What is Educational Supervision?

<p>Educational supervision is a term used to identify the work duties of administrative workers in education. Educational supervisors make sure the educational institution operates efficiently and within the legal requirements and rules. The purpose of this field is to make sure teachers and other faculty members are doing what they're supposed to be doing and that students are receiving the best education possible. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutEducationalSupervisionCareers">Important Facts About Educational Supervision Careers</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> </th><th> Elementary/Secondary School Principals </th><th> Postsecondary Education Administrators</th></tr> <tr><td> Key Skills </td><td> Leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills </td><td> Organizational, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills</td></tr> <tr><td> Similar Occupations </td><td> Instructional coordinator, childcare center director, school/career counselor </td><td> Human resources manager, training manager, administrative services manager</td></tr> <tr><td> Work Schedule </td><td> Full-time, sometimes on weekends and in the evening, summers included </td><td> Full-time, usually year round</td></tr> <tr><td> Licensure </td><td> Some states require licensure, unless you're employed at a private school </td><td> Professional licensure is not necessary, though several years of experience are preferred</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---CareerOpportunities">Career Opportunities</h3> <p>There are many career opportunities available to you in educational administration and supervision. These positions are all administrative positions like principal, assistant principal, dean, president, director, chairperson and department head. The duties of each of these careers are similar, but each has its own unique focus. </p> <p>For example, <a href="https://learn.org/articles/What_Degree_Do_I_Need_to_be_a_School_Principal.html">principals</a> and assistant principals work in elementary and secondary schools. In these institutions, you would be in charge of providing leadership for students and faculty members by setting performance goals and creating mission statements. In this role, you'll regularly visit classrooms, providing student and teacher supervision in order to formulate proper performance evaluations of the educational process in your school. </p> <p>Working as a department head in a college or university is similar to being a principal. You'll focus on a specific branch and department of your school instead of the entire university. You're in charge of scheduling the classes for the department, managing professors, creating committees, coming up with budgets and addressing the concerns of students when necessary. </p> <h3 id="section---SalaryAndJobOutlook">Salary and Job Outlook</h3> <p>Elementary and secondary school principals had a median annual income of $95,310 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Postsecondary education administrators had a median annual salary of $94,340. Eight percent job growth was expected from 2016 to 2026 for elementary, middle and high school principals, which was about the average for most occupations. In comparison, post-secondary education administrators were expected to have 10% growth during that period. Excellent job opportunities were expected due to the number of professionals retiring and the lack of qualified applicants. </p> <h3 id="section---EducationalOpportunities">Educational Opportunities</h3> <p>Before getting into educational supervision, you'll normally have a career as an educator or teacher first. This requires the necessary licensure, bachelor's degree and teacher training. However, when you're ready to move into an administrative position, it is ideal you pursue a master's degree or a doctoral degree. The majors for this career focus on educational leadership or <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Online_School_Administration_and_Supervision_Certificate_Program_FAQs.html">education administration</a>. These programs have classes like instruction supervision, public school law, organization and administration, administrative theory and classroom management.</p>