Supervision of religious education teachers in Australian Catholic high schools: A case study
Abstract
Statement of the problem. Teachers of Religious Education in Australian Catholic High Schools carry to a considerable degree the responsibility for establishing both the identity and the integrity of those schools. Little is known from a research perspective about how supervisors of those Religious Education teachers actually go about their work of supervision. This study describes the work of two supervisors, titled Assistants to the Principal, Religious Education (APREs), in Australian Catholic High Schools. Procedures or methods. Case study research is used to describe the two APREs. The data base includes transcripts of open-ended interviews, observations of meetings chaired by the APREs, and documents including memos, role descriptions, and statements of purpose. The data are analyzed using four frames of reference: the APREs' educational platforms, their models of advocacy, their styles of supervision, and their views of supervision. Results. Neither APRE practices formal or regular classroom observation or conducts supervisory conferences with individual teachers. Nevertheless, the two APREs know, encourage, and support their teachers, and chair year-level and department-level meetings regularly. Their practice of supervision is intuitive and without benefit of preservice or inservice education in supervision theory and practice. Conclusions. Supervision theory and practice, if offered in preservice and inservice modes to APREs, offer ways of increasing the status, success, and satisfaction of Religious Education teachers and classes in Australian Catholic high schools. Emphasis on mastery of content and program correctness have occupied APREs' attention. An enlarged focus on supervision for instructional improvement, it is argued, will improve the teaching of Religious Education in Australian Catholic high schools.
Subject Area
Teacher education|Religious education
Recommended Citation
Webb, Peter Michael, "Supervision of religious education teachers in Australian Catholic high schools: A case study" (1992). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI9226426.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI9226426
