The field of instructional supervision in schools has a history of being misunderstood and devalued, having been beset by problems of definition and purpose. This paper examines the history of supervision and its ties with educational administration, and describes implications for supervision and administration. There is a history of tension between the two fields, and supervision has benefitted by disassociating itself from administration. The paper calls for more discourse between the two disciplines. Supervision can provide a vehicle for focusing on curriculum, staff development, and classroom visitation; can provide a new paradigm for supervision (supervision as a vehicle for teacher empowerment rather than as a means to control teachers); and can help teachers experiment with practice and self-directed action. Supervision should enter the educational administration discourse and begin to exchange ideas and concepts that can enlarge and enrich the understanding of teaching and learning. One figure and one table are included. (Contains 131 references.) (LMI)