The purpose of this study was to understand the extent to which novice department leaders believe they have been supported in their roles. Previous research has suggested that department leaders have unique needs due to the lack of clarity in their roles and responsibilities. The literature further reflected the inconsistent support provided to…

Conferencing is the commonly used vehicle for improving instruction by providing feedback to teachers. However, it is the nature of the feedback given to the teacher and how it is delivered, using effective conferencing strategies and techniques, that will actually involve the teacher in understanding, accepting, agreeing and initiating changes,…

The purpose of this research is to provide insight on how to improve current classroom observation practices in order to meet the needs of teachers, promote professional growth, and develop effective supervision practices. This study built upon previous research which identified four key components of a classroom observation process that promotes…

Drawing on findings from a national study of learning-focused leadership in challenging urban settings, this article examines the work of teacher leadership in urban high schools. In this context, a recently emerging cadre of nonsupervisory teacher leaders, working in collaboration with supervisory leaders, exercises a form of "distributed…

Video analysis affords the observer the opportunity to capture and analyze videos of teaching practices, so that the observer can review, analyze, and synthesize specific examples of teaching in authentic classroom settings. The student teaching experience is the prime opportunity during the personnel preparation program in which student teachers…

This article reports on three stories of what the author calls "eco-narrative" constructions from the data. These stories are rendered in detail to underscore the obstacles student teachers face regularly in becoming multicultural educators, as well as the various and subtle ways supervisors can help them advance their skills by giving…

This paper reports on the status of instructional supervision within the current New York City school reform movement. Reports from interviews with New York City public school teachers demonstrate the prevalence of directive, checklist and narrative approaches to supervision, raising serious questions for the future of instructional supervision.…

This study attempted to determine activities involving the science supervisor during a typical, professional work week. Findings indicate the five activities most likely to occur are: consulting with teachers, teaching of pupils, curriculum activities, activities related to supplies/equipment, and evaluation of teachers. (BT)

This paper reports on an ongoing 3-year study of the current status of instructional supervision within New York City public schools. Under the influence of a centralized and bureaucratically managed system (i.e., top down initiatives), educational reform in New York City has had serious consequences for both the theory and practice of…

Examines the transition from hierarchical to collegial teacher-administrator relationships in a central New York school district. The district's new supervision model requires teachers to assume responsibility for their individual professional growth and administrators to help teachers become self-directed and self-evaluating. Discusses…

Using case studies, examines five alternative supervisory approaches based in both theory and practice: mentoring, peer coaching, portfolios for differentiated supervision, peer assessment, and action research. Collaborative relationships, shared decision making, reflective listening and practice, and enabling administrative leadership were…

Recent studies of the perceptions of teachers and supervisors about the benefits of teacher supervision show clear disagreement between the two groups. Supervisors see their efforts as helpful to teachers, whereas teachers consider supervision ineffectual. This document reports on research conducted to test the theory that positive…

A summary of the Select Seminar II for the development of innovative practically implemented teacher evaluation practices is provided in this report. Two central concerns are linking teacher evaluation to professional growth, and establishing collegial relationships. Discussion topics include: the relationship between teacher evaluation and…

The purpose of this paper is to inform novice science teachers and science teacher educators of the pedagogy that science teacher supervisors value. As expert practitioners, supervisors have a perspective quite different from that of both novice teachers and teacher educators. Nine inservice science teacher supervisors assessed a novice teacher's…

Conceptualizing stress as an interaction of organizational or work characteristics (stress stimuli) and individual characteristics (stress resistance), this paper reports a study of teacher stress in 42 elementary school organizations and 45 secondary school organizations. Organizational stress is operationalized as the aggregate average response…