VIDBE-Q Volume 69 Issue 2
Shaping Supervisor Expectations
Interestingly, most participants felt that having a supervisor with little
previous vision experience benefited them, as the supervisor did not assume their
job with any preconceived notions regarding itinerant roles and responsibilities.
Instead, the supervisor learned on the job and through other professional
development opportunities.
Similarly, itinerant service providers often reported using observations as a
teaching strategy. For example, Joanna noted: "I wanted them to see the
importance of orientation and mobility because not a lot of people understand it."
All informal observations and half of formal observations reflected braille lessons.
All participants felt that supervisors could benefit from additional training related
to itinerant service providers and vision services.
Recommendations
Evaluation is a requirement for all teachers and should lead toward
professional development and improvement. However, results from the current
study indicate that not all teachers' needs are being met through the current
evaluative framework.
• The district's current evaluation rubric, like many, did not fully address the
job responsibilities of itinerant TSVIs and O&M specialists. Districts should
