Tips for Effective Supervison of Teacher Credential Candidates
To improve teaching skills and create behavioral changes in a teacher credential candidate’s performance, a University Supervisor:
- Engenders trust and open communication.
- Builds confidence. The University supervisor begins all oral and written communication on those aspects of what a teacher credential candidate does effectively during a lesson.
- Provides constructive feedback and specific suggestions on what could be improved. Feedback is well written and includes specific comments that provide candidates with an immediate and usable reference from which to learn.
- Holds pre and post conferences for formal observation visits.
- Pre-conference: Requests a copy of the lesson plan for the lesson he/she will be observing that day. The University supervisor meets with the candidate prior to the lesson to ensure that both, he/she and the teacher credential candidate are clear on the purpose of the lesson.
- Post conference: Debriefs the lesson with the teacher credential candidate and provides immediate feedback for the candidate. If an immediate debriefing session is not possible, the University supervisor provides an email or text with a kind word to encourage and support a teacher credential candidate until such time that a meeting can be held.
- Allows the teacher credential candidate to engage in self-reflection. The University Supervisor asks candidates how they felt their lesson went.
- Identifies potential problems early.. Early identification of problems is paramount for a teacher credential candidate’s success. While there may be more than one area of improvement, University supervisors prioritize and identify the key needs that must be addressed. University supervisors understand that the learning process for a teacher credential candidate is developmental and not punitive.
- Schedules appointments at appropriate times and on a regular basis.