All certification candidates in the School of Education undergraduate or M.Ed. program are required to construct a developmental portfolio during their course of study here at Aquinas College. The purpose of this portfolio is to reflect upon and gather evidence of completion of the Entry Level Standards required by the Michigan Department of Education for teacher certification.

This portfolio must include, but is not limited to the elements identified below.

• Cover Letter
• Create a brief cover letter of general introduction (or specific introduction if intended for use in a particular job interview).
• Resume
• Include your resume here documenting significant job and educational experience.
• Uniquely Me
• Include artifacts, pictures and/or information related to the experiences and details that make you stand out from all others as a unique individual.

• Effective Communication Skills
• Supply evidence from transcripts, assignments and other academic work that demonstrates these proficiencies related to communication skills:
• The abilities and skills necessary for effective communication (listening, speaking, writing, and reading);
• An ability to understand and respect varying points of view and the influence of one's own and others' ethics and values;
• An understanding of the impact of technology and its use for gathering and communicating ideas and information.
• Global Perspective
• Place evidence here of your global perspective to show mastery of the proficiencies listed. Transcripts and products from multicultural, history, and philosophy classes would fit here.
• A knowledge and appreciation of free inquiry in the humanities, the social sciences, the mathematical and natural sciences, and the arts;
• A knowledge of the interdependence of the liberal arts and the ability to integrate knowledge from the liberal arts to analyze and synthesize ideas, information, and data;
• The ability to discuss and debate the value of education in a free and pluralistic society, particularly the role of intellectual and ethical values; (refer to your Philosophy of Education as evidence)
• An understanding of global and international perspectives;
• An understanding of and respect for individual differences, including those of culture, race, gender, religion, and ethnicity, as well as humankind's shared heritage and environment; (Refer to your Philosophy of Education as evidence and include artifacts from a Multicultural class)
• An understanding of the Constitutions and histories of the United States and Michigan ;
• An understanding of the market system for allocating resources; An understanding of and respect for the role of the individual in a free society, including the importance of individual responsibility and respect for individual rights and values; and

An understanding of the similarities within our culture and their importance to the fabric of American society. (Include materials from a Multicultural class as evidence)

• Lesson Planning Skills
• Include examples of lesson plans you have produced (with summary/analysis sheets) to document your skills in these proficiencies:
• Apply knowledge of human growth, development, and learning theory;
• Expand cognitive, affective, physical, and social capacities of students for the development of the "whole person;" (A fully developed Unit Plan will serve as evidence for this proficiency)
• Plan instruction to accommodate diversity, e.g., cultural, racial, and social diversity;
• Plan instruction to accommodate various backgrounds of students;
• Use multiple approaches to appropriately assess student abilities and needs to plan instruction;
• Create inclusionary environments for students with exceptional needs and abilities; and
• Use various kinds of literacy to promote access to knowledge, e.g., numeracy, graphics, printed text, computers, and electronic media. (Lesson Plans and material from literacy/reading classes would fit with this proficiency)
• Philosophy and beliefs
• Provide your philosophy and belief statements to document the following proficiency:
• Discern the extent to which personal belief systems and values may affect the instructional process, e.g., love of learning; the belief that all students can learn; the belief that all students should be treated equitably; the role of expectations in affecting achievement; (Place your Philosophy of Education here as required evidence)
• Classroom Management Skills
• Supply the Classroom Management Plan you produced in your EN406/506 or EN408/508 Application of Learning Theories class to demonstrate the following proficiency:
• Demonstrate appropriate classroom management and disciplinary techniques to ensure a safe and orderly environment which is conducive to learning;

• Unit Plans with Supporting Lesson Plans edit
• Provide evidence of unit planning with supporting lesson plans for the following proficiencies:
• Create learning environments that promote critical and higher order thinking;
• Help students access and use information, technology, and other resources to become independent learners and problem solvers;
• Use high expectations for optimal achievement to foster excellence in all students;
• Practice teaching as both an art and a science;
• Integrate and transfer knowledge across subject areas and encourage the same among students;
• Engage students in practical activities that demonstrate the relevance, purpose, and function of subject matter.
• Teaching Resources
• Provide evidence that you are staying current with your knowledge and teaching methodology by demonstrating skills in this proficiency:
• Access and use updated information and procedures.

