Teachers Perceptions of Instructional Supervision

Teachers Perceptions of argumental SupervisionCHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTIONThis chapter ordains a preamble to the whole excogitate. It deals with the riddle and the way it is accessioned. It encloses a legal brief formulation of background of the study, objective of the study, delimitation and limitation of the study. It also introduces definition of close to key endpoints and the boilersuit organization of the study.1.1 Background of the sphereTeacher education play an pregnant role in promoting the catch outing and oerlord growth of instructors. Supervision is unity of the functions of education that offers opportunities for trains to be effective and for increasing the original person development of instructors as a means of effectively managing the educational activity- hearing work on (Kutsyuruba, 2003 Arong Ogbadu, 2010). Supervision has existed in any countries for many decades and occupies a pivotal position in the focusing of education, which target be und erstood as an expert technical service virtu all(prenominal)y consequentially concerned with scientific study and improvement of the conditions that surrounds call foring and bookman growth (Alemayehu, 2008). fit to Vashist (2004), critical review is leadership and development of leadership at heart groups, which cooperatively assess educational product in light of trustworthy educational objectives, studying the pedagogics- turn arounding situation to determine the antecedents of satisfactory and unsatisfactory student growth and achievement, and amend the teach determineing andt against.The concept of instructional oversight take issues from school inspection in the sense that the former focuses on counsel, support, and perpetual estimate provided to teachers for their original development and improvement in the tenet-learning border, whereas the latter gives focus on controlling and evaluating the improvement of schools based on tell standards represent by external agents outside the school system (Wilcox Gray, 1996 Tyagi, 2010 Arong Ogbadu, 2010). Instructional c be is mainly concerned with improving schools by military serviceing teachers to echo their utilizations, to learn much about what they do and why, and to develop professionally (Sergiovanni Starratt, 2007). Various references give tongue to that instructional oversight has open connection with professional development (Sergiovanni Starratt, 2007 Zepeda, 2007). Kutsyuruba (2003) defined professional development as viewsA major component of ongoing teacher education concerned with improving teachers instructional methods, their ability to reconcile instruction to bear upon students of necessity, and their classroom have it offment skills and with doing a professional nicety that relies on shargond beliefs about the importance of principle and learning and that emphasizes teacher collegiality. (p. 11)In Ethiopia, the executive programy services began t o be carried out since 1941, with constant slip of its names Inspection and Supervision. Currently, lapse is grandly dependable in all schools at all levels (Haileselassie, 1997). In the case of Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa City Administration education Bureau (AACAEB) has restructured its sub city level executive programy positions from general supervisory approach to subject-argona instructional supervisory approach, since the arising of 2004 (Alemayehu, 2008).1.2 Problem StatementA search conducted by Alemayehu (2008) in indirect schools of Addis Ababa shows that the subject- atomic number 18a instructional inadvertence just in Addis Ababa City Administration (AACA) has exposed to multiple problems such as, inadequacy of adequate support to raw(a)ly deployed ( laminitis) teachers, less amount of classroom visits and look coaching job job by instructional supervisors, focus of supervisors on administrative matters than on academic issues (supporting and assist teacher s), and less mutual professional trust amid supervisors and teachers. All these and new(prenominal) problems chiffonier modify teachers to nurse a nix recognition towards instructional inadvertence.According to Oliva (1976), the way teachers perceive supervising in schools and classrooms is an important factor that determines the outcomes of watchfulness process. In hang onition, previous look and publications revealed that because of its critical approaches less go done teachers have more negative intelligences on the practice of inadvertence than more experienced teachers. They consider supervisors as fault finders they guardianship that supervisors will report their weaknesses to the school administrator, and consider direction as zero point value to offer to them (Blumberg, 1980 Olive, 1976 Zepeda Ponticell, 1998). However, literary works on perception of teachers toward supervisory practices is really limited in Africa in general and in Ethiopia in part icular.Therefore, this study was knowing to examine startle teachers perceptions of the real and ideal supervisory practices and their perceptions on its relationship with professional development in secret and presidential term inessential schools of Addis Ababa. This study addressed the sp ar-time activity basic query questionsWhat ar the perceptions and