A University Supervisor Negotiates Territory and Status

Abstract

Being a supervisor is a hundred times more political than I anticipated it would be. There are constraints and obstacles that I hadn't thought about in place for the supervisor. Negotiating your way into the classroom, sometimes feeling as if the cooperating teacher isn't saying things because of the personal relationship that is going on, things that need to be said. So sometimes the supervisor has to initiate some of those conversations that the cooperating teacher is reluctant to because she lives every day with the student teacher. And the placement is tough. Also not getting direct support from the English Education people, not because they don't want to give it, but because I don't think they really know what kind of support that I need. Like I needed to be able to talk to other supervisors which has really helped a whole bunch. I honestly think I have gotten better as the years have gone by, but I think it is too bad that it takes so long to figure out some of the system's problems, to get to know the cooperating teachers and to work with them well. (Meg White, university supervisor)