Our SK series teachers

Next Tuesday, approximately 160 seniors will present their graduation portfolios to a group of teachers and proud parents. The portfolio represents both a collection of “proficient” work that the student has completed in a variety of courses and reflections about both specific pieces of work and a summative reflection on their high school experience and what lies ahead. Much of the organization and decision-making about the portfolio occurs in the SK series classes. Each year, every student has a quarter class primarily devoted to the portfolio (SK 101 for freshmen, SK 102 for sophomores, etc). The seniors take their SK 104 class in the second quarter, so they can be ready to present their portfolios in early February. Much of the guidance, hectoring and cajoling comes from the SK series teachers. These teachers are charged with facilitating the process of student preparation for the portfolio. They do not have an enviable task as most students view the portfolio, to be polite, as burdensome. I have had seniors in my advisory for the past two years and they speak of the SK teachers as many adolescents do of their mother: they don’t understand why they’re always on their case, and why they take this portfolio so seriously. Many students openly wonder why the SK teachers won’t just leave them alone. SK teachers require some essential but often unappreciated skills to be successful. They have to be able to critique reflective writing, keep meticulous records (more so than in a regular classroom) and be able to communicate clearly with students and parents. The past week has been particularly hectic for the SK series teachers as many students put it into high gear to get their portfolios completed. From the hubbub of the week before senior portfolio presentations, SK teachers then immediately transition to the SK 102 class with sophomores for third quarter. While the requirements remain the same, the sense of urgency on the part of the sophomores is less so. Much of the first few weeks of the quarter is spent reminding students, who still see high school graduation as a lifetime away, of the requirements and how to access and input proficient work into Richer Picture, our web-based portfolio system. SK teachers also help sophomores to organize and identify portfolio-worthy work, and to start writing reflections on those pieces. While many students chafe at the required SK classes, most students would struggle mightily without the support of the SK series teachers.