Use a tab divider for each section of your portfolio and place them in the three-ring binder. Include lesson plans, unit plans, reflections, assessments, communication and observations.
Collect your best lesson plans. Include at least five or six. If you have lesson plans with positive notes from a supervisor or cooperating teacher, include those. Your chosen lesson plans should demonstrate your ability to teach to all types of learners and to keep students engaged.
Choose one or two unit plans you feel highlight your best work. Your unit plan will show your ability for long-term planning.
Write reflections on the success of your lessons if you do not already have them. Your reflections show your ability to think critically about how you are teaching, and demonstrate how you plan to make changes based on your students' reactions. For example, if you realize that too much time on one activity created an opportunity for too much talking in the class, write that the next time you will limit that time for the activity.
Demonstrate your ability to grade objectively by including your notes from various student assessments. For example, if your students had to write research papers, include a copy of one or two of the papers with your notes to your students included. If you used a rubric to grade the papers, include that as well.
Include any letters or emails you have sent to parents, other teachers or supervisors. This will display your communication skills to a potential employer.
Include any written observations you have from supervisors. If there are any areas in which your supervisor suggests a need for improvement, write a reflection showing how you plan to improve.
Take pictures of your students' projects as well your students working independently. Include them with the appropriate part of your portfolio and write a caption explaining how that picture applies to your work. For example, if you included a lesson plan on teaching adjectives that required students to create "Missing Posters," take pictures of the posters and write that they were used to demonstrate your students' use of adjectives.
Use the three-hole puncher when necessary, and place all of the items in the appropriate section of the three-ring binder.