Doing Reflective Supervision with Student Teachers in a Professional Development School Culture

Abstract

This paper describes a developing model of student teaching supervision that centers on reflective practice for student teachers, co-operating teachers, and supervisors as members of a community of learners. The model emerged as a result of collaborative efforts between a professor, principal, and co-operating teachers in a Professional Development School site over a period of three years. The collaborative school culture has been crucial to supporting every cohort of student teachers in learning to become reflective practitioners. Student teachers in this newly developing program are expected to take an active role in their professional development and evaluation. The specific working dimensions of the model depicted can provide practitioners with a framework that may be adapted to their own contexts.