Supervision as Possibility of Professional Development for Pedagogues

Abstract

In the world practice the supervision – the consulting for professional practice – has been considered to be the necessary part of the professional activity for more than 50years. In the professional community of Lithuanian pedagogues the supervision was proved for the first time in 2011. The aim of the article – is to present the experience of Lithuanian pedagogues in supervision and to disclose what possibilities for professional development the supervision provides for the people performing pedagogical work, whether it is acceptable as the form for the qualification refreshment.

A contemporary pedagogue faces a lot of tension, stress due to different social, economic, psycho - emotional, managerial factors, which enlarge the probability of professional blow-out, dissatisfaction with the work. Thus the people performing the pedagogical work need to have the possibility to professionally discuss, and reflect their professional experience. The form suggested for pedagogues to improve their qualification is oriented to the development of professional competences, i.e. what else a pedagogue should learn to do better in his / her work. The following question emerges: what help is necessary for the pedagogue as personality, human being so that he / she could work better? At present in the field of pedagogues’ development field it is searched for new experiences, methods. The Education Development Centre performs the project ‘The Development of Pedagogues’ qualification and Requalification System’; 369 pedagogues tested the group supervision as new form for qualification development in 2011. The empirical quantitative and qualitative research has been performed; its sample consists of 144 respondents. They are the pedagogues of different Lithuanian schools, who have participated in the supervision process. The analysis of the research results has shown that the pedagogues who took part in the group supervision insight the provided personal, cognitive, professional benefit of the supervision; they value its emotional and professional support and recognize the supervision as the appropriate way for professional development. It is possible to consider the changed viewpoint, new understanding, acquired knowledge, emerged clarity how to change old repeated problematic situation or relations, and initiative for real actions as the improvement result.