Part 1-Choose a teacher on your staff whose work warrants improvement or has specific issues that you would like to address. Pick a teacher who you feel has the ability to learn and grow. If you are a teacher, choose a newer/less experienced teacher to mentor. Before you begin supporting others in their development, it is essential for you to assess your own development and trajectory towards growth and change. After reading Chapters 4 through 8 in Supervision in Early Childhood Education and Chapters 5 and 6 in Blueprint for Action, reflect on Table 6.1 (Caruso & Fawcett, p.79) by discussing the following:

1. What phase of supervisory development do you place yourself in and why?

2. What are your strengths and weaknesses and how do they affect your job?

3. What are your goals for yourself as a supervisor/leader?

4. What are your goals for the teacher you plan to focus on?

5. What are your goals for the children and families in that classroom?

Part 2 –As stated in Chapter 5 in Caruso, “Supervisor, supervisee, and the context in which they work are three components of a complex, dynamic process in which development occurs. Supervisor and supervisee grow and change in an environment that also changes. The interaction between these two individuals and the context in which it takes place can create energy, force, and power for continued professional and personal growth.” “By assessing the developmental characteristics of staff members, supervisors can select and use an approach that best matches the individual with whom they are working and the specific problem or concern at hand.” Reflect on Figure 5.1, Three Components of the Developmental Dynamic

1. Consider the elements that comprise the context of a supervisory interaction.

2. Think about the teacher you have selected for the purposes of this course, and assuming that you and the teacher agree on the issue at hand:

3. Describe what you decide you need to know about your supervisee. What strategies might you use to learn more about teachers’ development?

4. How will you use this information to set goals and determine appropriate modes of supervision (Directive, Non-directive, Collaborative)?

5. Using the NYS Core Body of Knowledge identify a specific competency to focus on with the teacher you have selected. If possible, go down to the behavior and skill level.

Part 3 – Once you have identified the teacher and classroom you will focus on, conduct one or more observations. (See course materials folder for sample observation tools

o Building upon the NYS Core Body of Knowledge focus you identified in Part #2, describe what you saw and heard as you observed the teacher and the children. Does the teacher need to develop her knowledge base, skill/strategies, or disposition to meet the NYS Core Body of Knowledge area(s)? Upload your observation(s) of the teacher.

o Describe the strengths and weaknesses you’ve observed and give specific examples of both.

o Describe your concerns:

 Are there issues with developmentally appropriate curriculum, classroom environment, organization and materials, interactions and relationships with children and parents; planning; appropriate discipline methods; other issues?

o What is your assessment of the teacher’s life cycle stage (Caruso, Table 5.1) and stage of professional development (Bloom, Table 6.2). Include your reasoning for where you placed the teacher on each scale.

Using this information, identify supervisory methods you can use to support this teacher’s professional development