Most journalism students can tell you what stories they published. Fewer can tell you what they actually learned. This 18-page portfolio toolkit builds that second skill — and gives you a structured, gradable product for December or May without building the whole thing yourself.
See it on Teachers Pay Teachers — $7.19
What's Included: Portfolio Selection Guide — teaches students how to choose 3–5 pieces (mid-year) or 5–8 pieces (end-of-year) that show variety, skill, and growth Skills Self-Assessment — 25+ journalism skills across five categories: Reporting, Writing, Ethics, Multimedia, and Professional Habits; students rate themselves 1–5 and identify strengths and growth areas Reflection Prompts — deep-dive questions for each portfolio piece plus overall reflection questions about their journalism journey Mid-Year Goal Setting — students set three specific, measurable goals for spring semester with action steps and success criteria End-of-Year Growth Narrative — two letter-writing options:
write to future journalism students or write to their past self Professional Portfolio Cover Page — clean template with student info, table of contents for up to 8 pieces, and personal statement section Complete Teacher Guide — instructions for mid-year vs. end-of-year use, suggested 1–2 week timeline, three grading options, and 7 extension ideas Fully editable Word document (.docx) — students type directly into the file or print How to Use It: Run it in December as a mid-year check-in with goal-setting, then again in May as a capstone assessment — or choose one.
The teacher guide walks through both timelines. Three grading options (graded, ungraded, or conference-based) mean it fits whether you want a formal grade or just a meaningful reflection conversation. This resource is part of the Complete High School Journalism Curriculum Bundle and the News Writing Semester Bundle, both available at significant savings.
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Keywords: journalism portfolio, journalism reflection, journalism self-assessment, portfolio builder, high school journalism, end of year journalism, mid-year reflection, journalism grades 9-12, student journalists, journalism goal setting, journalism assessment, metacognition, journalism curriculum, portfolio assessment, journalism growth
Designed for grades 9-12.
Starmaker English and Journalism Tools 
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