Problems

and Issues in
Supervision
By:
ALVIN F. FREO

Major Problems in Supervision

Working conditions
Lack of staf
Lack of means
Absence in the most remote schools

Role conflicts
Overload of tasks
Tension between administrative and pedagogic duties
Tension between control and support

Major Problems in Supervision

Management of supervision services
Recruitment
Training
Professional support
Reporting and follow-up

The teachers' view

Problems and Issues in the Following Areas:

Improving Classroom Instruction

Human Relations
Staf Development
Administrative Functions
Curriculum Development
Supervisors Involvement in Union Management
Relationships
Simulation Exercises on Supervisory Situations
Integration of Learning Experiences

Problems and
Issues in Improving
Classroom
Instruction

Problems and Issues in Improving

Classroom Instruction
Preventing interruptions
Handling routine procedures
Creating an efective learning
environment
Getting students attention
Maintaining a rapid pace of instruction

Problems and Issues in Improving

Classroom Instruction
Minimizing time spent on discipline
Efective use of time
Preventing lost time
Preventing late starts

Problems and Issues in Improving

Classroom Instruction
Case 1
A new teacher, Miss Jane Brown, is having serious
problems with her classroom management at Pimento Valley
Secondary. She has just started the third month of her first
teaching post. Her assignment is to teach Integrated Science
to Grade 8 and 9 students. Her classes range from 45 to 50
students. The school is situated in a rural industrial town.
Students are usually well behaved, but given the opportunity
will get out of hand. The teacher, a trained biologist, has not
had formal teacher training.
As the days and weeks go by, classroom management
worsens, and the teacher gradually loses control of her

Problems and Issues in Improving

Classroom Instruction
Case 1: Analysis
In this case, because the teacher has difficulty
controlling her classes, she begins to arrive late. The
students pay little attention to her. Some students
complain to parents that they are not getting any class
work assignments, while other teachers complain that their
classes are constantly being disturbed.
In addition to large class sizes, there is no established
system of supervision which would aid Miss Brown in
developing her teaching skills. Also, Miss Brown, realizing
her incompetence, has isolated herself from colleagues to
whom she could turn for support.

Problems and Issues in Improving

Classroom Instruction
Case 1: Analysis
Having been asked to aid Miss Brown in developing and
improving her teaching skills, design a clinical supervision
program which will achieve these goals.
The goal of Miss Browns clinical supervision is to improve
her classroom management techniques. Any other factors
contributing to her inefectiveness will need to be addressed
as they are discovered during observation. Because of the
severity of the problem, more than one observation will be
needed.

Problems and
Issues in Human
Relations

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
Misunderstanding of intent
Belief that happy teachers would
increase productivity
Led to laissez-faire supervision in schools
Supervisors afraid to supervise - public
nature of personnel actions in schools

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
CASE I

In San Jose Elementary School it is customary to give

monetary contributions to a colleague who has lost a
parent. A memo is passed around announcing the death
and voluntary contributions are collected. So when the
father of one of the teacher, Miss Garcia, died, a certain
amount of money was collected from the teaching staf,
and was given to her. The Principal in his short note
stated "Herewith are the contributions of the teaching
Staf on the death of your father".

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
CASE I: Analysis
In moments of great import to a person, the administrator
should be careful in representing the sentiments of the staf so
that the recipient would feel the concern of his colleagues. In
this instance money appeared to be the most important thing
when it is not, although it is a necessary thing. This is one of the
little ways by which an administrator is evaluated by his staf
without benefit of formal scale. It should have been a good
occasion to show afection and concern; to make the bereaved
feel that the whole school sympathizes with her, that she
belonged to the group. The attitude of the recipient who may
have felt that the leader does not care for the employee has
been formed by the leadership climate or tone of the

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
CASE II
Mrs. Cruz is a Master Teacher I who has just come
from a maternity leave for her sixth child who followed
a five-year old boy. She and her husband live and work
in Quezon City, so that she goes to the school with her
husband who drives the car. Then the husband goes to
his office after conducting on her.
There is a seminar in Manila where a Master Teacher
is advice to attend. The school principal, Miss Bee,
called Mrs. Cruz to talk to her about seminar in Manila.

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
CASE II
Miss Bee told Mrs. Cruz about the seminar and her
qualifications as Master Teacher. When Mrs. Cruz said
something about the distance of the seminar, Miss Bee
replied "The trouble with us is that we want promotions
but when we are called upon to attend our duty, we
decline". In order to please Miss Bee, Mrs. Cruz accepted
the seminar. That same afternoon Mrs. Cruz had to go to
a hospital because her blood pressure went up.

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
CASE II: Analysis
This is a case wherein the needs of the seminar alone
were considered without considering those of the individual
so that the welfare of the staf member has been adversely
afected. This shows lack of understanding of the
employee's personal problems. We judge people when we
are not aware of their specific needs. An understanding
superior must discover the way employees think and the
values they live by listening sympathetically to them. In
this case the school administrator has failed to listen and
to coordinate the needs of the individual with those of the
seminar.

