Supervision, Systems Thinking, and the Impact of American School Reform Efforts on Instructional Leadership

Abstract

This case was written to encourage educators to reflect on what it means to provide high-quality instructional supervision in an era of accountability when the American public education system is heavily influenced by reform efforts that affect how students learn and how teachers are supported as instructors, and pressures school systems face to produce student achievement. The intent of the case is to help leaders explore the difference between supervision (formative feedback intended to help teachers grow as instructors) and evaluation (summative feedback that determines employment decisions) 15 years past the introduction of No Child Left Behind. Educators using this case should also examine how systems thinking can be applied and/or misused to drive school reform and improvement initiatives.