The Duties of a Good Supervisor
Supervisory visits have been, and still are, rather controversial! There are those who believe that supervisors should visit all teachers regularly and often. How, other than through direct observation, can a superior judge a teacher?
Others maintain that such visits disrupt a class, bring about a strained rather than a natural atmosphere in the class room, and are not necessary if teachers have been carefully selected in the first place.
Still others believe that visit can be very helpful but should be scheduled in advance and should have a specific purpose.
Direct observation is often necessary. Problems are revealed and weaknesses of a teacher are exposed, it is true. However, if problems are real and weaknesses are remediable, all the more reason for visits!
The solution to most problems resulting from supervisory visits lies in maintaining good rapport between teacher and supervisor and in creating the right atmosphere in the classroom when the visitation begins.
The entrance of the principal, supervisor, or other administrator should be inconspicuous without appearing “sneaky” and should take no one by surprise.
Faculty members should be informed at the beginning of the school year that visits might occur at any time but that the teacher and the class are expected to continue as if nothing unusual had happened. A cordial but brief greeting with an appropriate introduction is always in order.
A combination of unscheduled visits and visits by appointment seems like the best answer. When a teacher earnestly seeks help or advice and asks for a visit, the supervisor should always be “on call.”
Those teachers who, for a variety of reasons, never request a visit should be aware that the supervisor frequently “drops in” on all teachers.
The situation, the purpose of the visit, the characteristics of the teacher, the personality of the supervisor, and the philosophy of the educational institution all would have a bearing on the nature of the visitation.
The supervisor must use good judgment about whether to “get into the game” or sit quietly and observe, to take notes or not, to stay throughout the period, and to talk to the pupils and/or the teacher. Active participation under suitable circumstances may help to establish rapport.
If the teacher appears nervous, the supervisor should not increase the apprehension by taking notes while in the classroom.
It may be important to record certain details. If so, the supervisor can observe carefully what transpires and then complete the record of the visit after leaving. In recent years, there has been an increased use of closed-circuit television, video-tapes, and other sophisticated devices to provide a true record of the occasion and furnish food for discussion at a later time.
Such techniques may, during the next decade, revolutionize our supervisory procedures. Another form of visitation, which is increasing in popularity, is called “intervisitation.” Teachers themselves, or in some cases the supervisors, go to other classrooms, other schools, or other communities and observe teachers in their area of education.
Visits are generally reciprocated, and the teachers then get together and discuss their classes and their problems.
Except for the fact that considerable planning and some logistical work are necessary, there has been a fair degree of enthusiasm for this means of “learning together.” The use of “professional days” and the allocation of some funds for travel have helped such intervisitation a great deal.
