Supervision as Moral Action

Action versus Behavior; Supervision as Moral Action

and the Underside of Supervision

Action versus Behavior

What is the distinction between

“behavior” and “action”?

Behavior denotes human action

brought about by some stimulus.

It is observable, measurable, quantifiable

and fits a pattern of relationship between

what preceded and what followed.

According to Donald Davidson; some

piece of behavior count as an action if

it is “intentional under some description” where the description

is provided by the agent’s beliefs,

desires and intentions.

“Supervisory Behavior” – refers to actions

by supervisors that have been associated

with positive or negative reactions on the

part of teachers or administrators.

“Supervision as a Moral Action.”

What does this mean?

Supervision is an activity that involves

supporting, furthering and caring for learners

and respect for the significance of what is

taught

There is a “moral” dimensioninvolved in teaching and supervision.

4 Dimensions1. A commitment to practice in an exemplary way.2. A commitment to practice toward valued social ends.3. A commitment not only to one’s own practice but to the practice itself.4. A commitment to the ethic of caring.

The Underside of Supervision

Problems in supervision are refer to the control and

misuse or abuse of power.

Underside issues of supervision like older teacher

disdainful of younger teacher; or the supervisor raising

problems for a teacher or vice-versa.

Sergiovanni and Starrat pointedly note that if

supervision is to be a “moral action, it must

respect the moral integrity of the supervisor

and the supervised.”

These issues can block the possibility of an

open, trusting, professional communication.

In these instances, supervision is not moral action.

The interaction must be one of trust , openness,

flexibility and allowing for both the supervisor and the

supervised to be honest in their dealing and interaction

with each other.

The Moral Heuristics of Supervisory Practice

• It must respect the moral integrity of the supervisor and the supervised.

• The assumption behind supervision is that it will promote the kind of teaching that

benefits children and youth in the classrooms.

• Supervisors will need to explore with the teachers what procedures will be followed,

what rights and responsibilities will be defined ahead of time, who controls what, whose needs are being served, what is the

purpose behind the exchange.

Transactional Supervisory Action

• James McGregor Burns in his Pulitzer Prize Winning Book, Leadership distinguishes

between actions that he calls “transactional” and the action he calls

“transforming”.

• Transactional leadership - normally takes place between individuals and is guided by values which regulate order and guide the transaction between them.

• Transforming leadership - involves considerations that go beyond individual interest to the goal of the group or the larger collective, and is guided by other values which Burns calls “end” values

Transactional Supervision

• Transactional supervision - takes place within an individual supervisory episode and within an organizational context.

• On an individual basis, that initially will involve what we have called the heuristics of moral action, namely, the exploration of and agreement upon those procedures, ground rules and guidelines which both parties will follow in order to maintain the exchange on a moral plane.

Transformational Supervision

• Transformational action involves larger end values such as justice, equality, freedom, community.

• It calls attention to the truth, that no matter how successful we might be in pursuing narrow self-interests, human life is simply not worth living without some experience of community, of an order of law that protects the human rights of the weak, of bonds brotherhood or sisterhood, and the celebration of human heroism.

INDIVIDUAL

TRANSFORMATION

- IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS SELF- TRANSFORMATION FOR

PERSONAL GROWTH

FOUR ELEMENTS OF SELF – TRANSFORMATION :

1. THE MAP IS THE WORLDVIEW OR ORIENTATION WITH PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF ONE’S TOTALITY. THIS IS NOTHING OTHER THAN A HEAD TRIP WITHOUT THE APPLICATION. THIS IS TO DETERMINE THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF A TOTAL SELF. TO KNOW THE EXTREMITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL. IT IS THROUGH STUDIES OF THEORY OR METAPHYSICS.

2. THE PATH

IS THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF. TO BIND BACK TO THE DIVINE MASTER. AS WE TRANSFORM OURSELVES TO NEW INDIVIDUAL IS NOT THAT WE IGNORE OUR BELIEF & CULTURE TO OUR RELIGION. IT SHOULD BE OUR CORE OF TRANSFORMING.

3. THE GUIDE

MAY BE AN EXTERNAL SPIRITUAL TEACHER OR MASTER. HE OR SHE SERVES

AS OUR GUIDANCE. LET THEM BE THE DIRECTOR OF WHAT TO BE DONE AND HOW THE THINGS BE DONE AS WE GO ALONG OUR WAY IN THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS. WE CAN HAVE AN AUTHENTIC MENTOR BUT PREFER TO ATTUNE TO NONE OTHER THAN AUTHENTIC REALIZER BUT A DIVINIZER.

4. THE PRACTICE LIVING SPIRITUALLY A PURE LIFE OR SPIRITUALLY DISCIPLINED. THAT WE SHOULD TRANSFORM OURSELVES TO THE GOODNESS OF OUR INNER AND OUTER BODY. THE GOODNESS OF OUR INTELLECT, HEART AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES TO MAKE A TOTALLY TRANSFORMED INDIVIDUAL -

WITH HIGH MORALE.

A representation of Spiritual Evolution. This

presents the traditional religious & spiritual idea of consciousness developing from a more genital and so to speak animal consciousness to a higher one.

COMMITMENT TO LARGE EDUCATIONAL VALUES

-THE MAIN FOCUS OF THIS IS THE SUPERIOR/ SUBORDINATE VALUES. THE LEADER IS THE ONE WHO HOLDS UP THE VISION OF WHAT THE SCHOOL CAN BE AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME.- HACKMAN AND OLDHAM EMPHASIZED- THE IMPORTANCE OF TASK SIGNIFICANCE THAT ALMOST ALWAYS REPRESENT HIGH MORAL VALUES.

- Teachers who work in response to moral values can transform their work with children so that in the

classroom one can see education of the whole person, education for

citizenship and community building, and an education for

global perspectives.

TRANSFORMING THE SCHOOL OR THE SYSTEM

THE MORAL CONCERN HERE IS THAT LEADERS – PRINCIPAL OR

SUPERVISOR INFLUENCED THE TEACHER AND THE SYSTEM FOR

CAHNGE. BUT THEY MAKE SURE THE CHANGE IS FOR THE COMMON GOOD-

CHILDREN, PARENTS, TEACHER, COMMUNITY AND THE ORGANIZATION.

THE POLITICS OF THE POSSIBLE

- is defined and described as self serving and manipulative behavior

of individuals and groups to promote their self interests at the

expense of the others, and sometimes even organizational goal

as well.

There are interplay between leadership, authority, influence and

followers.

-Political climate of an organization is impacted by a leader through treatment

and use of authority under different settings which

is clearly visible during the acts of decision making, setting agenda and

interaction with others to mobilize support, inspire teams and individuals

and recognize people.That’s the moral side of politics in the

organization

“ He who listens with the mind is SMART;He who listens with the heart is

COMPASSIONATE”.