Collaboration

Historical Perspectives on Supervision

  • Aug 15, 1400

    Prior to the 15th Century: Supervision's Medieval Latin Origin

    Prior to the 15th Century: Supervision's Medieval Latin Origin
    The origins of the word "Supervision" liken it to a process of scanning for errors or deviations.
  • Period: Aug 15, 1400 to

    The history of Supervision

    This timeline will chronicle historical perspectives of supervision in education, as represented by Sorenson, Goldsmith, Mendez and Maxwell in [The Principal’s Guide to Curriculum Leadership (2011).](www.sagepub.com/upm-data/6652_sullivan_ch_1.pdf) Please note that all graphics have been verified as royalty free. Some dates are too specific as Timetoast requires you to put an exact date, even when describing an era, timeframe or year in general, ie mid-19th century may appear as August 15th, 1850. August 15th represents a general date.
  • Snoopervisors

    Snoopervisors
    1709 - Educational supervisors are supposed inspectors of teacher proficiency and existing standards.
  • Early 19th Century- Maintaining Standards

    Early 19th Century- Maintaining Standards
    19th Century- "Ward Board” supervisors, not professionally trained, inspect one room school houses for the maintenance of standards and were not concerned with improvements beyond these standards.
  • Mid 19th Century- A Streamlined School System

    Mid 19th Century- A Streamlined School System
    Mid 19th Century- The new era of educational practice and a move towards streamlining schools is born, but supervision does not change.
  • Late 19th Century- Monitoring School Efficiency

    Late 19th Century- Monitoring School Efficiency
    Late 19th Century- As a result of the budding industrial age, a focus on organization and efficiency in school takes place. The Reform Movement sees supervisors monitoring and inspecting schools for efficiency.
  • Greenwood's Intuition

    Greenwood's Intuition
    1888 - Superintendant James M Greenwood’s teaching inspections, based on intuition rather than fact, are widely adopted. Generally, teachers are viewed as ineffectual and inept.
  • Early 20th Century- The Affluent Supervisor, Biases Against Women

    Early 20th Century- The Affluent Supervisor, Biases Against Women
    Early 20th Century- Supervisors were viewed as influential and high ranking members of society.
    Biases against women supervisors existed and women were only accepted to fulfill an assistive, curricular role to the teacher as ‘special supervisors’, but were not permitted as general supervisors in the school. The role of special supervisor was soon taken over by male general supervisors.
  • The Business and Scientific Model

    The Business and Scientific Model
    1913 - Franklin Bobbit releases his supervision theory that reflects a business-like model where supervisors control and direct educational methods and rate teacher efficiency in a scientific way.
  • Democratic Methods Emerge

    Democratic Methods Emerge
    1920s- Democratic methods in Supervision begin to emerge which involved cooperation between supervisors and teacher to improve instruction.
  • 1930s to 1950s - Suggesting Improvements for Instruction

    1930s to 1950s	- Suggesting Improvements for Instruction
    1930s to 1950s - Scientific Supervision evolves where supervisors assess the teaching situation and create solutions for instruction so that pre-set objectives can be met. Supervisors observe classrooms and suggest improvements in instruction.
  • Leadership Emerges

    Leadership Emerges
    1960s- Supervision as leadership emerges where supervisors take on a guiding more collaborative role with teachers.
  • Clincal Supervision

    Clincal Supervision
    1970s-Clinical Supervision invokes a formal collaboration component in the supervisory procedure that involves a sharing of ideas between supervisor and teacher. The process of the pre-conference, observation and post-conference is realized. Despite this, bureaucratic supervision is still apparent.
  • Change Agents

    Change Agents
    1980s-Transformational leadership where supervisors are dubbed as “change agents” becomes standard. Teacher empowerment grows as teachers are given more say in policies and goals.
  • 1990s to Present- Standards-based Reform

    1990s to Present- Standards-based Reform
    1990s to present- Standards-based reform sees supervisors turning the main focus from clinical supervision to evaluation checklists and more bureaucratic methods of supervision, although the two methods are supposed to be employed together. High-stakes testing informs supervision practices.