Rooted in Belonging

"The author reveals how the narrative portfolio, an inquiry-based alternative to accreditation and standards-based assessments, was designed to locally document, resist and disrupt the status quo. The narrative portfolio can "speak back" to standardized preservice teacher assessments, like Praxis and edTPA, by providing spaces for preservice teachers to demonstrate their knowledge of theory and practice as it is enacted in natural settings of school and community. Critical place-based education and the narrative portfolio validate the need for meaningful assessment yet question overreliance on mainstream notions of "valid" measures of quality teaching. Sherfinski shows why humanizing, democratic place-based practices rather than a universalized vision should be at the forefront of teacher education"--