Creating a Digital Portfolio for Teachers That Tells Your Story
When you transition out of teaching, it’s important to find a way to highlight your transferable skills and make your accomplishments shine. Although your priority should be revamping your resume and cover letter, creating a digital portfolio for teachers can help you frame your experience in a way that attracts potential employers.
Creating an online portfolio also helps set you apart from others applying for a similar position and allows you to reach a much greater audience.
If you’re curious about how to create a digital portfolio, these tips will help you make one that tells your story.
What Is a Digital Portfolio for Teachers?
The purpose of a digital portfolio is to share examples of an individual’s work. It can be sent along with a resume and cover letter when applying for freelance curriculum development jobs and other flexible jobs in education.
What to include in a digital portfolio will vary depending on your career experience and the kind of work you’re looking for. A digital portfolio for teachers can include examples of past lesson plans, curriculum and other instructional materials. It might also include photos, presentations and learning data that helps demonstrate your experience and expertise.
For teachers, digital portfolios can help you stand out from other applicants and showcase how your classroom skills can apply to alternative jobs for teachers outside of a school building.
4 Tips to Create a Digital Portfolio
Choose a Digital Portfolio Platform
The exciting thing about digital portfolios is that you get to decide what platform works best for you. No matter which you choose, you can continuously update and add to your portfolio over time. Remember it’s a work in progress! Some of our favorite digital portfolio sites include:
Google documents. Google docs is simply an online word processor. Not only is it wonderful for creating resumes and cover letters, but it also works perfectly as a digital portfolio. Simply organize and link lessons, units, and writing samples you’d like to showcase and continue adding to your portfolio over time. Alternatively, link to a folder on Google Drive where you can upload examples of your work to share with potential employers. Learn more about how to use Google documents here.
Journo Portfolio. Journo Portfolio is a simple and visually appealing way to build an online portfolio. It has free and affordable options that allow you to showcase your work and promote yourself, and it’s super easy to navigate. Check out an example portfolio and learn more about how to set one up yourself!
Linkedin. The transitioning teacher community on Linkedin is very active. As a result, it’s a great place to build a digital portfolio for teachers. Although you may not have used it while in the classroom, setting up a free profile and showcasing your brilliance is worth the time! Check out our blog all about ways to use Linkedin for networking for more tips. Once you’re all set up, don’t forget to follow Educator Forever!
Create a website. If you’re interested in showcasing your skills, examples of your work, and providing products and/or services, it may be worth your time to set up a website. Many of our students like Squarespace for building digital portfolio websites. Wix is another popular option. Whichever host you decide on, make sure to read up on the plans that make sense for you and peruse their FAQ sections. Check out one of our wonderful student’s example websites for inspiration!
Gather Important Information
Before you begin building a digital portfolio for teachers, it’s important to build your teacher skills list and reimagine your role in education. The possibilities are truly endless! Use the checklist below to explore digital portfolio ideas and make sure you have everything you need to make yours stand out.
Work experience - Write about your experience in a way that aligns with your career goals and desired job description. Start bullet points with verbs that align with the position you're hoping to land.
Skills - Draw attention to the skills potential employers are looking for in relation to your career goals.
Recommendations or testimonial quotes - Collect recommendations and testimonial quotes that highlight your expertise.
Connected skills - Reflect on any additional skills that would be beneficial to add to your digital portfolio.
Collect artifacts - Find pictures, videos, lesson plans, units, blogs, writing samples, and anything else that you’d like to showcase with your network. Make sure you have permission to share student photos prior to adding them to your digital portfolio.
Design for Clarity and Reach
Before you share your digital portfolio with the world, it’s important to put your best foot forward with high quality digital portfolio design! Reread your writing and make sure it’s clear why you are the best candidate for your desired position as a curriculum developer, education consultant, virtual coach, or education business owner.
Next, familiarize yourself with search engine optimization terms related to your desired career shift and infuse specific words and language throughout your digital portfolio to expand your portfolio’s reach.
Share Your Digital Portfolio for Teachers and Connect
Once your digital portfolio looks good (notice the use of “good” instead of “perfect), challenge yourself to share your portfolio with one person per week. This might be a former colleague, someone who inspires you, or a connection on Linkedin. The more comfortable you become with visibility and sharing your expertise with the world, the more likely you are to land your dream job!
Putting A Digital Portfolio for Teachers to Use
Once you’ve figured out how to make a digital portfolio, it’s time to start using your portfolio to land flexible education jobs, start working as a freelancer or even start an education business.
Making the leap from classroom to alternative careers for teachers can be overwhelming, but it’s a lot easier with guidance from educators who have done it before you. That’s where Educator Forever comes in.
In our signature Beyond The Classroom program, you’ll join an active, growing community of teachers (and former teachers) who are committed to making an impact in education while making their own schedules and spending more time with their families.
Ready to get started? Learn more about Beyond The Classroom or contact Educator Forever to get your questions answered.