Suggestions and Guidelines for Effective Supervision

There is no single best way to supervise. Techniques and methods must be adapted to the personality and experience of the supervisor, the characteristic of those supervised the cultural milieu of the community, the nature of the subject, the philosophy of the educational institution, and the nature of the governing entities.

The following statements should prove helpful to those who have supervisory responsibilities in one area or another:

1. Supervisory techniques should be compatible with the educational philosophy of the institution.

2. If the method of supervision and the teaching techniques are good, this should manifest itself in an enthusiastic and cooperative attitude on the part of the students.

3. Supervision should be accomplished in such a way that the visits of the supervisor are welcomed by both teachers and pupils.

4. Careful attention to the supervision of facilities and equipment should eliminate almost all accidents caused by structural and mechanical defects.

5. Effective supervision will be characterized by a unified attempt on the part of all teachers to accomplish the aims and objectives of the program.

6. Sincere consideration for human relationships and respect for individual personalities characterize good supervisors.

7. The effective supervisor will make every effort to keep abreast of current trends in curriculum, in facilities, and in equipment.

8. Supervisors should become intimately acquainted with the background and personalities of all those supervised.

9. While optimal development of pupils is the central purpose of all educational endeavours, good supervision should also be reflected in the growth and enthusiasm of faculty members.

10. Supervision should be flexible enough to allow for individual differences in methods and techniques of teaching.

11. Good supervision will be based on the latest scientific evidence. It is therefore essential that supervisors make every effort to familiarize themselves with the latest research findings.

12. Supervisors, to be successful, need essentially the same personal traits as any other leader. Vision, enthusiasm, intelligence, integrity, courage, confidence, and unselfishness are among the most crucial.

27. The emphasis in group and staff meetings should be on the purposes of the meeting, the problems to be faced, and the best attack on these problems, alternative solutions, action steps, and the evaluation process to be applied.

28. Supervisors should try to make their expectations clear without being too rigid, indicate their own limitations, ask teachers for their help in appropriate matters, give help of the kind that is actually needed, stress accountability to agreed-upon commitments, and deal with staff members on a professional rather than a personal basis.

Supervisors are leaders and should utilize the techniques and tactics of good leaders.