Running head: METAPHOR FOR SUPERVISION

Developmental Supervision is driven by specific supervisory behaviors that help move

toward a decision. These behaviors are seen as purposeful behavior. According to Glickman,
Gordon, and Ross-Gordon (2013), A purposeful behavior is defined as one that contributes to
the decision being made at the conference or meeting (p.90). A supervisory continuum was
developed to reflect the four categories of interpersonal supervisory behavior and the scale of
control that the approach encompasses.
The essential characteristics of Developmental Supervision act like a baseball field.
Purposeful behaviors can cycle through, similar to running the bases. Eventually, interpersonal
supervisory behaviors lead to a decision, just like running bases comes to an end only to start up
again (Glickman, Gordon, & Gordon-Ross, 2013). The cycle is continuous because decisions are
constantly being made and collaboration/team work is essential.
Throughout the field, supervisory behaviors are dispersed. Each behavior has an
exclusive purpose similar to each player. Also, the four approaches are represented, and the
behaviors that are associated with each approach are clustered together. Some supervisory
behaviors place responsibility on different people (Glickman, Gordon, and Gordon-Ross, 2013).
This highlights that each supervisory behavior contributes to an approach, which creates the
Supervisory Behavior Continuum. Similar to this, a baseball game is approached in different
ways by coaches and players. Even though the approaches vary, each team consists of a cluster
of people who are associated with one another working towards a common vision. Supervision is
a collaborative effort and the teachers, students, and community enjoy the improvements that are
made. Similarly, in baseball the team and fans enjoy the teams success.
Like a game of baseball, various approaches are used in conjunction with supervisory
behaviors that can cycle through leading to an important decision!

METAPHOR FOR SUPERVISION

References

Glickman, C.D., Gordon, S.P. & Ross-Gordon, J.M. (2013). The Basic Guide to SuperVison and
Instructional Leadership: (3 rd edition). Boston, Mass: Pearson Education, Inc.