Supervision in School Psychology

Frequency and Duration of Supervision

All school psychologists benefit from capable administrative and professional/clinical supervision regardless of work setting and degree of experience. Novice and advanced beginners require frequent, direct clinical/professional supervision to enhance skill development and ensure appropriate practice. Interns and first-year school psychologists should receive at least two hours of professional/clinical supervision per week. Collaborative work is a common and effective supervisory technique at this level. Thereafter, professional/ clinical supervision should continue to be available to:

• Assure ongoing professional development
• Help maintain objectivity and deal with client resistance
• Foster appropriate methods of child advocacy
• Continually upgrade skills

Regardless of years of experience, school psychologists require more intense professional/clinical supervision whenever they enter situations in which they have no previous experience, either in terms of the population with which they are working or the procedures and/or tools used. Peer supervision is a common and effective supervisory technique at this level.

Experienced school psychologists are themselves likely to supervise interns or other school psychologists, which requires development of their own supervisory skills. At this level, supervision focuses on “metasupervision” (supervision of supervision) and addresses the conceptual, interpersonal, and technical skills required in supervision.

Supervision Techniques

Supervisors of school psychologists adjust their supervisory strategies according to the skill level of the supervisee. Professional/clinical supervision techniques differ on a number of variables:

• The supervisor's ability to intervene and assist the supervisee and student
• The reliance on technology
• The amount of the supervisor's time required
• The level of supervisee skill required
• The intrusion on the student

Novices require direct and more intrusive techniques, supplemented by indirect techniques. Direct techniques include modeling, role-playing, direct observation, and collaborative work. Indirect techniques include instruction, readings, reviewing audiotapes, and reviewing psychological reports and case process notes.

Supervision Structures

All supervision techniques may be used within the traditional one-on-one supervisory relationship. Most of them can also be used in alternative supervisory relationships, including peer mentoring, peer coaching, peer supervision, video conferencing, telephone contact, and Internet conferencing.

Supervision of school psychologists is most effective when the supervisor is employed by the same school district as the supervisee because familiarity with school district personnel and policies is a substantial advantage. However, not all service units have access to full-time school psychologist supervisors to provide professional/clinical supervision; in this case, alternative models such as part-time supervisors, collaboration among school districts, peer supervision networks across and within districts, and online supervision can be effectively employed.

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