Clinical Supervision Research Paper
The purpose of clinical supervision is to help teachers understand their practice better and self-reflect on their instruction. Principals and teacher colleagues serve as clinical supervisors and their job is to help the teacher select goals to be improved, teaching issues to be addressed, and give feedback to help increase the teacher’s performance. Ultimately, clinical supervision is a framework for helping teachers research their practice. There are five general steps to the clinical supervision cycle:
• Preobservation conference: The supervisor and the teacher sit down and thoroughly go through the lesson plan. This gives the teacher a chance to discuss the thinking that went into the lesson, the activities to be used, and how the students
will be assessed for mastery. Also, the supervisor may ask questions for clarity or make suggestion on how to improve the lesson before the observation.
• Observation of teaching: The supervisor sees the lesson in action. The observer focuses on what the teacher is saying, how the students are reacting, and what learning transpired throughout the lesson. Since the teacher met with the supervisor prior to the observation, she knows exactly what is being monitored or observed. When collecting data from the observation, the supervisor should record descriptive notes that are free from inferences and opinions. In addition, sometimes the focus may be collecting information in regards to a specific issue (i.e. classroom management, engagement of students, time on task, or collaborative pairs).
• Analysis and Strategy: Questions to ask yourself as the supervisor:
1. What was the purpose of the observation?
2. How did the information colleted illuminate the purpose?
3. Can the supervisor organize the information to give precise, clear feedback?
Having organized the information, the supervisor is able to give attention to building a strategy for working and supporting the teacher.
• Postobservation conference: The supervisor uses specific information gathered during the observation to help the teacher analyze the lesson. The teacher self-reflects on what he/she thinks went well, and what are areas of opportunity. The purpose of the postobsrvation is to provide descriptive information to the teacher. Be careful not to draw conclusion or elaborate on discrepancies, this will be the responsibility of the teacher observed.
• Preobservation conference: The supervisor and the teacher sit down and thoroughly go through the lesson plan. This gives the teacher a chance to discuss the thinking that went into the lesson, the activities to be used, and how the students
will be assessed for mastery. Also, the supervisor may ask questions for clarity or make suggestion on how to improve the lesson before the observation.
• Observation of teaching: The supervisor sees the lesson in action. The observer focuses on what the teacher is saying, how the students are reacting, and what learning transpired throughout the lesson. Since the teacher met with the supervisor prior to the observation, she knows exactly what is being monitored or observed. When collecting data from the observation, the supervisor should record descriptive notes that are free from inferences and opinions. In addition, sometimes the focus may be collecting information in regards to a specific issue (i.e. classroom management, engagement of students, time on task, or collaborative pairs).
• Analysis and Strategy: Questions to ask yourself as the supervisor:
1. What was the purpose of the observation?
2. How did the information colleted illuminate the purpose?
3. Can the supervisor organize the information to give precise, clear feedback?
Having organized the information, the supervisor is able to give attention to building a strategy for working and supporting the teacher.
• Postobservation conference: The supervisor uses specific information gathered during the observation to help the teacher analyze the lesson. The teacher self-reflects on what he/she thinks went well, and what are areas of opportunity. The purpose of the postobsrvation is to provide descriptive information to the teacher. Be careful not to draw conclusion or elaborate on discrepancies, this will be the responsibility of the teacher observed.