Traditionally, the term “supervision” encompasses the idea that an individual oversees the administrative tasks to maintain efficiency within an organization. These supervisors ensure that all necessary components of normal operations are in place on a daily basis. This facet of supervisory roles insures that the systems side of operations is running at peak efficiency. Instructional supervision takes this notion of efficiency and expands on the human element of operations.
Instructional leaders maintain their traditional supervisory role, while adding the responsibility of promoting professional growth among all students, staff members, and community members that belong to their organization. Just as its name implies, instructional supervision relies heavily on the development of a rigorous curriculum and its instruction to its constituents. In an effort to stay relevant, an instructional supervisor must stay current with educational practices and share what they learn in an effort to develop positive, collaborative relationships with those around them. In doing so, an instructional leader fosters an environment of growth and learning where everyone is able it maximize their potential for learning.