The reflection aspect of a portfolio is in many ways the most important part of the process. Students are given the opportunity to look back at their work and see the changes that have occured as they develop over time. Students also need the most guidance from the teacher during the reflection process and the resulting actions prompted by the process. It is at this point that students look critically at their own work and decide whether or not each individual piece is representative of the student's knowledge, skills, and abilities as a whole.

During the reflection process students are expected to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each item in the portfolio. It is at this time that goals can be set for future projects but also areas of weakness can be addressed. Because the portfolio is always changing as students select which products to include it is important to record reflections and maintain a log either in the portfolio or in a separate journal. These reflections allow the teacher insight into why particular pieces have been chosen for the portfolio, the reasoning behind the choices, and, when items are removed from the portfolio it allows for explanation for the removal or excluion.

Teachers can assist students in the reflection process by building a scaffolding that allows for reflection and self-evaluation. Such a scaffolding takes time and effort with the class as a whole but is very worthwhile in the long run. Tools that can assist with reflection are guided questions about the specific contents of the portfolio, rating scales on which the student can score each piece in the portfolio in terms of why it is there and what it shows, and individual interviews with students during which he or she can explain choices made regarding the portfolio and the ultimate objective for that portfolio.

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Best Practices: Pieces of the Puzzle Copyright 2003 Regina Public Schools and Saskatchewan Learning

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