preferences of organisation and private beginning unessential school teachers regarding the actual and ideal supervisory practices?Is there any difference in perception between beginner and experienced secondary school teachers regarding the actual and ideal supervisory practices?What is the perceive relationship between the supervisory practices and teachers professional development?1.3 Objective of the matterThe overall objective of this study was to examine the existing perception of beginning teachers toward instructional direction and its comprehend relationship to professional development in governance and pr ivate secondary schools of Addis Ababa. Specifically, the study seeks to explore beginning teachers perception of what the ideal supervision should be and how it has been actually carry outed in the schools, and their perceived connection to professional development. In addition, it was aimed to explore what differences existed in the perception of instructional supervision between private and government school teachers and between experienced and less experienced (beginner) teachers.1.4 Significance of the StudyTeachers perception of instructional supervision can positively or negatively affect the showcase of education. Teachers differ in their preferences and choices of supervisory approaches (Beach Reinhartz, 2000). Though there argon some teachers who would exchangeable to work alone without additional support, there are other teachers who would respect comments about their teaching from their colleagues, supervisors, or school administrators (Augustyn, 2001). In this st udy, an overview of the theoretical frameworks of supervisory approaches (ideal interpretation) and their practical applications (actual interpretation) were presented. The researcher has a belief that identifying the prevailing perceptions of teachers by attempt this study and coming up with sound recommendations can have its experience role to play in improving the practical supervisory processes and bore of education at large. To this end, this study will bring about the pursuit benefitsThe research findings provided an insight into teachers perception of supervisory practices and thus determined whether teachers were at ease with such practices and their influence on professional development.The study will enable those involved in supervisory practices to identify the underlying negative perceptions of instructional supervision and seek for application of appropriate supervisory approaches based on teachers preferences and choices.Since the characteristic of education is its dynamism and capacity to respond to changing needs and challenges, the researcher feels that the study will contri just nowe an additional source of learning in evaluating the achievement gained as a result of practicing instructional supervision.Finally, the researcher also believes that the study will initiate other researchers to undertake minute research on the effectiveness of instructional supervision at regional and national levels. In addition, the results of this study may be employ to add to the international practices of instructional supervision.1.5 Delimitation of the studySince Addis Ababa City Administration (AACA) is wide having a total of 112 government and private secondary schools, it will be unrealistic and impractical to attempt to study teachers perception of instructional supervision within a given time limit. Therefore, the study is delimited to 20 private and government secondary schools (10 from each) and 200 teachers (100 beginning and 100 experienc ed). In addition, public secondary schools in Addis Ababa are not include in this study due to the fact that the government has enacted a law to be included under government control and administration. However, by this movement the schools are not totally shifted to government control. They are partially funded by government and partially by the public, but their name and administration are not yet clear.1.6 Limitation of the StudyThe study had limitations in that it includes only government and private secondary schools in Addis Ababa. Primary schools are not included in this study due to time and budget constraints. On the other dig, generalizability of this study was limited by the fact that the research was conducted in secondary schools in one city of Ethiopia. In addition, the study had limitations of all survey type research such as clarity of wording and answerer dateing of some terminologies. Problem of getting recently published books was every bit challenging. Therefore , because of these limitations, the study by no means claims to be conclusive. It would rather act as a spring to study teachers perceptions in a more detailed and comprehensive way.1.7 Definition of Key TermsFor the place of this study, the following terms were definedInstructional supervision is a process aimed at providing guidance, support, and continuous assessment to teachers for their professional development and improvement in the teaching-learning process, which put across on the system that is built on trust and collegial agriculture (Beach Reinhartz, 2000).Beginning teacher refers to a teacher currently in the graduation or second year of teaching.Experienced teacher refers to a teacher who has three or more years of teaching experience.Secondary