1. Chapter 5: Reflections on Schools, Teaching and Supervision Changing Views Instructional Improvement Checking Your Own Beliefs

2. Schools, Teaching, SuperVision Know Thyself: Know Thyself: What are your beliefs about What are your beliefs about schools, teaching and schools, teaching and supervision? supervision? How do you make human decisions? How do you make human decisions? How would you measure the 'Coast of England?' How would you measure the 'Coast of England?' What are your views on effective practice? What are your views on effective practice?

3. Adult and Teacher Development Difference between Effectiveness and Goodness? Difference between Effectiveness and Goodness? How do we define 'good schools'? How do we define 'good schools'? Must be answered before we can decide how our schools can become more effective. Must be answered before we can decide how our schools can become more effective.

4. Constructivist Views: "In a constructivist approach, teachers "In a constructivist approach, teachers will have to learn to guide, not tell; will have to learn to guide, not tell; to create environments in which students can make their own meanings, not be handed them by the teacher; to accept diversity in constructions, not search for the one 'right' answer;... not to stick to rigid standards and criteria; to create a safe, free, responsive environment that encourages disclosure of student constructions, not a closed, judgmental system." (Airasian & Walsh (1997) to create environments in which students can make their own meanings, not be handed them by the teacher; to accept diversity in constructions, not search for the one 'right' answer;... not to stick to rigid standards and criteria; to create a safe, free, responsive environment that encourages disclosure of student constructions, not a closed, judgmental system." (Airasian & Walsh (1997)

5. Constructivist Views for Students: "Students will also have to learn new ways to perform. They will have to learn to think for themselves, not wait for the teacher to tell them what to think; to proceed with less focus and direction from the teacher, not to wait for explicit teacher directions; to express their own ideas clearly n their own words." (Airasian & Walsh, 1997)

6. Adult and Teacher Development: Instructional Improvement & Effective Teaching: Instructional Improvement & Effective Teaching: Construction of Knowledge Construction of Knowledge Problem-centered, flexible, webbed, big ideas, depth. Problem-centered, flexible, webbed, big ideas, depth. Open-ended discussion, student initiated questions Open-ended discussion, student initiated questions Problem solving, inquiry, experimentation Problem solving, inquiry, experimentation Active, cooperative learning Active, cooperative learning Self and group reflection on constructions Self and group reflection on constructions Co-planned by teacher and students Co-planned by teacher and students Authentic assessment of process and product. Authentic assessment of process and product. Self, peer and group assessment. Self, peer and group assessment.

7. Adult and Teacher Development Beliefs about Education: Beliefs about Education: What should be the purpose of What should be the purpose of education? education? What should be the content of the school curriculum? What should be the content of the school curriculum? Who should control the learning environment? Who should control the learning environment? What should be the relationship between teacher and students? What should be the relationship between teacher and students? Under what conditions is student learning most successful? Under what conditions is student learning most successful?

8. Adult and Teacher Development What motivates What motivates students to do their students to do their best in school? best in school? What is your definition What is your definition of effective teaching? of effective teaching? What personal characteristics are possessed by a successful teacher? What personal characteristics are possessed by a successful teacher? How should the teacher assess student learning? How should the teacher assess student learning? What is your definition of a good school? What is your definition of a good school?

9. Adult and Teacher Development Supervision Beliefs: Supervision Beliefs: What is your definition of instructional supervision? What is your definition of instructional supervision? What should be the ultimate purpose of supervision? What should be the ultimate purpose of supervision? Who should supervise? Who should be supervised? Who should supervise? Who should be supervised? What knowledge, skills, attitudes and values are possessed by successful supervisors? What knowledge, skills, attitudes and values are possessed by successful supervisors?

10. Adult and Teacher Development Supervision Beliefs: Supervision Beliefs: What are the most important needs What are the most important needs of teachers? of teachers? What makes for positive relationships between supervisors and teachers? What makes for positive relationships between supervisors and teachers? What types of activities should be part of instructional supervision? What types of activities should be part of instructional supervision? What should be changed about the current practice of instructional supervision? What should be changed about the current practice of instructional supervision?

