Introducing the Tiger Portfolio! This great idea is brought to you by Grand Junction High School.
Unfortunately, this “great new” idea has been falling short for the students of GJHS. I believe that this is a great idea but the execution has not been done well. The Tiger Portfolio is supposed to be something that helps students reflect and showcase their work and achievements throughout high school, but it has fallen short in a few areas.
My very first issue I have had with this portfolio adventure was the section regarding past work. This idea could have been used in a really unique way but it wasn’t. In this section it felt like they just wanted you to put in any work you’ve completed over high school.
This section could have been used a lot more effectively if they gave it more direction. I would like it if they wanted you to showcase work from classes that support your pathway education.
The Workforce Development Day reflection being required was a bit interesting. I feel like this part really isn’t going to be useful to many students. Workforce Development Day reflections are something most students don’t take a lot of time filling out, if at all. Maybe by making this section required the school is trying to increase attendance or student participation.
There is one part of this portfolio that I did really enjoy and all of these were the parts I completed in my Life Management class. This class is taught by GJHS Family Consumer Science teachers such as Kasey Jackson. Life Management covered the resume, career research, cover letter, and reference. The reason I like this part the most is because I know I’ll use it outside of high school, and it was nice to have this part setup for when I need to apply for jobs.
Another part that could be helpful for students is the pathway plan. This part would be beneficial for any students at GJHS in my opinion because it shows what classes you’ve taken throughout high school and what you still need to take. This section is also a good thing to have because if GJHS really wants to implement Pathway Endorsement it is an easy way for students to track their progress.
Overall, I do believe that the Tiger Portfolio is going to be helpful and beneficial for GJHS students if some of the sections are given more direction. There are many ways students can use this if they have been able to work on it their entire high school career. This should definitely be something that is continued for students if they would like to help students complete pathway endorsements.