school is a school usually includes grades 9 through 12.Government secondary school is a school established and administered by government of Ethiopia. sequestered secondary school is a school established and administered b y private foreign or local owners.Ideal supervisory approaches are supervisory approaches say in various literatures which should be implemented in schools. in truth supervisory activities are those supervisory approaches verbalise in various literatures which are actually implemented in schools.Professional development is a major component of ongoing teacher education concerned with improving teachers instructional methods, their ability to adapt instruction to meet students needs, and their classroom management skills, lead-in to the professional growth of the teacher (Wanzare Da Costa, 2000).Sub-city in Ethiopian case, it refers to the government administrative hierarchy next to city administration. It is locally called Kifle Ketema.1.8 Organization of the StudyThis study comprises five chapters. The first chapter deals with the problem and the way it is approached. It encloses a brief formulation of background of the study, objective of the study, delimitation and limitation of the study, and definition of some key terms. The second chapter reviews some of the current literature pertaining to the part of instructional supervision, different approaches to supervisory process, and their connection with professional development. The third chapter details the research methodology, description of the study area, data sources, samples and sampling techniques, data gathering instruments, robustness and reliability of instruments, procedure of data collection, and analysis of the data. Analysis and interpretation of the research findings are presented in the fourth chapter. Lastly, a summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations are presented in chapter five.CHAPTER TWOTHEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND LITERATURE REVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL supervision AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTIn this chapter a review of related literature on instructional supervision and its relationship with professional development is provided. The chapter is split up in to four parts as to enable the reader to follow a logical sequence that includes history of school supervision, overview of supervision approaches, teachers perception of supervisory processes, and the relationship between supervision and professional development.2.1 History of coach SupervisionIn many developed countries, such as get together Kingdom (UK) and united States, much more attention has been given to inspection than school supervision (Lee, Dig Song, 2008). The Inspectorate of Education had originated from France under Napoleons Regime at the end of the 18th century, and other European counties followed the idea in the nineteenth century (Grauwe, 2007). For example, in UK, the first two inspectors of schools were appointed in 1883 (Shaw, Newton, Aitkin Darnell, 2003) and in the Netherlands it was started in 1801 (Dutch Education Inspectorate, 2008). The terms inspector and inspection are soundless being used in various developed and developing countries , including United Kingdom (UK), United States, European countries and some African countries such as Lesotho, Senegal, Tanzania and Nigeria (Grauwe, 2007).Traditionally, inspection and supervision were used as important tools to ensure capability and accountability in the education system. Later adherents of the terminologies of inspection and supervision are used by different countries in different ways. As outlined by Tyagi (2010), inspection is a top-down approach think on the assessment and military rating of school improvement based in stated standards, where as supervision focus on providing guidance, support and continuous assessment to teachers for their professional development and improvement in their teaching- learning process. Nevertheless, since the demand of teachers for guidance and support rendered from supervisors has cast upd from time to time, some countries changed the terminology and preferring the term supervisor over that of inspector. According to Grawue (2007), some countries hav e recently developed more specific terminologies Malawi, uses education methods advisor, and Uganda teacher development advisor.The concepts of supervision and inspection have been changed frequently in Ethiopian education system and the reason was not clearly pedagogical (Haileselassie, 2001). In 19 42, educational inspection was practiced for the first time, then it was changed to supervision in the late 1960s , once more to inspection in mid 1970s and for the fourth time it shifted to supervision in 1994 (Haileselassie,2001). Haileselassie stated thatApart from perhaps political finalitys, one could not come up with any sound educational and pedagogical rationale to justify the continuous shift do in the name. With the name changes made we do not notice any significant changes in either the content or purpose and functions. (Haileselassie, 2001, p. 11-12)From 1994 onwards, supervision has been practiced in Ethiopia decentralize educational management. According to the Educati on and Training Policy (1994), educational