Gabe Freeman

Editor-in-Chief

The mind of a Milken student is engulfed everyday by rigorous classes, a multitude of extra curricular activities and a riveting social scene. Most kids, however, fail to document their Milken experience because they are too consumed by their busy lives. As the administration is constantly searching for ways to enhance the experience of the Milken student, they have found a solution. Dr. Roger Fuller, Upper School Principal, will see a project come to fruition after several years: portfolios.

The freshman and sophomore classes have begun the process of creating these webpages, which allow students to gather a collection of their work throughout their time at Milken, including both academic and extra curricular achievements. In addition to the sentimental value that students gain from their collection, the portfolios serve a greater purpose in education. Colleges and even future employers can reference students’ work and gain a more holistic and complete view of the student.

“This is not just a shift at Milken but in education as a whole,” Fuller said.

Fuller is referring to a series of books he has read about a change in education away from a very standard system to a more progressive one.  Portfolios help achieve this goal by highlighting students’ intellectual growth through their work. In addition, the process of creating a page includes a reflective practice that allows students to look back at their achievements and learn from them.

Fuller himself has created a portfolio along with all of the faculty at Milken so they can begin teaching students how to create an effective page. On his page, Fuller explains why this new practice will benefit students.

“A portfolio is a place to share work done, things thought, and it’s appropriate to share those ideas.”  He continues to personalize his portfolio to his own career as an educator, “How interesting it is to prepare a portfolio, a narrative of sorts of one’s experiences in the world of teaching and learning.”

Fuller’s portfolio is personal to his experiences, just as every student will have a unique page that speaks to their time at Milken. Every student has a different Milken story, and now every student will be able to document it.