Abstract

<p>In this study, the purpose was to study what kind of supervision supports inclusive teacherhood the best. Inclusive teacherhood means a teacher’s professional development and the school culture’s change toward participatory school for all students. The study investigated the perceptions of supervisors with a teaching background. This was a qualitative research in which the data were obtained using the focus-group interview method. The interviews were conducted in five places in Finland. The analysis involved a combination of phenomenography, particularly the application called the variation theory, and the classic analysis of the focus-group research method. According to the findings, supervision that supports inclusive teacherhood can be viewed from two wide perspectives that represent its special features. They are the principles of supervision and the practical execution and special methods of supervision that differ from other mentoring forms. The principles of supervision are awareness of similar methods, careful planning of supervision, regularity, and long-term duration. The special practices of supervision are varied methods, attention to the supervisees’ needs, and appreciation of the supervision process. At its best, supervision supports inclusive teacherhood by supporting and empowering teachers’ in their work.</p>

Highlights

  • Supervision has an established position as a well-known and widely-applied method in health care and nursing internationally (e.g., Brunero & Stein-Parbury, 2008; Milne & James, 2002)

  • The purpose of this study is to describe what kind of supervision supports inclusive teacherhood according to supervisors with a teaching background

  • The following research questions were set for this study: According to supervisors with a teaching background, what are the special features of supervision that supports the development of inclusive teacherhood and what is the supervision like?

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Summary

Introduction

Supervision has an established position as a well-known and widely-applied method in health care and nursing internationally (e.g., Brunero & Stein-Parbury, 2008; Milne & James, 2002). It has long roots in education and teaching, too, the method has been less used. In Finland, supervision has been used for supporting teachers’ professional growth and research for several decades (Alila, 2014; Alila, Määttä, & Uusiautti, 2015). Equal opportunities within a heterogeneous group mean that all students get support in their physical, cognitive, emotional, and moral development within a safe, healthy, and intellectually developing environment (Lakkala, Uusiautti, & Määttä, 2014). In the context of inclusion, the Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) is an approach to teach all students, and it includes the predictive planning and usage of inclusive teaching strategies (McGuire, Scott, & Shaw, 2006; Samuels, 2007)

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