Room 109: The Promise of a Portfolio Classroom

By Richard Kent

We all agree that students learn at different rates and in different ways. The question now is how to create a classroom that is responsive to and respectful of their learning needs. "Room 109" offers one such example, demonstrating the promise of portfolios to individualize instruction. "Room 109" is a how-to and ultimately why-to book, offering a range of strategies for helping learners of varying abilities. Richard Kent shows how he took current research in the fields of teaching and learning and turned it into successful practice. His underlying premise is that to have a portfolio classroom, the teacher must also be a portfolio keeper. This book shows in detail the what, how, and why of doing portfolios, providing in depth guidelines on portfolio requirements and full-blown descriptions of portfolio projects. "Room 109" demonstrates how to build a classroom community through the exchange of letters: teacher to student, student to teacher, student to student, "keeper" (parent, guardian, or significant adult other) to student. These lively letters reveal the energy and passion of the learners. The writing is down to earth and the situations real. The book also includes samples of students' work, including that of Peter, a special-needs student who suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome; Brooke, a high-honors student; Jeremy, the class's "resident expert on black holes"; and Joshua, a student with Down's Syndrome. "Room 109" will help secondary preservice and inservice teachers of all levels and all disciplines rethink their practices regarding portfolio use, assessment, teacher research, parental involvement, and project-based learning. Readers will find the book instructional and inspiring.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 086709429X
• ISBN13: 9780867094299
• Release Date: November 1997
• Publisher: Heinemann
• Length: 179 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 6 to 12

Customer Reviews

One in a million

When I decided to become a teacher, I knew that I wanted to do things differently. Richard Kent's book gives me the information I need to transform learning in my classroom into dynamic, student-driven exploration. Teachers will tell you it's too hard to run a classroom this way. It's too much work to teach students the skills they need to produce a portfolio. If you have children, you know that it's just too sad to hear them say, "Leonardo daVinci is boring." Something is missing in schools' curriculum and instruction today. We need to make some changes in education, and portfolios appear to be a good solution.

Shows the awsome potential of individualized instruction

This book is a must for any educator that is interested in portfolio assessment and individualized student curriculum. Although the focus is on english, all educators can benefit from the examples and ideas that are presented in this enjoyable and easy to read book. Inspiring and informational!

A must-read for teachers, parents, and students alike!

Rich Kent embodies the metaphor "teacher as guide." In this text, he uses example of the richness of student input in something that is so much more than just a "how-to" approach to portfolios and portfolio assessment. I strongly encourage a deep reading of this text to make meaning of the real purpose, process, product of student learning.

A portfolio classroom is the way to go.

As a student of Room 109, I have experienced the use of portfolio's as a teaching aid. What a wonderful way to teach your classrooms so that a student can explore and learn on an individual basis. If you walk into Room 109, you experience the magic ad artistry that this idea has brought about. As we come into the 21st century, the views on how we teach must change with the times. Portfolio's are a new, and much needed change to traditional teaching. The book provides a "how to" for starting this type of class.

A practical, model-filled guide for a portfolio pedagogy

Mr. Kent has broken new ground and helped teachers everywhere with his clearly written text, Room 109. First year and veteran teachers alike will gain new insight and confidence from Kent's successes and adventures in his classroom. Especially pleasing are the countless models he provides, from parent and student letters to evaluation and response forms. Room 109 is a complete how-to manual for launching,managing and sustaining this very exciting pedagogy.