It ALL Happens in the Classroom: Supervision that Really Works - ASCD Conference

3:30-5:00
Slide Show and Bibliography Provided - Hard Copy
Tom Gannon, Mount Union College, Barbara Lentine, NJ Schools (teacher, school board), Mark Wigler (Chicago Teacher's Union), Judy Conk (Former Superintendent)

Consider our current district/school supervisory climate... How does it compare to the most current research/literature on good supervisory practice?

Issues - Versus Culture, Expertise, Cost, Time, Results in terms of student achievement, Lack of credible data, Idiosyncratically based, Improvement in teacher effectiveness??????

"... teaching is too sublime to be reduced to a few descriptions that fit on one page." Green and Smyser (1996)

The ultimate goal of supervision is to increase student learning.

"...supervising practice must be regulated in large part by the teacher."
Danielson (1996)

Solutions - New Models, Better instruments, Alternatives to traditional supervision, Research-based principals, Teacher empowerment, Use of data, Change culture

Building relationships and trust is critical!

"Promoting teacher learning in collaborative teams, a principal is far more likely to improve student achievement than by focusing on formal teacher evaluation." Dufour & Marzano (2009)

Chicago - Union and School Board created partnership - Fresh Start - Instructional Leadership Teams - Teacher Advancement Program - Frameworks for Teaching/Praxis III - Teamwork in BEST (Beginning Educator Support and Training)

"The Art and Science of Teaching" - Marzano (ASCD)

Qualities of Effective Teachers - Student Engagement, Instructional Strategies (more student led than teacher led), Communication of Content Knowledge and Skills, Instructional Complexity, Monitoring Student Progress, Respond to student need and abilities - Strange & Hindman (2006)

Mixed Methods Approach to Teacher Evaluation - Peer Ratings, Classroom Observations, Assessment of written communications skills, Standards-based Portfolio - Toledo, Ohio Public Schools

Improve Supervision - Team Supervision, Portfolios, Interactive journaling, Mentoring new staff, peer coaching, Action research projects, Other collaborative
activities.

Team Supervision - Norm of Collegiality, Peer based, Cooperative approach, student work samples, may be project based, produces life-long professional learning.