Discovering Answers to Ineffective Instructional Supervision: Practical Strategies from Effective Public Primary Schools in Ghana.

Abstract

This study sought to provide answers to the problem of ineffective instructional supervision in public primary schools. Hence, the purpose of the study was to improve instructional supervision to contribute to effective teaching by finding out the effective forms of practices and support introduced into instructional supervision deemed as effective, to contribute to effective teaching in public primary schools in the Greater Accra region. The study used Strauss and Corbin’s three-stage coding technique and discovered strategies for effective instructional supervision such as: shared instructional supervision preparation between teachers and supervisors (including instructional supervision prior notice provision, structure set-up, goal setting, goal setting structure set-up, goals’ evaluation, and support initiatives goal setting); shared responsibility for instructional supervision purpose achievement (including preparation of teachers for instructional supervision receptivity); instructional supervision procedure; duty enhancement measures for instructional supervision (including performance boost using orientation, education supervision models use/ non-use, criteria and resources use, special initiatives, personal strategies considered helpful, needs-based support interventions, supervisors’ instructional supervision support received and support goals’ evaluation, supervision policies utilization, recruitment role in qualities’ identification by education service, supervisors’ capacity building, change of teachers’ negative perception of supervisors,  regular refresher programs for instructional leaders and teachers, and supervisors learning from other supervisors); context-based effectiveness (including criteria for instructional supervision, documentation of practice/criteria, and effective instructional supervision indicators); practice evaluation and progress monitoring (including subordinates/teachers’ appraisal; supervisors’, subordinates’, and superiors’ support interventions assessment; performance evaluation and supervisors’ self-assessment, and instructional supervisors’ unrealized plans/ resolutions for better action.)

The findings indicated existent context-based effective instructional supervision; and the achievement of instructional supervision aims in the face of absence of technical skills and lack of requisite knowledge in instructional supervision by the instructional  leaders. The findings also indicated numerous areas that need attention in the instructional supervision practiced by the schools 

with effective supervision. Also, the findings showed that regardless of the numerous challenges restricting instructional leaders in instructional supervision and threatening effectiveness of practice, they managed to devise workable situational strategies to ensure achievement of their aims.

Keywords: instructional supervision, instructional leaders, effective supervision, supervisors, effective teaching.