How to Write a Portfolio Essay

Throughout students' academic careers, they may be required to create a portfolio of their achievements after completing various stages of school. For instance, a student graduating from sixth grade may need to create a portfolio featuring their favorite projects and assignments from the year, as well as any tests or exams they were proud of. College students, on the other hand, may need to create a portfolio showcasing the best work they've done, which is very common in art and teaching majors. Before submitting a physical portfolio or an online writing portfolio, however, it's necessary to write an essay to summarize what's inside.

Select Your Pieces

Before you can write your portfolio essay, you must select the pieces you want to include inside of your portfolio. Without knowing what's going to be inside of your portfolio, it's difficult to write the essay. In some cases, your teacher or professor will tell you what pieces needed to be included in your portfolio. If it's an online writing portfolio, you'll need to upload the documents instead of putting them into a binder. Whatever format your portfolio will be in, there's also a chance that your teacher may not give you guidelines at all and will merely give you suggestions. If this is the case, then try to showcase your work through as many mediums as possible. Portfolios are best when there is a bit of a variety.

The About Me Portfolio Page Focus

Even if your portfolio is diversified, it's necessary that you choose a focus in order to write your essay. Otherwise, your portfolio essay may be a bit unorganized. Your portfolio is a conclusion of everything you've done over the last year or semester. Think about why you chose the pieces. Was it because it was your best work, or was it because it was an assignment which challenged you? Considering these things can help you design your about me portfolio page, where the reader can really get a glimpse of what kind of student you are. Therefore, try to have a solid topic to focus on that is directly related to your experiences with the course.

Write an Introduction

Once you've gathered the materials that you'll put in your portfolio and decided on your focus, it's time to get started on the actual writing part. The best way to start an essay is by writing an introduction first. And, unlike most other essays, you can actually write the portfolio essay in the first person (unless your teacher says otherwise). This is essentially a formal version of an about me portfolio page, in which you're both the narrator and the subject. Start your introduction by telling the reader who you are, what your portfolio is centered around (for instance, the name of the course or "My Fifth Grade Year") and offer a little description of what's to come.

Talk About the Pieces Inside

In the body of your portfolio essay, you can briefly discuss what the reader can expect to find inside. If you write three body paragraphs, the first paragraph can discuss what you felt before going into the class or year, such as your worries, concerns and what you were excited about. The second body paragraph can be about certain things you remember learning or doing throughout the year that stuck out to you, while the third paragraph can be a reflection on what you gained from the course and how you've grown because of it. Each of these paragraphs should mention a piece inside your portfolio that's directly related to the content within the paragraph. For example, if you're talking about the concerns you had before starting the year, you can mention a piece you've included that showcases this, perhaps a letter you wrote to yourself on the first day of school.

Devise Your Portfolio Essay Conclusion

Finally, in order to wrap it all up, you can write your portfolio essay conclusion by discussing your proudest moments and your strengths alongside your desired improvements for the coming year. You can discuss a challenge and how you overcame it, or one of your best achievements from the year or semester. You can even talk about the experience of creating a physical portfolio or online writing portfolio because in some college programs, your portfolio is like your thesis. This can be part of your third body paragraph or a separate conclusion.