How to Design a Form for Clinical Supervision in the Classroom

Clinical supervision form.

Clinical supervision in the classroom helps principals, mentor teachers, and university instructors observe and advise new teachers. Designing a form for clinical supervision allows the supervisor to collect useful information and also helps turn observational narrative into quantitative data by providing a rubric. Having quantitative data allows the supervisor to compare and contrast a teacher's skills in the classroom, gives the teacher a better understanding of his strengths and weaknesses, and removes potential bias.

Instructions

1. Write a section for identifying information. This is usually at the top of the page and should include the name of the teacher, the name of the school, the grade being taught, the number of students in the class, the subject being taught, the supervisor's name and the date.

2. Write five to 10 criteria to rate the teacher. These criteria can be whatever skills you wish to assess during your observations. Some options are planning instruction, classroom climate, professional behavior, engaging students and evaluation. A scale for rating these criteria should be included. Many universities and supervisors rate teachers using a scale of "beginning understanding," "developing understanding," "apprentice understanding" and "expert understanding."

3. Create a section for writing the observational narrative. Supervisors can write what they experience while observing in the classroom.

4. Create a section to write the teacher's strengths during the observed lesson. In this area supervisors can provide information about what they liked about the lesson.

5. Create a section for writing suggestions for the teacher. Supervisors can use this space to document areas of needed improvement.

Tips & Warnings

• If possible, get your form printed on carbon copy paper. That way a copy of the evaluation can be left for the teacher. It is always easier to assess a lesson if you request a lesson plan from the teacher. This allows the supervisor to see the planning that was done before the lesson's start. If you choose to do this, give the teacher ample notice, as most teachers do not have lesson plans on hand.

References

• "Clinical Supervision and Teacher Development: Preservice and Inservice Applications"; Keith Acheson and Meredith Damien Gall; 2003

Resources

• Educational Administration and Supervision: Clinical Supervision and Case Study