supervision is recognized at the center (Ministry of Education), Regional, Zonal, District (Woreda) and give instruction levels. Instructional supervision at school level is practiced by principals, deputy principals, part head, and senior teachers.According to Haileselassie (1997), the functional and true sense of educational supervision depends on the supervisory operation made at the grassroots level, i.e. School level. In this regard, subject-area instructional supervision has practiced in all schools of Addis Ababa since the beginning of 2004. The major responsibilities of subject-area instructional supervisors in Addis Ababa include (1) examining and reporting the programs, organization and management of the teaching-learning activities (2) developing and presenting alternative methods used to improve instructional programs (3) guiding and monitor schools and teachers (4) preparing and organizing professional trainings, workshops, s eminars, etc. (5) monitoring and supporting the instructing (induction) programs for beginner teachers and (6) providing direct aid and perform instructional and managerial activities in schools with teachers and principals by organizing and implementing clinical, collegial, peer coaching and cognitive coaching techniques of instructional supervision, etc (Alemayehu, 2008).2.2 Overview of Supervisory ApproachesAccording to Blas and Blas (1998), although many supervisory approaches are cooperative in nature, for farseeing time, supervisory of instruction has been viewed simply as an inspection issue. Sergiovanni (1992) expound supervision as a religious rite they supervisors and teachers participate fit to hale established scripts without much consequence (p. 203). This author continued that today, supervision as inspection can be regarded as an artifact of the past, a function that is no longer tenable or prevalent in contemporary education (p. 204). He explained that though functioned for a considerable span of time, this type of supervision caused negative stereotypes among teachers, where they viewed as subordinates whose professional performance was controlled. Supporting this idea, Anderson and Snyder (1993) stated, because of this, teachers are unaccustomed to the sort of mutual talks for which terms like mentoring, peer coaching collegial assistance are coming in to use (p.1).It should be clear, however, that traditional supervisory approaches should not be removed completely because supervisory authority and control are essential for professional development. Mitchell and Sackney (2000) explained this as much of past practice is educationally sound and should not be discarded (p. 37). Having said this, it is important to specialise instructional supervision from evaluation. Authors described the former as a shaping approach and the later as a summative approach (Poole, 1994 Zepeda, 2007). Poole (1994) stated that instructional supervision is a formative process that emphasizes collegial run of teaching and learning (p. 305). In this regard, participants in the supervision process invent and implement a range of professional growth opportunities designed to meet teachers professional growth and educational destructions and objectives at different levels. Teacher evaluation, on the other hand, is a summative process that focus on assessing the competency of teachers, which involves a formal, written appraisal or judgment of an idiosyncratics professional competence at specific time (Poole, 1994, p. 305). The supervisory (formative) and evaluative (summative) processes should go hand in hand (Sergiovanni Starratt, 2007). While supervision is essential for teachers professional growth, evaluation is essential to determine this growth and teacher effectiveness (Kutsyuruba, 2003 Wareing, 1990).The widely used approaches to evaluation are administrative monitoring, report writing, checklists, and self-assessment. On the other hand, approaches to supervision are categorized as clinical supervision, peer coaching, cognitive coaching, mentoring, self- locution, professional growth plans, and portfolios (Alfonso Firth, 1990 Clarke, 1995 Poole, 1994 Reninan, 2002 Sergiovanni Starratt, 2007 Zepeda, 2007). Implementing different supervisory approaches is essential not only to give choices to teachers it is also important to provide choices to the administrators and schools (Kutsyuruba, 2003). Each component of supervisory approaches are discussed as follows.Clinical SupervisionAccording to Sergiovanni and Starratt (2007), clinical supervision is a face- to- face contract with teachers with the intent of improving instruction and increasing professional growth (p. 23). It is a sequential, cyclic and systematic supervisory process which involves face-to-face interaction between teachers and supervisors designed to improve the teachers classroom instructions (Kutsyuruba, 2003). The purpose of clinical sup ervision according to Snow-Gerono (2008) is to provide support to teachers (to assist) and gradually to increase teachers abilities to be self-supervising (p. 1511). Clinical supervision is a specific cycle or pattern of working with teachers (Sergiovanni Starratt, 1993, p. 222). It is a partnership in inquiry where by the person assuming the role of supervisor functions more as an individual with experience and insight than as an