The fields of instructional supervision, adult development, teacher education and mentoring, and ongoing professional development are synthesized in this text. Examples and case studies are drawn from local systems in North Carolina as well as state, national, and international public school/university consortia to identify emerging trends in…

Many factors enter into the problem of remaking the rural schools, such as well-prepared teachers, satisfactory unit of organization, close and intelligent supervision, and redirected course of study. Of these, none is more important than the first. It is certain that the trained leadership needed in rural districts can not be fully realized until…

A chief psychiatric resident and her supervisor at George Washington University Medical Center adapted traditional clinical supervision to encourage the resident's development as a teacher. The chief resident used weekly care conferences to teach first-year residents to make psychiatric formulations. (JMD)

Surveyed 1500 school district superintendents nationwide to determine why teachers are placed on probation. Found that, from 230 responding districts, 139 teachers were placed on probation the first year, with the number increasing to 156 in the second year and declining to 64 the third year. Proposes that teachers be involved in their own…

By keeping accurate records, student teacher supervisors can present concrete evidence about physical education student teachers' classroom performance. The article describes various ways to collect objective data, including running records, at-task records, verbal flow records, class traffic records, interaction analysis records, and global scan…

Report of a study of the experience of subject leaders (SLs) in Wales in improving the practice of members of their departments. Findings reveal that the SLs worked to create a culture of collaboration that controlled the development of practice and contained the anxiety associated with teaching. (Contains 41 references.) (WFA)

Interviews with British student teachers examined the nature of support they received in school when making the transition from student to teacher. The success of the transition depended on experiencing various relational conditions, which were largely determined by others, but which served as a crucial context for individual development. (SM)

Report of a study of a model that describes how supervision works in schools to influence teacher efficacy and commitment. Results indicate that the data fit the conceptual model well and that supervision has a profound impact on teachers' commitment and efficacy levels. (Contains 3 figures, 2 tables, and 60 footnotes.) (AUTHOR)

Argues for the use of colleague mentors to increase retention rates among new teachers. Describes mentors' role as offering emotional support, suggestions about effective instruction, and information on the mores of the school community. Identifies characteristics of good mentors. Stresses the importance of shared decision making in teacher…

In four years, the Medicine Hat Teacher Supervision and Evaluation Project has evolved from centrally planned innovation into an integral part of the district's internal organization, enabling teachers and administrators to pursue educational change and professional development and receive recognition in a climate of rising expectations, trust,…

Practitioners (n=910) working with maladjusted children and adults (such as delinquents or those with emotional disturbances) were surveyed. Nonsupervised practitioners were not found to be more at risk for burnout than supervised practitioners. Practitioners who were considered to be more at risk of burnout were less satisfied with their…

Research on what is known about the use of collaborative performance appraisal to enhance the professional growth of teachers was reviewed, and a survey was conducted of the views of 152 administrators and teacher supervisors about collaborative performance assessment. Alternatives for policy and practice suggested by the findings are discussed.…

This study investigated the impact of induction assistance on two beginning physical education teachers, one in grades K-2 and the other in a middle school. The teachers were observed, videotaped, and interviewed, and a case narrative was completed for each. Results indicated that continued supervision and feedback positively affected the…

Focuses on potential usefulness of eliciting "critical incidents" that occur in multicultural supervision. Ethnic minority interns were asked to describe a positive critical incident related to multicultural issues. Results, presented under the three groupings of "openness and support,""culturally relevant…

Examined behaviors of second and sixth graders during (1) unsupervised free time; (2) unsupervised desk work; (3) supervised free time; and (4) a class lesson. Second graders worked on their assignments whether or not the teacher was present. In the class lesson context, children in both grades exhibited work behaviors and few peer interactions.…