E. Waldsee Portfolio Guidelines

A. Overview of Portfolio for Credit Teachers

1. What is a portfolio?

• A portfolio is a strategic collection of work documenting progress through the program/4 weeks. Because a portfolio contains work that is a required part of the Waldsee program, the portfolio is not an extra assignment. Creation of the portfolio is meant to be an on-going process throughout the four weeks as opposed to a stress creator during the last two days of Waldsee.

2. Why a portfolio?

• Credit villagers use a portfolio to show progress that cannot be reflected in test scores or grades. Making a portfolio allows credit villagers to show and use their language skills beyond just objective tests and worksheets. Credit villagers use a portfolio to show the wide variety of activities and learning modalities employed at Waldsee. A portfolio can provide the credit villager with lasting memories of his/her experience at Waldsee.

3. Who may look at the portfolio once it leaves Waldsee?

• Villagers, parents, relatives, and friends may all look at the portfolio for various reasons. Teachers, principals, and counselors may look at the portfolio to judge whether or not the student can receive high school credit for their experience at Waldsee.

4. What form does a portfolio take?

• Generally, the materials for the portfolio are gathered in a three-ring binder that is provided by the program to the credit villager.

5. How are portfolios presented at the end of the session?

• Typically there are two ways in which portfolios can be presented. A portfolio exhibition (Portfolioausstellung) can take place on one of the last full days of Waldsee. Generally, the rest of the village is invited to the Portfolioausstellung. Credit villager can present their portfolios to each other and other classes. Generally, each class is paired with another class and the credit villagers present their portfolios to the other credit villagers, the credit teachers, and the credit facilitator. The presentation is considered part of the portfolio grade. During this presentation, credit teachers and credit facilitators can assess whether the portfolio guidelines have been met.

6. How is the portfolio evaluated?

• Each item included in the portfolio is evaluated when the credit villager completes it. These items will be spread out over the course of the entire time at Waldsee. The final evaluation of the portfolio should take into account the goals and criteria presented in the Waldsee Portfolio Guidelines and the possible presentation of the portfolio to the credit class, the credit teachers, and the credit facilitator.

B. Projects in the Portfolio Credit teachers need to use their discretion when advising students about the length and type of project while being consistent about expectations. a. Number Projects

• Credit villagers will complete 5 projects. Four of the projects need to meet the Waldsee Goals and one needs to meet a personal credit villager goal. While a project may actually meet more than one goal, the student still needs to complete 5 separate projects.

b. Types of Projects 2 Written projects 2 Oral projects—primarily oral medium with supporting materials 1 Free-medium project

• Each project needs to include an introduction about why the credit villager chose the project and a conclusion/reflection about how the project went, how long the project took, and what was learned from the project. Projects can be both individual and group in nature. The length of any project is dependent on the level of the credit villager and the nature of the project.

C. Outline of Portfolio

A credit villager’s portfolio will need to contain the following components:

1. Overview Of Portfolio

2. Waldsee Goals With Village Projects

3. Personal Goals With Village Projects

4. Tagebuch

5. Other Waldsee Work

6. Self-Reflection On Portfolio Process And The Waldsee Experience

7. Teacher Assessment And Response

1.Overview of Portfolio

This introduction to your portfolio will include a table of contents and a brief summary description of your projects. You will want to include a short paragraph – in German if possible – describing your unique background as a language and culture learner and listing the projects you chose to meet the four program goals and two personal goals on the appropriate form (see sample form in this section).

2.Waldsee Program Goals

Credit villagers will want to choose projects that demonstrate a range of language and culture.

The following four program goals will be used as the framework for the portfolio. Below each of these Waldsee goals is a brainstormed list of some ways to fulfill these goals.

One project that each credit villager completes must meet this goal. These are suggested types of projects. Other ideas are welcome – please have your villagers discuss their ideas with you.

• Document a project involving the Internet, Video- or Audiothek

• Interview a staff member on an aspect of German culture

• Document working at the Waldsee Café, the Laden or Kiosk, or as a Kellner at the Restaurant

• Represent dramatically poetry, a folk tale, play or story

• Storytell an aspect of German history or culture

• Sing songs – record a tape

• Participate in and learn German dances

• Write a journal, newspaper, creative piece or script

• Represent a famous person from German-speaking countries

• Participate and learn German meal customs

• Describe the cultural background to Waldsee menu items

• Write an ad for the Laden, Kiosk, Café or Bank

• Make a videotape in German of how to play a sport

How can a credit villager best ‘document’ activities?

• • Think of how villager can show process rather than just the final product

  • Take photos

  • Draw

  • Make a recording

  • Write it down – take notes

  • Use all senses

  • Use all/a variety of intelligences (music, art, reading, listening, natural world, etc.)

  • Reflect on contributions to discussions

  • Collect “Waldsee artifacts” –

A credit villager’s portfolio should illustrate progress in these three key modes of communication: the interpersonal, the interpretive, and the presentational. The interpersonal mode involves face-to-face communication with others. The interpretive mode speaks to one’s ability to understand the oral and written communication of others, while the presentational mode focuses on one’s own speaking and writing. One project that each credit villager completes must meet this goal. These are suggested types of projects. Other ideas are welcome – please have your villagers discuss their ideas with you.

• Two spontaneous writing samples, one from the beginning of the session, one from the end

• One sample of a polished piece of writing with rough draft attached

• One sample of a reading comprehension assignment

• One journal entry from the beginning of the session, one from the end

• One sample of an activity related to German culture

• One sample of an activity with a global theme

• One cassette and/or videotape which captures speaking ability

• A journal

• Other work, including photos, field trips and Waldsee artifacts that show your progress

How can a credit villager best fulfill this goal? A credit villager knows he/she is achieving this goal when he/she is feeling more comfortable. The more comfortable he/she feels with the language and the better the credit villager is able to understand and communicate with others in the language.

One project that each credit villager completes must meet this goal. These are suggested types of projects. Other ideas are welcome – please have your villagers discuss their ideas with you.

What can the credit villager do to fulfill this goal?

• Read books and discuss information with others

• Document a project involving German-American history.

• Participate in a simulation and the discussion afterwards

• Document a project from Tagesthemen or an Abendprogramm

• Use maps to discuss Germany’s place in the world

• Document a project involving the Bibliothek, Videothek, or Internet

• Participate in an environmental program

• Devise and offer a simulation for other villagers

• Interview a guest speaker from Germany or staff member

• Represent a famous person from German-speaking countries

Examples of things a credit villager could collect for this goal:

One project that each credit villager completes must meet this goal. These are suggested types of projects. Other ideas are welcome – please have your villagers discuss their ideas with you.

What can a credit villager do to fulfill this goal?