WHAT IS SUPERVISION?
Defining supervision has been a source of much debate for years (Bolin, 1987).
Is supervision a function of administration, curriculum, staff development,
action research, or a combination of these and other activities? Alfonso and
Firth (1990) noted that the study of supervision lacks focus largely due to the
“lack of research and continuing disagreement on the definition and purposes
of supervision” (p. 188). In this volume, we view supervision as the center for
the improvement of instruction. Supervision is the process of engaging teachers
in instructional dialogue for the purpose of improving teaching and
increasing student achievement. We believe that supervision for the improvement
of instruction will continue to be the foremost concern of supervisors and
other educational leaders well into the 21st century