Issue
28(2)
Supervision:
A Guide to Instructional Leadership.
Second edition. (2005).
Peter J. Burke and Robert D. Krey. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas,
462 pp. Price $89.95 (hardback). ISBN 0-398-07584-0
Review
by: Ruth O. Bingham
Colleges
of Arts and Sciences
University
of Hawaii at Manoa
Many advisors
come to their positions without formal training in supervision
yet often find themselves supervising others, whether clerical
support, student assistants, fellow advisors, or even non-advising
colleagues participating in an advising program.
In
Supervision , Burke and Krey argue that supervision is
best not left to intuition: "In many instances, decisions
based upon intuition prove disastrous not only for the individual
but for many other people who may become embroiled in the consequences
of those decisions" (p. 30). Instead, they advocate developing
a sound theoretical basis through analysis and reason.
Supervision
is almost entirely theoretical
analysis, focused on supervision in education, specifically in
public school systems. Fortunately, the theories have universal
application and advisors will find it easy to adapt the information
to their individual situations.
Burke
and Krey dissect the topic meticulously, breaking it down into
sections (purposes, patterns, processes, and products), subsections,
and sub-subsections, concluding with a relatively brief section
on integrating the parts. A detailed Table of Contents helps keep
readers on track.
Their
careful analysis is thorough but dense, written predominantly
in passive voice and with a metacogntive approach (explaining
how the argument is organized, what will be explained, and why).
The style yields an inordinate amount of repetition and gives
the impression of being pedantic, even though much of the information
is both insightful and useful.
For
example, a passage on developing a theory of supervision includes
the following:
Yet,
Burke's and Krey 's analyses are ultimately useful: they explain
how perspectives mold the purpose of supervision; they delineate
improvement goals as opposed to maintenance goals; they distinguish
between an idealized structure of supervision and its operation,
or implementation; they examine supervisory processes such as
evaluating, influencing change, planning, and managing; and so
on.
Throughout,
Burke and Krey prompt readers to question what they do and why,
to analyze how they supervise, and to think critically about consequences.
The authors also frequently provide examples and diagrams, suggest
activities, and recommend additional reading, all of which illuminate
their argument and lighten their prose.
Burke
and Krey propose a comprehensive working definition of supervision
(p. 20), but the most memorable version appears on p. 258: "Supervision
is a process of influencing ... people, situations, and relationships."
Those
whose supervision is going smoothly may not be willing to work
through the text, but the task will prove beneficial for those
who are new to supervising, who find supervising challenging,
or who wish to develop or improve a program of supervision. Supervision
will prove most helpful for departmental chairs and program
directors.
Those familiar
with the first edition will notice that this edition includes
updated references, modified activities, and revisions to reflect
current national policies on standards and assessment: "This
edition provides a blueprint with which to build that conceptual
framework for instructional leadership that may be used to fulfill
the new policy demands" (p. vii).
