Supporting University Supervisors in their Understanding of Equity through Professional Learning Communities

• In Event: Honoring, Unforgetting, and Humanizing Teacher Preparation: Acknowledging Complexity in the Process

Abstract

University supervisors play an important in the development of pre-service teachers. They are in the position to support pre-services teachers’ enactment of social justice pedagogies and equitable instructional practices; however, they often lack the training to do so. This study investigates six university supervisors from 2024-2025 as they participated in professional learning communities, seeking to understand how this space can support supervisor understanding of equity and equitable instructional practices. This qualitative analysis used interviews, surveys, and video recordings of meetings to understand the supervisor experience. Findings suggest that through particular activities (readings, demographic investigation, identity map creation, and trying equity-focused supervision practice) alongside discussions of these activities, the professional learning community allowed supervisors to grow in their understanding of equity.

Author

• Lindsay J. Wexler, North Central College