Why supervisors behave as they do: relationship of beliefs, socialization and practice

Regular education and special education supervisors were studied to determine: (1) what supervisors believe to be important aims for education; (2) what types of issues supervisors focus on in practice; (3) how beliefs are related to issues identified in practice; and (4) how socialization influences the selection of particular supervisory issues. The findings of this study indicate that supervisors hold a wide range of beliefs about the aims of education with an emphasis on meeting societal needs and developing cognitive skills. This contrasts sharply with supervisors’ practice which focuses, for the most part, on managerial issues. Socialization and assumptions about teaching seem to most strongly influence practice.