Guiding Beginning Teachers with Supervision and Professional Development

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One of the most critical problems facing the teaching profession is how to improve the instructional supervision and professional development of beginning teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine beginning teachers’ perceptions of actual and ideal approaches to supervision and their perceived connection to professional development in selected Canadian and Ukrainian high schools. The conceptual framework dwelt upon supervisory choices for beginning teachers, namely collaboration with supervisors or peers, and self-reflection, and their connection to the purposeful professional development activities for beginning teachers. Research methodology involved the use of quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry. The participants were all beginning high schools teachers presently in their first or second year of teaching in the area of Saskatoon, Canada and Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Analysis of the data included frequency counts, means, standard deviations, and percentages to summarize items in the survey, as well as themes that emerged from four interviews in each of the countries. Research findings revealed several differences and similarities, and confirmed that instructional supervision of beginning teachers needs to be a priority in Canadian and Ukrainian schools.

Stream: Educational Leadership and Management

Paper: , Getting off on the Right Foot

Throughout his career, Benjamin has worked as a teacher, researcher, manager, and professor in the field of education in Ukraine and canada. He completed his PhD in Educational Administration at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is currently Assistant Professor in School Law and Policy in the Faculty of Education at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.