Unit 8 Supervision

Introduction
This section is closely related to Module 6 “Monitoring School Effectiveness” and you are recommended to re-read the principle points before looking at the guidelines.

A school will only run smoothly and effectively when everyone knows that they are accountable for their own portion of the work that goes on in it. The head is accountable for ALL that goes on. This accountability is brought closely into focus through a system of monitoring and evaluation known in Guyana as the Supervisory Schedule. This schedule is described in detail in the guidelines and you are further recommended to read the information provided in Section Three of the Desk Manual for school leaders.

All senior staff will be involved in the supervisory schedule and it is essential that you as head draw it up in a clear fashion so that all staff will understand their responsibilities relating to it. All staff will be supervised, usually by their immediate superiors or line managers. The head will be supervised by the department of education or the board in a board school. A format for this schedule is provided for you in the guidelines.

In order to achieve the vision and mission of the school, all staff are required to carry out specific duties. These are in relation to pedagogical, co-curricular and administrative duties and need to be clearly stated by the head and understood by all staff. The guidelines provide a means of recording these duties. There is a requirement for all teachers to acknowledge these duties and sign to show that they have agreed to them.

Now read thoroughly pages 76 – 79 of the guidelines “School Records and Documents”.

Now complete the following activities in your portfolio. You should try to do so with as little reference to the guidelines as possible, only referring to them at the end when you should check your answers and correct them where necessary.

Activities Unit Eight

8.1 Why do you think a supervisory schedule is important in schools?

8.2 Do you think it is important that all members of staff are supervised in one way or another?

8.3 Make a list of those areas that you feel should be part of the supervisory schedule for headteachers. You may wish to re-read those sections of Module 8 which relate to the self-evaluation of leadership skills.

8.4 Look again at the Vision, Mission and SIP for your school and assign duties for the senior staff which will ensure that the planning progresses in relation to these areas.

8.5 There are three sections for the Desk Manuals for schools. Locate them in your school and remind yourself of the contents