The head teacher is the agent of supervision in a school on behalf of the Quality Assurance

and Standards Directorate, (Okumbe, 2007). It is therefore incumbent upon him/her to ensure

proper translation of education policies and objectives into a programme within a school. Over

the years, the head teachers‘ teaching and clerical duties have been reduced and an increased

emphasis placed on supervisory roles in the school. The head teacher has the responsibility to

influence the teachers in their job performance by employing several practices. The practices

involve checking the teachers‘ records and pupils‘ work; provide instructional materials, right

motivation and enough stimulation for the staff and pupils to enhance teachers‘ job performance

and pupil achievement. He/she should be a team player.

Furthermore, Enaigbe (2009) describes lesson planning as a reflection of the effort made by

the teacher to gather information for the lesson. In a study on the relationship between principals’

supervisory strategies and teachers’ instructional performance in primary schools in Delta North

Senatorial district, Nigeria.

Osakwe (2010) discovered a significant relationship between the principal’s supervisory

strategies and teachers’ instructional performance in terms of teaching materials and discipline

maintenance. In their study on the impact of selected models of instructional supervision

activities on students’ academic performance in senior high schools in Ondo State, Nigeria.

On the other hand, Alimi and Akinfolarin (2012) established a significant impact of school

heads checking of students’ notes, class exercises and visitations, moderation of examination

questions and marking schemes on students’ academic performance in English Language. The

study recommended that school heads must be keen in checking students’ assessment records,

such as notes given by teachers and class exercises, to ensure that teachers are effectively

carrying out instructional activities.

to the success of such institutions (Ampofo, Bizimana, Mbuthi, Ndayambaje and Orodtho, 2014).

Teachers are expected to regularly assess students with the aim of enhancing students’

performance, whereas school heads oversee the appropriate execution of teachers’ assigned

responsibilities, which includes assessment of students.

Research has shown that school head’s direct supervision of teachers is concerned with

improvement of the conditions that surround learning, pupil growth and effective teacher role

performance in the school system (Alemayehu, 2008). A related study by Glanz, Shulman and

Sullivan (2007) in the United States of America revealed that direct supervision of school heads

in the instructional supervision process focuses on identifying pedagogical challenges

encountered by their teachers in their instructional delivery and providing them with needed

support to overcome them.

In the Indian context, Tyagi (2010) emphasized that direct supervision creates a platform for

both teachers and school heads to use their collective expertise in self-appraisal of teachers, to

identify gaps in teacher skills, knowledge and competencies in order to provide the vital support

needed for teachers’ professional development.

Classroom observation is one of the stages of clinical supervision and the principal purpose

of observation is to capture realities of the lesson objectively enough and comprehensively

enough to enable supervisor and teacher to reconstruct the lesson as validly as possible

afterwards, in order to analyze it (Fisher, 2011). Classroom observation has two concerns, the

first being the teacher’s task to teach the lesson so well or as well as possible and the second is

the supervisor’s task to invent or document the occurrence during the lesson as accurately as

possible. There are several ways data can be collected and recorded in a classroom observation:
Verbatim recording where the supervisor records everything that is said and done by the teachers

as accurately as possible, specific verbatim where the supervisor selects specific areas to record

in as much detail as possible, general observation where the supervisor selects areas that he/she

will record and focus on during the observation, videotaping where an agreed upon lesson or

segment is video-taped for later review and audio taping of teacher and student’s responses if it

has been so agreed upon before the lesson. Scholars perceive classroom observations as a

valuable tool which is employed to understand classroom realities and achieve high standards of

effective teaching methodologies.

According to Bakhda (2004) a discrete head teacher employs small groups to investigate new

ideas and strategies and use large groups to make decisions. The head teacher is to analyze staff

professional development needs and address them by running school based INSET programmes.

Hence, they are obliged to conduct supervision to teachers regardless of what level and subjects

they are handling.