expert who determines what is right and wrong (Harris, 1985). Goldhammer, Anderson and Karjewski (1980) described the structure of clinical supervision that includes pre-observation conference, class room observation, analysis and strategy, supervision conference, and post-conference analysis. Clinical supervision is officially applicable with inexperienced beginning teachers, teachers are experiencing difficulties, and experienced teachers who are in need of improving their instructional performance.Sergiovanni and Starratt (2007) stated that clinical su pervision is typically formative than summative in its evaluative approach in order to enable beginning teaches gather to research their practices and improve their teaching and learning (p. 233). As a result of this, the writers kick upstairs described that the focus of clinical supervision is not on quality control, rather on the professional improvement of the teacher that guarantees quality of teaching and students performance (Sergiovanni Starratt, 2007).Collaborative SupervisionCollaboration and collegially are very important in todays modern schools. According to Burke and Fessler (1983), teachers are the central focuses of collaborative approach to supervision. Collaborative approaches to supervision are mainly designed to help beginning teachers and those who are new to a school or teaching environment with the appropriate support from more experienced colleagues. Thus, these colleagues have an honourable and professional responsibility of providing the required type of support upon request (Kutsyuruba, 2003). In this regard, a teacher who needs collegial and collaborative support should get a line that needs do not exist for professional growth, that feedback from colleagues and other sources should be solicited in order to move toward improvement (Burke Fessler, 1983, p.109). The major components of collaborative approaches to supervision which are especially mandatory for beginner or novice teachers are peer coaching, cognitive coaching and mentoring (Showers Joyce, 1996 Sergiovanni Starratt, 2007 Sullivan Glanz, 2003 Kutsyuruba, 2003).Peer coachingPeer coaching, according to Sullivan and Glanz (2000), is defined as teachers helping teachers reflect on and improve teaching practice and/or implement particular teaching skills needed to implement knowledge gained through faculty or curriculum development (p. 215). The term coaching is introduced to characterize practice and feedback following cater development sessions. According to Singhal (1996), supervision is more effective if the supervisor follows the team approach. This would mean that the supervisor should have a clear interaction with teachers and group of teachers, provide an open, but supportive atmosphere for efficient communication, and involve them in decision making. The goal of coaching as described by Sergiovanni and Starratt (2007), is to develop communities within which teachers collaborate to honor a very simple value- when we learn together, we learn more, and when we learn more, we will more effectively serve our students (p. 251). Thus, peer coaching provides mathematical opportunities to beginner teachers to refine teaching skills through collaborative relationships, participatory decision making, and immediate feedback (Bowman McCormick, 2000 Sullivan Glanz, 2000). In this regard, research findings showed that beginning teachers rated experienced teachers who coached than as exceedingly competent and the process itself as very necessary (Ku tsyuruba, 2003).cognitive coachingAccording to Costa and Garmston (1994), cognitive coaching refers to a nonjudgmental process built around a preparation conference, observation, and a reflecting conference (p. 2). Cognitive coaching differs from peer coaching in that peer coaching focuses on innovations in curriculum and instructions, where as cognitive coaching is aimed at improving existing practices (Showers Joyce, 1996). As Beach and Reinhartz (2000) described, cognitive coaching pairs teacher with teacher, teacher with supervisor, or supervisor with supervisor, however, when two educators are in similar roles or positions, the process is referred as peer supervision. The writers further identified three components of cognitive coaching planning, lesson observation, and reflection.Costa and Garmston (1994) described three basic purposes of cognitive coaching, viz. (1) developing and maintaining trusting relationship (2) fostering growth toward both supreme and independent be havior and (3) promoting learning. In a cognitive coaching process, teachers learn each other, built mutual trust, and encouraged to reach at a higher level of autonomy- the ability to self-monitor, self-evaluate, and self-analyze (Garmston, Linder Whitaker, 1993).MentoringMentoring as defined by Sullivan and Glanz (2000) is a process that facilitates instructional improvement wherein an experienced educator agrees to provide assistance, support, and recommendations to another(prenominal) staff member (p. 213). Mentoring is a form of collaborative (peer) supervision focused on helping new teachers or beginning teachers successfully learn their roles, establish their self images as teachers figure out the school and its culture, and understand how teaching unfolds in real class rooms (Sergiovanni Starratt, 