• Student Teaching
• Supply evidence of successful student teaching experiences (and other placement experiences) to meet the proficiencies listed below. Final Evaluation Checklists, Self Evaluation Checklists, Letters of Recommendation from your supervisors and your students would fit here.
• Plan and use different cognitive, affective, and psychomotor strategies to maximize learning and to accommodate differences in the backgrounds, learning styles, aptitudes, interests, levels of maturity and achievement of students;
• Use a variety of teaching methodologies and techniques, e.g., lectures, demonstrations, group discussions, cooperative learning, small-group activities and how to assess one's effectiveness in utilizing them;
• Involve and work effectively with all support personnel to maximize opportunities for student achievement and success;
• Involve and work effectively with parents and/or guardians to maximize opportunities for student achievement and success;
• Professional Responsibilities
• Provide evidence of your awareness and commitment to professional teacher responsibilities to meet this proficiency:
• Define and accept the legal and ethical responsibilities of teaching, e.g., student retention, corporal punishment, truancy, child abuse, managing conflict, first aid, least restrictive environment, health and communicable diseases.
• Assessment
• Provide evidence of your knowledge of assessment to meet this proficiency:
• Differentiate between assessment and evaluation procedures and use appropriate procedures.

• Research Papers and Projects
• Provide samples of your research skills with papers and projects that will demonstrate these proficiencies:
• Identify and use current research in both the subject field and in other areas of practice in the profession;
• Exercise good judgment in planning and managing time and other resources to attain goals and objectives;
• History and Philosophy of Education
• Provide materials related to the history and philosophy of education to demonstrate in the following proficiencies:
• Demonstrate an understanding of the economic, social, political, legal, and organizational foundations and functions of schools;
• Discuss and debate the evolution of education and the teacher's role in a changing society.
• Final Reflection Paper from Student Teaching
• Include your final reflection paper from student teaching (and other evidence if available) to show mastery of these proficiencies:
• Accept teaching as a lifelong learning process and continue efforts to develop and improve;
• Interact successfully with other teachers, parents, students, administrators, counselors, and other support personnel to benefit students and to advance one's own professional development;
• Engage in meaningful self-evaluation and reflect on the professional practice of colleagues.

• Collaboration and Tutoring
• Supply evidence of collaboration and experience in tutoring (such as work in the Aquinas College Reading Clinic) to demonstrate your skills in these proficiencies:
• Use community and home resources to enhance school programs;
• Design learning activities that involve representatives of volunteer groups, civic and social organizations, and public services agencies;
• Involve professional educators, support personnel and other stakeholders in
• collaborative and cooperative planning, decision-making and implementation, to improve educational systems at all levels; and
• Interact with parents to maximize the learning of students at school, home, and in the local community.
• Professional Development and Membership in Professional Organizations
• Supply evidence of your ongoing professional development and involvement in professional organizations to demonstrate the following proficiency:
• Demonstrate knowledge of the various communities in which the teacher is a member, including the professional community and local, state, national and international communities; (Professional Development activities such as joining and being active in the Student Chapter of ASCD or other professional education associations are required to demonstrate this proficiency)

• Technology Lesson Plans
• Provide examples of lesson plans that demonstrate this proficiency including technology:
• Design, develop, and implement student learning activities that integrate information technology for a variety of student grouping strategies and diverse student populations.
• Technology Resources and Skills
• Provide evidence of your skills in using a variety of technology tools. Use products from your technology classes and other evidence to demonstrate these proficiencies:
• Identify and apply resources for staying current in applications of information technology in education;
• Demonstrate knowledge of uses of multi-media, hyper-media, telecommunications, and distance learning to support teaching/learning;
• Demonstrate knowledge about instructional management resources that assist in such activities as writing and updating curriculum; creating lesson plans and tests; and promoting, reinforcing, and organizing data regarding student performance;
• Use information technologies to support problem solving, data collection, information management, communications, presentations, and decision making including word processing, database management, spreadsheets, and graphic utilities.
• Technology Professional Development and Philosophy
• Supply evidence to demonstrate the following proficiencies related to your use of technology:
• Demonstrate knowledge of equitable, ethical, legal, social, physical, and psychological issues concerning use of information technology; and; (Access to and responsible use of the Aquinas College Computer Network will help demonstrate this proficiency)
• Use information technology to enhance continuing professional development as an educator. (Electronic resources you utilize to create research papers can demonstrate this proficiency)