Portfolio Connection: Student Work Linked to Standards

In this day and age of accountability and NCLB, the human element of teaching unfortunately goes to the wayside. Teachers might hear from their students, "school isnt fun anymore." This book really guides teachers into bringing back the joy of school and celebrate student work. There are plenty of examples, forms, ideas, etc. to get the teacher going. I LOVE THE CHECKLIST BASED ON STANDARDS!!! Although I have yet to implement, I shared the ideas with my colleagues, who then implemented the ideas and say their kids love having a portfolio and "when can we make the next one?" This is definately a purchase you sould make along with Kay Burke's other book, "From Standards to Rubrics in Six Steps: Tools for Assessing Student Learning, K-8."

In Japan, integrative/interdisciplinary curriculum will be introduced into schools within two or tree years. Many teachers are confused on these coming curriculum reforms. Under these Circumstances, teachers are collecting examples or information of integrative/interdisciplinary curriculum practices and learning such activities. In this book "The Mindful School: The Portforio Connection", the way to systematically design various types of portfolio is presented in a very lucid manner. Ten key issues and strategies: PROJECT, COLLECT, SELECT, INTERJECT, REFLECT, INSPECT, PERFECT, CONNECT, INJECT/EJECT and RESPECT, which are part of a portfolio system are very usefull to design and construct curriculum or learning activities.