IMPACT OF THE INSPECTORIAL SYSTEM: A PROFESSION DEMEANED?

Reaction to supervision is a neglected area in the study of Educational Administration. In this study the reactions of teachers to inspectorial supervision were determined by asking a sample of the members of the Queensland Teachers Union to list five (if any) of the worst abuses that they personally had suffered under the inspectorial system, to list five (if any) outstanding experiences which had improved their teaching, and, if they desired, to make general comments on the inspectorial system. The results illustrate a finding of many studies of organizations that there are likely to be misperceptions between status levels. It was found that the inspectorial system has demeaned both teachers and inspectors in three senses: relations between them were inauthentic, they were forced to play a game of “cat and mouse” with each other and teachers were under pressure to be deceptive and unhealthily deferent to inspectors. Finally the results suggest that teachers vary in their orientations to inspectorial supervision. The implications of the findings for the nature and the quality of pupil‐teacher interaction are discussed.