For many teachers, supervision is a meaningless exercise that has little value other than

completion of the required evaluation form. Historically, supervision is rooted in bureaucratic

inspection-type, this attitude is changing but very slowly. In many countries, teachers feel

demoralized by supervision (Sharma, Marohani & Binti Baba, 2011). In a study by Newstrom

and Bittel (2002), 70% of the teachers who participated in their study in the Philippines

acknowledged that there was feedback after supervision. They recommended that 4 there was

need for planned classroom visits in consultation with teachers. The head teacher is expected to

have high levels of transparency and accountability in supervising teachers.

In the Philippines, Matias (2011) stated that the principals are highly skilled in terms of

curriculum and instructional supervision; oorganization and personnel management; planning,

level of supervisory skills of the principals as assessed by the teachers and the principals

themselves in terms of the different aspects with respect to the different criteria. There was a

significant difference between the assessment of the principals and teachers in Curriculum and

Instructional Supervision; and Planning, Assessing and Reporting Teaching Learning Outcomes.

In order to ensure effective instructional delivery of teachers, Afolabi and Lato (2008)

recommend that school heads critically examine various items of the lesson plan such as

adequacy and relevance, appropriateness and clarity of learner behavioral objectives, and

selecting appropriate teaching/ learning resources and evaluation techniques. Researching the

strategies for improving supervisory skills for effective primary education.

Research by Tanner (2014) points out that, schools that use most of consultancy in their

curriculum improvement efforts are the most effective. Consultation includes intervisitation,

class visits, lesson demonstrations and constructive help for teachers within a school system and

through networks of schools and engaging in collective problem solving. Teachers are being

observed by the school heads in order to improve their teaching performance.

Classroom visits is one of the most common forms of teacher’s evaluation. They involve live

observation of a teacher and analyzing his/ her class practices, their pedagogical skills, their

personality and student – teacher interactions in the lesson (Panigrahi 2012). The formal

technique involves face to face contact between the supervisor and the teacher. Followed by post

classroom observation conference analysis to help the teacher to improve and give feedback.

Goldhammer, et. al. (2003), called this Clinical supervision. The supervisor can also employ an

informal class visit where the headteacher walks into a classroom and sees how instruction is
going on. It provides a quick look at the teachers ‘performance and environmental factors in the

classroom.

The process of evaluating the effectiveness of teachers has changed over time along with the

definition of what effective teaching is, due in part to increasing state and federal attention to

school-level and classroom-level accountability for student learning. Although there is a general

consensus that good teaching matters and that it may be the most single school-based factor in

improving student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2000), teacher effectiveness as measured by

value-added strategies is considered. More indirect measures of teaching, such as teacher

demonstrations of knowledge, teacher responses to theoretical teaching situations, or parent

satisfaction surveys are also included (Wilson & Floden, 2003).

Moreover, the rating scale is based on the Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular

No. 06, series of 2012 that sets the guidelines on the establishment and implementation of the

Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS) in all government agencies. The RPMS is

being implemented in consonance with the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) Strategic

Performance Management System (SPMS). It follows the four-phase cycle of SPMS prescribed

in CSC Memorandum Circular No. 6, s. 2012 and aims to ensure that both teaching and non-

teaching personnel focus work efforts toward achieving the Department’s vision, mission,

values, and strategic priorities. As stipulated in DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2015 (Guidelines on the

Establishment and Implementation of RPMS in DepEd), RPMS is a systemic mechanism to

manage, monitor and measure performance, and identify human resource and organizational

development needs to enable continuous work improvement and individual growth.