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
Case III
Kemal is sometimes late for class. It cannot be said that
he has good marks and the teachers would not say that he
is a popular student. Mr. Nuri is Kemal`s mathematics
teacher. Kemal was late in class again when this conflict
occurred. Mr. Nuri was standing at the blackboard and
giving his lesson when Kemal has knocked on the door and
entered the class. Kemal apologized for being late and
wanted to go to his desk when Mr. Nuri angrily shouted at
him: I am bored with your being late. The others cannot
concentrate on the subject matter because of you. You are
not a competent student. The next time you are late I will

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
Case III
Kemal wanted to explain something; however, Mr.
Nuri did not let him talk and ordered him to sit down.
For the rest of the lesson, Mr. Nuri concentrated on
Kemal. He was annoyed by everything; he was upset
when Kemal was talking to his classmates or when he
made no contributions to the lesson. Most of the lesson
passed, not in teaching, but in the teasing of Kemal.
Kemal could not concentrate on the lesson.

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
Case III
After the lesson Kemal went with his classmate Levan to
the staf room and wanted to talk to Mr. Nuri. However,
though Mr. Nuri was not pleased, he accepted the request
to talk with Kemal. Kemal told Mr. Nuri that he was living
far away from school and that his familys financial
situation was worsening. He added that he had to walk to
school every morning and is therefore late for the lessons
sometimes. Mr. Nuri listened to him without saying a word
and then said: It makes no diference, the reasons you
have listed, this is not an apology. I do not want you to be
late again. You will have to bear the consequences, if you

Problems and Issues in Human

Relations
CASE III: Analysis
The conflict reported in this case study
occurred between the mathematics teacher Mr.
Nuri and his student Kemal. It may be
understood that there were many reasons why
the conflict between Mr. Nuri and Kemal took
place, especially if we take the relationships and
data into consideration.

Problems and
Issues in Staf
Development

Problems and Issues in Staf

Development
Teachers Training
Alignment according to specialization
Educational qualification
Attitude of teachers
Resources

Problems and Issues in Staf

Development
Case I
Marita is a shy type and soft spoken grade 5
teacher. She is already 15 years in the service as
elementary grade teacher. Because of her attitude, she
always alone and never mingle with her colleagues
and hesitant to take any responsibility.
One day, her principal asked her to attend seminar
workshop about classroom management but she
refused and gave many excuses. Because of her
negative attitude, the principal transferred her to
grade I advisory class.

Problems and Issues in Staf

Development
Case I: Analysis
In this case, the kind of attitude shown by the
teacher to her superior afect her performance as a
classroom teacher. The principal should always seek
new and better ways to encourage the teacher and
made her realize the importance of attending seminar
for her professional growth and development.

Problems and
Issues in
Administrative
Functions

Problems and Issues in

Administrative Functions
Instructional supervision
Alignment of curriculum
Resource management
Leadership and governance
Accountability and continuous improvement
Stakeholders involvement
Implementation of programs and projects

Problems and Issues in

Administrative Functions
Case I
Miss Romero is the principal of an elementary
school in a low income community in the southern part
of the Philippines. She noted that almost daily, half of
the Grade 3 class failed to report to school. She was
bothered by this so she talked to the teacher to find
out why. The teacher informed her that since the
students came from the poorest of poor families, they
would often skip school because of a very simple
reason, they were too hungry to be able to learn.

Problems and Issues in

Administrative Functions
Miss Romero tried to ask for fund s from local officials to
provide her school with a feeding program for the poor
pupils but she was flatly turned down for lack of funds. This,
however, did not dampen her spirit. She was determined to
bring back the children to school . So she called a meeting
of important people and businessmen in her town. No one
wanted to give away food or materials for nothing. She
thought of a great idea. How about asking the parents of the
children to work for food? She was able to convince the
businessmen and the children's parents to cooperate with
her in the plan. Each of the businessmen was to "adopt"
three children for the school's feeding program .

Problems and Issues in

Administrative Functions
They would provide food or cash enough to feed each
child every week. In exchange, the children's parents were
to work for them for five hours every weekend, washing
clothes, doing carpentry work or cleaning their house.
It was a win-win situation. The children went back
to school and the parents learned new skills. The
businessmen also had extra manpower during weekends.
After three years, all those in the food-for-work program,
the 20 pupils who were too hungry to go to school,
graduated.

Problems and Issues in

Administrative Functions
Case I: Analysis
The principal had a problem on drop out rate, half of
the Grade 3 class failed to report on school. This
however did not dampen her spirit for she was
determined to bring back the children in the school.
She tapped the stakeholders to finance the schools
feeding program that paved way for the children to
continue their study until they graduate through adopt
a school program.

THANK YOU!