11. Essentialism: (Bagley, 1938) Idealism + Realism. Idealism + Realism. Idealism: an absolute 'ideal' exists. Idealism: an absolute 'ideal' exists. There is a body of timeless knowledge There is a body of timeless knowledge both historical and contemporary that is of value to the living. both historical and contemporary that is of value to the living. Supervisor as person who teaches truths about teaching to teachers. Supervisors are most knowledgeable about absolute standards. Supervisor as person who teaches truths about teaching to teachers. Supervisors are most knowledgeable about absolute standards.

12. Experimentalism: Pragmatism + progressivism Pragmatism + progressivism + reconstructivism + reconstructivism An historical break from An historical break from traditional philosophies of traditional philosophies of realism and idealism. realism and idealism. The scientific method. helps us look at reality and see what works. The scientific method. helps us look at reality and see what works.

13. Experimentalism: ‘What works?' ‘What works?' Supervisors view schools and laboratories, working with teachers to develop hypotheses and try new ones. Work democratically. Not sole Supervisors view schools and laboratories, working with teachers to develop hypotheses and try new ones. Work democratically. Not sole conveyors of wisdom. conveyors of wisdom. Trial and Error. Trial and Error.

14. Existentialism: Kierkegaard (1850) Scorn for rational, empirical and Scorn for rational, empirical and systematic thinking as the way of systematic thinking as the way of knowing reality. knowing reality. The only reality that exists is one's own existence. Human dignity and worth are of greatest importance. Morality is the process of knowing oneself and allowing others the freedom to do likewise. Faith, intuition, mysticism, imagery, and transcendental experiences are all acceptable ways to discover. The only reality that exists is one's own existence. Human dignity and worth are of greatest importance. Morality is the process of knowing oneself and allowing others the freedom to do likewise. Faith, intuition, mysticism, imagery, and transcendental experiences are all acceptable ways to discover.

15. Existentialism: (cont.) Supervisory Beliefs: Full commitment to teacher choice. The supervisory provides an environment that enables the teacher to explore his or her own physical and mental capabilities. Teachers must learn for themselves. Supervisor does not dispense information and shies away from intrusive guidance. Supervisors Supervisory Beliefs: Full commitment to teacher choice. The supervisory provides an environment that enables the teacher to explore his or her own physical and mental capabilities. Teachers must learn for themselves. Supervisor does not dispense information and shies away from intrusive guidance. Supervisors help when needed, protecting rights help when needed, protecting rights of others to self-discovery. of others to self-discovery.

16. Three Superphilosophies Essentialism: Supervisor is Expert Experimentalism: Democratic, Hypothesis Testing Existentialism: Supervisor Facilitates teacher Exploration, Autonomy

17. Course Competencies: 1. Develop an understanding of 1. Develop an understanding of how to design and implement how to design and implement research-based school practice. research-based school practice. 2. Develop consensus-building 2. Develop consensus-building and negotiation skills. and negotiation skills. 3. Examine your own beliefs, assumptions and practices as potential school leaders. 3. Examine your own beliefs, assumptions and practices as potential school leaders.

18. Course Competencies: 4. Develop a school 'vision' with high instructional standards and learning goals. 4. Develop a school 'vision' with high instructional standards and learning goals. 5. Examine theories of adult development, curriculum development, assessment, supervision, collaboration, professional learning and inquiry. 5. Examine theories of adult development, curriculum development, assessment, supervision, collaboration, professional learning and inquiry. 6. Reflect on personal learning processes. 6. Reflect on personal learning processes.

19. Course Competencies: 7. Examine processes of human resources supervision. 7. Examine processes of human resources supervision. 8. Examine formal and informal teacher assessment strategies. 8. Examine formal and informal teacher assessment strategies. 9. Acquire knowledge of how teaching, learning and student development inform leadership decisions and priorities. 9. Acquire knowledge of how teaching, learning and student development inform leadership decisions and priorities. 10. Examine strategies to develop your staff as researchers in school learning communities. 10. Examine strategies to develop your staff as researchers in school learning communities.

20. Instructor Over-Arching Goals: To prepare you to To prepare you to develop excellent teachers. develop excellent teachers. To prepare you to To prepare you to develop excellent schools. develop excellent schools. School Improvement Strategies. School Improvement Strategies. To prepare you to be a change agent. To prepare you to be a change agent. To help you understand yourself and the adults you will supervise. To help you understand yourself and the adults you will supervise.