As instructional supervisors for their buildings, principals must know how and when to supervise teachers so that the mutual goal of instructional improvement can be attained. This study investigates the differences between public junior high school teachers' perceptions of principals' actual supervisory behaviors and their preferences for supervisory behaviors. Using the Supervisory Behavior Description Questionnaire (Form 1), data were gathered for four subscales of curriculum development, instructional organization, staff development, and organization of instruction. These data were used to answer research questions about the actual and preferred responses for each subscale and for each dimensional score within the subscales: directive, collaborative, and nondirective. Questionnaires were sent to 480 teachers in six states--Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Usable responses were obtained from 183 teachers. One-way analysis of variance and factorial analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that respondents most often preferred collaborative supervision, but were receiving directive or nondirective supervision. When the variables of state of employment, subject area, gender, and race were considered, all but subject area produced significant differences. Also, Caucasians preferred less collaboration during evaluation of instruction. Included are 16 references and 13 tables. (MLH)