Lyons chapter based on your assignment
Have traveling journal entries pulled and copied for you section of AERA paper.

You control your destiny

The meeting was attended by Cheryl, Paul and Michaelann.

The work started with lots of information. Cheryl brought articles to help us with terms and alignment. Michaelann brought the copies from past powerpoint presentations at AERA and the group found lots of material to include in the chapter. The upcoming chapter and presentation are going to require more time than in the past.

The small group there worked on reading the section Cheryl had written and bringing Paul back into the portfolio group process. Paul's work around the state has really help to promote the teacher group/critical friends approach embraced by the portfolio group. Michaelann talked about the receiving a replication grant for the work at her school with CFGs.

The sharing of information and process thinking will help the writing process.

Future dates:
January 21, 2008 - at the university - all day writing (8-4)
January 31, 2008 - Regular meeting - 4:00pm
February 21, 2008 - Regular meeting - 4:00pm
March 13, 2008 - Regular meeting - 4:00pm

The decision was made to have a mini-writing retreat on MLK day at the university to have access to resources and a group block of time.

(Tim and Donna, I have your information I will get it to you after the holiday.)

Have a Happy Holiday!