This book emphasizes the development of skills, knowledge, and attitudes consistent with proactive supervision. Part 1 contains three chapters that examine the tradition and context of educational supervision. The first chapter reviews the different approaches to supervisory practices, and chapter 2 describes how supervisors build effective practices based on personal assumptions. The third chapter reviews controversies within the field. Four chapters in part 2 focus on connecting theory to practice and present theories that can serve as analytic tools by which to guide action proactively. The role of theory in improving practice is described in the fourth chapter. Chapters 5-7 present theories of organizational analysis, leadership, and motivation. The third part contains four chapters which deal with the realities of supervision. The chapters discuss specific, ongoing concerns of effective, proactive supervisors--communicating, facilitating change, exercising power, and handling conflict. Part 4 on working with people has four chapters which offer strategies for working with people in the school system, particularly, for developing curriculum and evaluating teachers, students, and programs. The fifth part has models for supervision. Four chapters review clinical supervision, staff development, and future trends and issues in supervisory practice. Suggested activities, case-study scenarios, and references accompany each chapter. Twenty-two figures are included. (LMI)