Phase 1: Establishing the teacher-supervisor relationship
“The entire first phase of clinical supervision is designed to induct the teacher into supervision in such a way as to provide maximum guarantees of profesional security before the supervisor observes her teaching p92”
The supervisor establishes a clinical relationship with the teacher. This is an important part of the cycle because teachers are commonly anxious about the process of supervision (A cold war?) Additionally, teachers may have misconceptions or ulterior motives concerning participating in clinical supervision that should be addressed.
In light of these concerns, the supervision should begin with a period of relationship building where the supervisor does not observe the teachers’ lessons. During this period the supervisor should focus her efforts “towards establishing the colleagueship, toward helping the teacher to understand the objectives, ethics, policies, practices, and techniques of clinical supervision and her new role in it p 88.”This slow and careful induction into clinical supervision can be conducted by exposing the teacher to the clinical supervision program, conducting simulated supervisory experiences, involvement in decision making in what will be observed and how data will be collected, explanation of the implications of this type of supervision and the roles that each member of the relationship will take. “The demonstration that clinical supervision is built around colleague ship and interaction, not around authoritarian intervention p 89.”
The supervisors primary responsibility is to the educational welfare of the students. The professional relationship with the teachers is confidential unless the safety and educational welfare of the students is in jeopardy. The teacher must have the ability to trust that the supervisor will maintain confidentiality and the supervisors should disclose, upfront, relationships and responsibilities with secondary parties that may have communication about the teacher. In school contexts, the disclosure of these relations may not assuage the teachers fears. An institutionalized belief must exist that places merit on the teacher-supervisor relationship.
The teacher must develop an understanding that she has responsibilities within the program of supervision that are targeted at her “needs, objectives and competencies ” This may begin by giving the teacher the opportunity to express her perceptions about goals, problems and strengths and weaknesses p93. This activity establishes the foundation for their work together. This activity establishes the foundation for their work together. A goal setting plan is created to give direction to future work.
The supervisors initial organization and leadership of the program may confuse the teacher into believing that the hierarchy that has progressed in past supervisory relationships will continue. the teacher must be allowed to understand that they will “assume equal share of the responsibility for the maintenance of the colleagueship. p94”
The induction phase is also critical in helping the teacher establish the first steps towards self-supervision. Teacher autonomy can be developed by ensuring that each session end with an clear statment of who will do what before the next session.
Working together in low-anxiety tasks improves the relationship.
Doctoral Readings 