2007). Sullivan and Glanz (2000) stated the works of mentors asThe mentor can work with a novice or less experienced teacher collaboratively, nonjudgmentally studying and deliber ating on ways instruction in the class room may be improved, or the mentor can share expertise in a specific area with other educators. Mentors are not judges or critics, but facilitators of instructional improvement. All interactions and recommendations between the mentor and staff members are confidential. (p. 213)Research projects and publications revealed that mentoring has clear connections with supervision and professional development which serve to augment the succession planning and professional development of teachers (Reiman Thies-Sprinthall, 1998).In addition, Sergiovanni and Starratt (2007) described that the emphasis of mentoring on helping new or beginner teachers is typically useful for mentors as well. By helping a colleague (beginner teacher), mentors able to see their problems more clearly and learn ways to overcome them. As a result, mentoring is the kind of relationship in which learning benefits everyone involved.Self-ReflectionAs the context of education is ev er changing, teachers should have a professional and ethical responsibility to reflect on what is happening in response to changing circumstances. Thus, they can participate in collective reflection practices such as peer coaching, cognitive coaching, or mentoring, as well as self-assessment reflective practices (Kutsyuruba, 2003). According to Glatthorn (1990), self- directed development is a process by which a teacher systematically plans for his or her own professional growth in teaching. Glatthorn further described that self-directed approaches are more often than not ideal for teachers who prefer to work alone or who, because of scheduling or other difficulties, are unable to work cooperatively with other teachers. Sergiovanni and Starratt (2007) considered this pickax to be efficient in use of time, less costly, and less demanding in its reliance on others. Thus, the writers indicated that in self-directed supervision teachers work alone by assuming responsibility for their own professional development (p. 276).Furthermore, Glatthorn (1990) suggested that self-development is an election provided for teachers that enable them to set their own professional growth goals, find the resources needed to achieve those goals, and undertake the steps needed to accomplish those outcomes (p. 200). In addition, this approach is particularly suited to competent and experienced teachers who are able to manage their time well (Sergiovanni Starratt, 2007).PortfoliosAs teachers want to be actively participated in their own development and supervision, they need to take ownership of the evaluation process (Kutsyuruba, 2003). The best way for teachers to actively involve in such practices is the teaching portfolio (Painter, 2001). A teaching portfolio is defined as a process of supervision with teacher compiled collection of artifacts, reproductions, testimonials, and student work that represents the teachers professional growth and abilities (Riggs Sandlin, 2000).A po rtfolio, according to Zepeda (2007), is an individualized, ongoing record of growth that provides the opportunity for teachers to collect artifacts over an extended period of time (p. 85). Similarly, Sergiovanni and Starratt (2007) stated that the intent of portfolio development is to establish a file or collection of artifacts, records, photo essays, cassettes, and other materials designed to represent some aspect of the class room program and teaching activities. As Sullivan and Glanz (2000) stated portfolio documents not only innovative and effective practices of teachers, but also it is a central road for teachers professional growth through self-reflection, analysis, and sharing with colleagues through discussion and writing (p. 215). The writers further described that portfolio can be used to support and enrich mentoring and coaching relationships.Professional harvest-feast PlansProfessional growth plans are defined as individual goal-setting activities, long term projects te achers develop and carry out relating to the teaching (Brandt, 1996, p. 31). This means that teachers reflect on their instructional and professional goals by setting intended outcomes and plans for achieving these goals. In professional growth plans as part of instructional supervisory approach, teachers admit the skills they wish to improve, place their plan in writing including the source of knowledge, the type of workshop to be attended, the books and articles to read, and practice activities to be set. In this regard, Fenwick (2001) stated that professional growth plans could produce transformative effects in teaching practice, greater staff collaboration, decreased teacher anxiety, and increased focus and commitment to learning (p. 422). summational EvaluationThere is a clear link among instructional supervision, professional development and teacher evaluation (Zepeda, 2007). Teacher evaluation involves two evident components formative evaluation and summative evaluation (Se rgiovanni Starratt, 2007). The writers differentiated formative teacher evaluation as an approach intended to increase the effectiveness of ongoing educational programs and teachers professi