A study of influential and effective supervisory roles as perceived by the junior high school teachers in Newfoundland and Labrador

Doyle, Sister Teresa (1972) A study of influential and effective supervisory roles as perceived by the junior high school teachers in Newfoundland and Labrador. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The function of persons occupying supervisory roles is to provide leadership to educational workers for the purpose of improving the teaching-learning situation. Because of the importance of this function and because of the variety of positions which supervisors may occupy, it is important to consider how influential and effective the persons in these supervisory roles are in helping teachers improve their work in the school or classroom. -- The objective of this study was to determine teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of influential supervisory roles in serving to improve teachers' behaviour with respect to the content, processes, or outcomes of their work. -- It was hypothesized that teachers' perceptions of the influence and effectiveness of supervisory roles would be significantly related to such school and teacher variables as type of board, size of school, population of town and of area served, sex, professional preparation and experience of the teacher. It was further hypothesized that the influence and effectiveness of the supervisor would decrease as the physical distance between the supervisor and teacher increased. -- Each of 300 teachers selected randomly from a population of 1589 Junior High School teachers in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, rated the supervisory roles in his/her school system on influence and effectiveness. The seven roles perceived to be most influential and effective were those of principal, vice-principal, 'other teachers', district superintendent, board supervisor, coordinating principal and personnel associated with the Faculty of Education, Memorial University. As hypothesized, teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of these roles varied with type of board, size of school, population of town and of area served, sex, professional preparation and experience. Almost 92 per cent of teachers selected persons occupying these seven roles as the most effective supervisors. -- The implications of this study are very clear. Teachers regard those supervisors as influential and effective in improving classroom instruction who are closely associated with the teaching role. Persons in roles far removed from the teacher will not likely affect the behaviour of teachers regardless of their supervisory skills.

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