Wiki: Reflective Supervision

PURPOSE of Reflective Supervision

To support, develop, and ultimately evaluate the performance of employees through a process of inquiry that encourages their understanding and articulation of the rationale for their own practices

DEFINING FEATURES of Reflective Supervision

Scope

A relationship between a supervisor and employee or intern that promotes the employee’s evolving conceptualization of what he or she is observing, doing, and feeling in work

Framework

Typically, a prolonged, mutual arrangement of face-to-face supervisor/employee meetings

Strategies

Uses questioning, direct guidance, written logs and interpretations, reading from outside sources, observations, work sessions, and dialogue to structure the careful examination of one’s ideas, feelings, actions, and interactions

EXAMPLES of Reflective Supervision from the EARLY CHILDHOOD FIELD

A program administrator provides reflective supervision to an inclusion specialist. Through periodic meetings and performance reviews, the administrator and inclusion specialist share mutual experiences in the field and discuss the rewards and challenges of supporting quality inclusive practices in community-based programs. The supervisor shares her experiences and resources with the inclusion specialist. The inclusion specialist gains a new awareness of how her feelings and actions affect her work performance.