Peter Seldin (2)

Should all portfolios be prepared in conjunction with a skilled colleague or mentor?

Peter Seldin, USA

Where there are no able and willing mentors available to faculty members, should the teacher attempt to develop his or her portfolio on a self-mentored basis?

Some would argue that they should, that there are insufficient portfolio models available in the literature to enable faculty members to see how others - in different disciplines - have combined documents and materials into a cohesive whole.

But I would argue that while models are helpful, they are not enough and that there is considerable loss in attempting to self-mentor. What is that loss? It is that the teacher will lack the specific suggestions, resources and steady support that come from a skilled mentor and are an integral part of portfolio development. The critical eye and supportive hand that a colleague mentor can bring to the process is crucial.

And importantly, collaboratively designed portfolios are an antidote to the isolation of teaching and a means to promote collegial exchange focused on teaching and learning.

These are such important benefits that I believe it to be imperative that all teaching portfolios be prepared in conjunction with a skilled colleague mentor.

If none are available, the institution would benefit from sponsoring a portfolio development workshop (run by outside consultants with experience in the construction and use of portfolios) or volunteer faculty who both want to develop their own portfolios and learn how to mentor others.