Senior Portfolio: A time to reflect

Darrick Kraatz, teacher Elizabeth Cyr, and Hailey Fisher work on Senior Portfolio presentations. The question to address: What have been the significant learning experiences of the last four years, and how will they impact your future? Photo credit Hannah Glair

By Cindy Lance

What have been the significant learning experiences of the last four years, and how will they impact your future? Answering this question would give any of us pause, and as another school year draws to a close, many Stockbridge High School seniors are busy preparing final presentations on this topic.

The English department created Senior Portfolios in Spring 2000 as the final exam for its Senior English and Advanced Placement (AP) language classes. Now, because most students take one class or the other, Senior Portfolios have become a de facto graduation requirement.

Alaina Feliks currently oversees this rigorous rite of passage and shared her insights into its structure and benefits.

“Students write and discuss learning experiences and work to see the thread that runs through them which will be the theme of their presentation,” she said. “Then, they prepare a speech that they can give from notes that answers that prompt, with a digital portfolio of artifacts that support their reflection. In class and out, we spend hours talking about themes and learning experiences and practicing presentations to refine speech skills.”

In the final step, each student presents to a panel consisting of PK through 12 teachers, administrators, school board and community members, and parents. These interested adults evaluate presenters based on a rubric that prioritizes the students’ reflections and scores elements of speech organization, speech skills, and the digital portfolio.

Morgan Sipes touches on meaningful turning points and lessons learned. Photo credit Hannah Glair

Two sessions for Senior Portfolio presentations occur each year.

“Staff who participate as panelists often describe how powerful it is to see our students’ growth and the maturity with which students can discuss their education,” Feliks said. “As teachers, we often don’t see the results of the hard work we put into our students, and Senior Portfolio allows us a window into how we help shape amazing young people in our district.”

Students benefits in numerous ways. Aside from the knee-quaking experience of public speaking in a high stakes situation, they practice communicating their portfolio in a digital format and organizing ideas around a theme.

Faith Whitt wows the panel with her Senior Portfolio reflections. Photo credit Taylor Butterworth

“The single most important aspect of Senior Portfolio,” Feliks added, “is the process of reflection that students engage in as they prepare for the speech. Many students have not significantly reflected on their education, lives, and future before this moment, and engaging in this process often helps students realize important insights about their lives that will help them with their futures.”

Tori Shepherd, class of 2018, changed her mind after undergoing the process. “I went into Senior English thinking that the Senior Portfolio was a project that would teach me nothing. After standing up in front of the panel, I realized that what you learn from Senior Portfolio cannot be measured on paper, but is something that can only be measured in experience.”

Readers who know seniors planning to participate in the May 22 session of Senior Portfolio presentations will want to wish them luck.