This research is part of the Supervision field of study, framed on the research question: "How do you characterize the oversight processes and how are they used for the professional and organizational development of the schools, on the chosen contexts? "We tried, through this study, to detect, analyze, and understand the fundamental characteristics of supervision in its aspects of leadership and training. Also, we tried to find out how it is felt and how it can be put into work. This study also aims to check if the term Supervision is merely abstract concept or it is considered as one of the cornerstones of the schools. The proposal of this research was based on the professional experience of different school’s realities. This study was written to understand how supervision is applied in the studied schools, (three schools in the district of Porto, in different geographic, social and economic contexts), and how it is perceived by the universe of their teachers. It was intended to find out which the existing supervising conceptions were and how they are implemented and perceived in these school realities. We concluded, in these three contexts, that in one of them, there was a supervision that was carried out by pairs, with informal collaboration among colleagues, where in the disciplinary group meetings, common work strategies were conceived, materials were shared, practices were discussed, teachers were supported, and even in some cases, colleagues were asked to assist each other´s classes.; on another of the contexts supervision did not exist, and as a result of that there was the bureaucratization of the whole process, associated to the teachers resistance, who still associated teachers’ evaluation with Supervision in Schools. Finally, in the last one of the contexts, there was an enunciated supervision in the documents, which is encouraged by the management department, but is only reluctantly accepted by the teachers, a well-structured supervision in terms documents, which is encouraged by the department’s coordinators, where it is made with help of classes’ observation in the classroom.It was peered up the perspective of teachers. It was tried to expand the vision of this supervisory process, by listening to the opinions of the members of the General Council and the three Principals, where this study was conducted. It participated in this study, of qualitative nature, the Presidents of the General Board and the Principals, who were interviewed and inquired, and the teachers of the 2nd and 3rd cycle, who answered to a survey, conducted online, because it was proved to be the most appropriate way to reach the three schools. With this instrument, we tried to understand, in an extensive way in the considered universe, the developed dynamics under the supervision. Among the conclusion of our study we’ve highlighted the existence of contradictions, in the opinions expressed by teachers, as to how supervising practices and views are felt. Supervision associated with evaluation causes mixed feelings, opposition, resistance and disbelief in the supervising process, conditioning the practice of Supervision, in particular if it is put into practice with the classroom’s observation. Out of the contexts of the classroom, supervision is seen as an improvement in the action, of everybody, as a Teacher. In fact, Supervision’s application in Schools, may even be seen as an opportunity to improve teaching techniques, since it does not involve attending classes. (by other teachers/colleagues). Regarding professional and organizational development, Supervision, in a formative perspective, it is considered an asset. The necessity to think in team work, was surprising and changed how people saw the school in its hierarchical functions. Contrary to what is common sense, the school does not manifest itself as an horizontal institution where all participants are in a linear perspective, but as a pyramidal organization, and it is how the actors relate to and envision the intervention of the other, that makes the difference.
| Date of Award | 28 Oct 2016 |
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| Original language | Portuguese |
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| Awarding Institution | - Universidade Católica Portuguesa
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| Supervisor | Maria do Céu Roldão (Supervisor) |
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