Educating Neophyte and Veteran Supervisors in Best Practices in Supervision

Abstract

This chapter focuses on training future supervisors at the preservice, early career, and veteran stages. Although coursework in supervision is more easily built into doctoral-level training, programs need to incorporate training in supervision at the specialist level as most supervisors of school psychology graduate students function at the specialist level. Various junctures in the sequence of graduate preparation that training can occur are identified including initial practicum placements and the capstone internship experience. Training in effective supervisory practices for veteran school psychologists is also discussed. These efforts should begin with adopting a common school psychology-specific supervision model to drive all state-wide professional development activities. Various methods of delivering this training are identified, which include creating a supervision manual; offering introductory and more advanced workshops at professional conferences; affiliating with an established internship consortium or state-wide network offering a comprehensive training and support program for their supervisors; hosting state-wide metasupervision groups; creating a supervisory credential either through the state board of education or a professional organization; recognition for effective supervisors; identifying, operationalizing, and publicizing supervisory competencies, effective structures, methods, and supports; and promoting the need for school psychologists to receive clinical and administrative supervision from someone trained in school psychology.