Conceptualizing Images of Supervisors in Teacher Education

Due to the marginalization of supervision (Butler, et al., 2023; Nolan, 2022) and few frameworks to conceptualize supervision in teacher preparation, educational supervision of clinical experiences receives less attention and fewer resources, which perpetuates its marginalization. It is imperative that scholars develop additional theoretical models or constructs to improve the understanding and practice of supervision to elevate its status beyond technical helping. In this paper, we draw upon several sources in the instructional supervision literature to re-conceptualize commonly used images of supervisors in teacher education. In addition to traditional conceptions (The Critic, the Popular Parent, the Co-Inquirer), we ‘introduce’ two new images, The Advocate and The Contemplative, to reflect changes and movements in education. These images can serve as one theoretical model or construct to improve understanding and practice of supervision to elevate its status.