Licensing Portfolio Entry (LPE) for Dummies

Blog Post: Licensing Portfolio Entry (LPE) for Dummies               submitted by MM

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            NOTE To NON-JSCers: When I wrote this blog, I was unaware that although the themes, standards, and assessment tools are the same for all of us, we don’t all follow the same format. Therefore, please be aware that there may be possible differences in the format that your school is using.

           NOTE to fellow-JSCers: Dr. Brinegar has read and approved my comments. Hope you find them helpful!

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Please don’t be offended by the title. I’m the dummy, not you! 

Here is what I think I’ve learned about writing licensing portfolio entries (LPEs). 

First, I will tell you what an LPE is not. Then, I will describe what it is. There are 5 parts of an LPE.

1. UNPACK THE PRINCIPLE

An LPE is NOT an opportunity to paraphrase what the principle says.

“They” already know what it says. “They” or “their colleagues” wrote it. Actually, I don’t know who wrote it. The point is…don’t just paraphrase the principle.

You need to show “them” that YOU understand what it says.

We keep hearing our professors say to make sure you UNPACK THE PRINCIPLE.

For those of you who think unpacking your luggage means to take all of your stuff out of your suitcase at the same time and shove it in the drawers, or worse, yet, put it in a pile, that’s not how to unpack a suitcase, or in this case, the principle.

   

[BTW when you unpack your luggage, you should take out each item or group of items neatly and place them together so that you can find them.]

For an LPE, read each sentence and explain what it means. It does not matter that you understand what it says and needs no explanation. 

You need to EXPLAIN IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS so that “they” can tell that YOU understand it. They can’t read your mind!

IN YOUR OWN WORDS, write out what the principle means. 

(BTW, I’m not yelling…just trying to make a point.)

2. GROUND THE PRINCIPLE IN LITERATURE

Again, I will begin with what an LPE is not. 

An LPE is NOT a review of every article you have ever read about topics that might be related to the entry.“They” can do their own research. 

It is NOT an opportunity to simply add a quote that has the same or similar word or words that you have in your paper.

Furthermore, grounding the principle does NOT mean that it (the principle) cannot use the family car or go out this weekend.

(If you missed my attempt at humor, don’t waste time thinking about it. Just keep reading.)

Grounding the principle means to find a quote from a scholarly piece of writing that supports what you are saying. Find something that somebody wrote that either agrees or disagrees with what you are saying. 

  

Note: You may want to wait until after you decide upon an episode to look for this. That’s up to you. 

My overall point is that the principle, the literature and the episode need to be interrelated. So…you may want to think about this while you’re choosing an episode. Please see next section.

3. LOCATE AN EPISODE / PROVIDE EVIDENCE

To be consistent, I will begin, once again, with what an LPE is not.

An LPE is NOT a deep, reflective essay in which you analyze a situation and re-think what you could have done better. 

Although reflective thinking is a highly recommended practice that you should do throughout your teaching career, the LPE is neither the time nor the place.

An EPISODE is something that you have seen or done that relates to the principle AND the literature.

Think of an episode of a TV show. It is usually a short part of an entire story. 

If you were to describe it to a friend, as in, “Hey, what happened in last night’s episode?”, you would provide a description of the setting, who was involved, when it happened and what occurred. 

You don’t need to provide TMI (too much information). Your friend will just walk away.

(Again, if you missed my attempt at humor, don’t waste time thinking about it. Just keep reading.)

For the LPE, an EPISODE is a short, concise description of what actually happened, where it occurred and who was involved. Be specific. Don’t just say that something happened over the course of your internship. Provide ONE specific time with details (who, where, when and what). 

EVIDENCE is more obvious. It is the required documentation, such as the actual lesson

plan, unit plan, samples of student work, or activity that you used. 

In any case, it needs to be related to the principle AND to the literature.

4. GAUGE THE CORRESPONDENCE

When I see the word gauge (which rhymes with cage, not George), I think gas gauge, as in, “How much gas is there left in my car before I need to get more?” (If you don’t drive a car, skip this part and go on.) In any case, a gauge is a measurement or a judgement.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

For an LPE, this is when you look at the principle, the literature and the evidence and make a   judgement. How do they connect? Do they support one another? They don’t have to agree. You can explain how they contradict one another.

5. LAST BUT NOT LEAST (You’re almost done…)

Read your LPE from beginning to end and ask yourself:

1. Are all the elements (the principle, the episode/evidence, the literature) about the principle?

   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

2. Is it coherent? Are the elements (principle, literature, episode/evidence) linked to one another?

  

                               


 PRINCIPLE     EVIDENCE    LITERATURE

GOOD LUCK!