Supervisory Platform
In schools students are led to discover their individual passions, talents and unique potentials. Children need to be guided to develop skills that they aren't naturally drawn to. I do not agree with myths “either you have it or you don’t”. Excelling in math, or writing, or chemistry is not for a few students who were born with those gifts and talents. For instant, the child who has a love of music would also benefit in life from understanding how to perform tasks, such as spelling or doing basic math. So I believe that some skills are essential for all kids to be taught, to strengthen their natural talents and developing their own unique purposes than our school system currently allows for.
The purpose of supervision is to evaluate, monitor and collaborate. The supervisor has an obligation to regularly observe and evaluate the teaching and then to provide constructive criticism and feedback. After feedback is given to the teacher it is the supervisors responsibility to monitor the teacher regularly throughout the school year to make sure the suggestions and feedback are used. A third responsibility of a supervisor is to collaborate with the school community to ensure that teachers have the resources to enable them to provide excellent teaching. This collaboration can include professional development, ensuring that school equipment and technology is in good working order, supplies are provided for teachers and students, and the classroom environment is conducive to learning where students are welcomed and feel safe. A supervisor serves as a mentor to teachers, be knowledgeable on course content and should be ready and willing to model lessons and serve as a resource for teachers. In addition, a supervisor encourages teamwork and collaboration among teachers. A supervisor will always focus on continuous improvement of instruction.
I feel that teachers who direct their own improvement from within are the excellent teachers. Excellent teachers are the ones who regularly look for new strategies and implement these innovative ideas in the classroom. Whereas other teachers may require more guidance from their supervisors and need to be highly encouraged to improve their teaching. For example, technology is a huge part of education today and teachers need to be willing to incorporate it into their lessons. Some will naturally do this while others will need to be told to do this via professional development and or school directives.
The focus of educational planning and delivery of services should always be done with the school district demographics in mind. The urban school district I work in has socioeconomic problems that are more prevalent than other districts. For example, fifty percent of the students speak a primary language other than English in their homes; many students receive free lunch, come from single parent homes or foster homes, homelessness and may live in crime-infested neighborhoods. The district keeps these factors in mind when operating the school district. For example, my district has many services including a family and community outreach office, a dental clinic, and free breakfast and lunch for all students. In the classroom, calculators and other supplies are provided to students that are assumed responsibilities by parents in other districts. We have a significant English Language Learner department and staff to service new residents from other countries. The school calendar provides school closing for religious holidays celebrated by the school students and staff.
After careful thought and reflection my supervisory platform will be Existentialism as defined by the text The Basic Guide to SuperVision and Instructional Leadership (Glickman, Gordon, Ross-Gordon 2013, p. 81). The authors define this as the supervisor acting as a facilitator and letting the teachers have autonomous decision-making. This is the style of supervision I intend on practicing when I become a school supervisor. I intend on following the adage “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it just for the sake of fixing it” meaning I will support the excellent teachers and I will support and help the less experienced teachers with closer supervision and mentorship.
Reference
Glickman, C.D., Gordon, S.P. & Ross-Gordon, J.M. (2013). The Basic Guide to SuperVison and Instructional Leadership. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
The purpose of supervision is to evaluate, monitor and collaborate. The supervisor has an obligation to regularly observe and evaluate the teaching and then to provide constructive criticism and feedback. After feedback is given to the teacher it is the supervisors responsibility to monitor the teacher regularly throughout the school year to make sure the suggestions and feedback are used. A third responsibility of a supervisor is to collaborate with the school community to ensure that teachers have the resources to enable them to provide excellent teaching. This collaboration can include professional development, ensuring that school equipment and technology is in good working order, supplies are provided for teachers and students, and the classroom environment is conducive to learning where students are welcomed and feel safe. A supervisor serves as a mentor to teachers, be knowledgeable on course content and should be ready and willing to model lessons and serve as a resource for teachers. In addition, a supervisor encourages teamwork and collaboration among teachers. A supervisor will always focus on continuous improvement of instruction.
I feel that teachers who direct their own improvement from within are the excellent teachers. Excellent teachers are the ones who regularly look for new strategies and implement these innovative ideas in the classroom. Whereas other teachers may require more guidance from their supervisors and need to be highly encouraged to improve their teaching. For example, technology is a huge part of education today and teachers need to be willing to incorporate it into their lessons. Some will naturally do this while others will need to be told to do this via professional development and or school directives.
The focus of educational planning and delivery of services should always be done with the school district demographics in mind. The urban school district I work in has socioeconomic problems that are more prevalent than other districts. For example, fifty percent of the students speak a primary language other than English in their homes; many students receive free lunch, come from single parent homes or foster homes, homelessness and may live in crime-infested neighborhoods. The district keeps these factors in mind when operating the school district. For example, my district has many services including a family and community outreach office, a dental clinic, and free breakfast and lunch for all students. In the classroom, calculators and other supplies are provided to students that are assumed responsibilities by parents in other districts. We have a significant English Language Learner department and staff to service new residents from other countries. The school calendar provides school closing for religious holidays celebrated by the school students and staff.
After careful thought and reflection my supervisory platform will be Existentialism as defined by the text The Basic Guide to SuperVision and Instructional Leadership (Glickman, Gordon, Ross-Gordon 2013, p. 81). The authors define this as the supervisor acting as a facilitator and letting the teachers have autonomous decision-making. This is the style of supervision I intend on practicing when I become a school supervisor. I intend on following the adage “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it just for the sake of fixing it” meaning I will support the excellent teachers and I will support and help the less experienced teachers with closer supervision and mentorship.
Reference
Glickman, C.D., Gordon, S.P. & Ross-Gordon, J.M. (2013). The Basic Guide to SuperVison and Instructional Leadership. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.