The effects of reflective practice on the supervisory process and professional growt

Purpose of the study. The purpose of this study was to determine if the potential for professional growth was higher when reflection on practice was deliberately made a part of the supervisory process. The study provided a description of the role of the superintendent in the professional growth of the principal, and the subsequent effect on the professional growth of teachers. In applying reflective practice to the supervisory process between the superintendent and the principal, the purpose was to improve the quality of thinking and professional growth through examination of theories in use and espoused theories.;The study entailed teaching reflective practice strategies, as well as the identification of the types of interpersonal dialogue that contributed to successful reflections.;Procedures. In this case study, the superintendent of a small rural school district engaged in the reflective process with the elementary principal. The superintendent and the principal maintained reflective journals that included in-depth thoughts and observations about activities (reflection-on-action) and descriptions of activities (reflection-in-action). They also engaged in a reflective dialogue and conferencing.;Effects and conclusions. Findings in this study supported the premise that the use of the reflective process affected the supervisory interactions and interrelationships between the superintendent and the principal. The process of reflective practice supported changes in the superintendent's professional growth.;The findings supported the assumption that reflective practice can be effectively learned as a process. The data supported the premise that the understanding of reflective practice changed as the power of the process revealed itself in the results experienced by both of the administrators. This study also supported the research question about the use of reflective practice as a strategy to effect change in leader practices. The impact of the study was revealed in behavioral and attitudinal changes on the parts of both the superintendent and the principal. Lastly, the stories in this study supported the premise that certain types of dialogue, such as paraphrasing, probing and reframing contributed to successful reflections.