This led to the development of the RPMS Manual for Teachers and School Heads that is

aligned with PPST. This contains the RPMS Tools and its associated tools –Classroom
Observation Tools (COT) and Self-Assessment Tools (SAT) – and performance appraisals forms

such as Individual Performance Commitment and Review Form (IPCRF), Midyear Review

Form, and Performance Monitoring and Coaching Form. The Manual provides school heads and

other raters a detailed reference to help in the understanding of the tools and the different phases

of assessment within the various cycles of RPMS, ensuring that mechanisms are in place to

support teacher performance. The Manual also guides the teachers through the basics in

preparing, organizing and completing the Portfolio/RPMS documents, and introduces the

concept of annotations to guide teachers through critical reflection of their practices for their

continuous improvement.

Moreover, Sule, Arop and Alade (2012) argued that principal’s classroom visitation and

inspection, and teachers’ job performance in Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria revealed that that

principal’s classroom visitation strategy, and inspection of lesson notes strategy each

significantly influenced teachers’ job performance. They recommended that regular supervision

which must include classroom visitation strategy and inspection of lesson notes strategy be

organized by government to enhance teachers’ job performance.

In addition, instructional leaders go beyond the traditional role of school administrators and

spend a lot more time focusing on developing knowledge and implementation of the curriculum,

as well as instruction and assessment (Manaseh (2016). They agreed that improvement in

learning is more likely to be achieved when the leadership is instructionally focused and located

closest to the classroom.

The school heads’ role of monitoring and evaluation on effective teaching and learning in

secondary schools helped policy makers in formulating policies to establish the effect of lesson

preparation, teaching and learning process, monitoring of school attendance for teachers and
students. When effective teaching is done it translates to effective learning in students and this

reflects as good performance and other examinations, Gathu, et.al (2015).

The most recent work by Jabina (2005) highlights various aspects of classroom observation.

For instance, it offers an opportunity for supervisors to assess teachers’ styles, their classroom

management skills and various aspects of teaching that are hard to obtain through other forms of

evaluation. Moreover, it allows teachers to receive constructive feedback on their teaching

techniques and methods in a bid to improve them further.

According to a study carried out in Kilifi district, on influence of head teachers instructional

supervision practices on pupil‘s performance in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, by

Mwasindo, (2012), checking teachers‘ records of work had 5 no influence on teachers‘ job

performance. This is because there is a tendency to prepare teachers ‘records in arrears for the

head teacher to see not for aiding in teaching. Performance of the teachers in the classroom

depends on their ability in preparing the lesson plans, the strategies, materials and the assessment

for the students.

Musungu and Nasongo (2018) carried out a study in Vihiga sub- County in Kenya; they were

investigating instructional role of headteachers in academic achievement in Kenya certificate of

secondary education. In their findings, high percentage of principals in high performing schools

checked lesson plans, schemes of work, teacher attendance and class registers regularly. During

records observation the headteacher must be objective, maintain confidentiality and provide

feedback to the teacher.

Musungu and Nasongo (2008) carried out a study in Vihiga sub- County in Kenya; they were

investigating instructional role of headteachers in academic achievement in Kenya certificate of

secondary education. In their findings, high percentage of principals in high performing schools
checked lesson plans, schemes of work, teacher attendance and class registers regularly. During

records observation the headteacher must be objective, maintain confidentiality and provide

feedback to the teacher.

In the Western countries, there is evidence of instructional supervision by principals. In the

United States of America (U.S.A), head teachers take their responsibility of school management

and instructional supervision seriously by 3 visiting and doing class observation frequently

(Archibong, 2012). Class observation is deemed as a communication tool where head teachers

share various issues affecting teaching and learning in a particular classroom. Teacher

supervision also acts as appraisal tool where teachers reflect on highlighted issues.

Kimosop (2002) carried out the research on the role of head teachers ‘instructional

supervision and reported that many head teachers have no time to check teachers ‘records.

Nyagaya (2015) study on factors influencing teacher level of job satisfaction in public primary

schools in Kayole reported poor perception of head teachers ‘supervision by the teachers.

A teaching performance assessment (TPA) is a tool used to assess the practical skills and

knowledge of teachers. The teachers collect evidence of practice to complete a TPA in the final

year of their teacher evaluation program.