Supervisory Metaphor

Supervision is similar to a strong and mature tree with many branches. The two most important branches are supporting your team and ensuring an environment that fosters innovation. Seeing your vision and goals come to life takes everyone’s support, just like the many branches of a tree and the leaves that grow from it. Also, each branch is unique which is representative of the different approaches (the four main approaches are: nondirective, collaborative, directive informational and directive control (Glickman, 2013)) supervisors may have to takes with different individuals and situations.

Effective supervisors exhibit the following behaviors: listening, clarifying, encouraging, reflecting, presenting, problem solving, negotiating, directing, standardizing, and reinforcing (Glickman, 2013). These essential behaviors are similar to the trunk of a tree. The trunk of the tree supports all the branches and provides a network for supplying water and energy to the branches. Just like the behaviors stated above help support and meet the needs of the staff and stakeholders involved.

In addition, a tree has roots that grow underground and can’t be seen and having good roots is imperative for a great and healthy tree. These roots are representative of the “behind the scenes” work and the self-reflective work that is done by supervisors, but no one on the outside really sees the work put it!

Lastly, the main purposes of a tree are to produce oxygen, provide shelter and nutrition and stabilize the ground underneath. Supervisors should be emotionally and mentally stable and provide stability to their staff. They should be approachable and provide shelter/support when teachers, parent or students are in need of it. And of course, some oxygen to help everyone breathe!

References

Glickman, C.D., Gordon, S.P. & Ross-Gordon, J. M. (2013). The basic guide to supervision and instructional leadership: (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.