THE COMMUNITY is a fundamental element of any educational process. Educational processes are motivated by ideological views that relate to a certain community. In teacher supervision the ideologies of teachers and supervisors, and their respective communal loyalties, find expression. This chapter recounts a study that set out to define the communities represented by the partners in the supervisory process, to characterize the nature of individuals’ commitments to these communities, and to identify the influence of those commitments on the supervision of Jewish studies teachers in Israel. The ensuing discussion of the ideological aspects of supervision conferences may enrich our understanding of the processes of professional development undergone by teachers, and also enhance in-service teacher supervision.

Why Examine Ideology in Teacher Supervision?

‘Pupil’, ‘teacher’, ‘curriculum content’, and ‘community’ are the fundamental elements underlying curriculum planning and teaching. Those involved in curriculum planning need to understand the content of the instruction, but—no less importantly—they also need to understand the environment in which the learning is taking place: in other words, they need to have an awareness of the socio-cultural world of the students and the community within which those students are growing up. At the same time, they also need to be conscious of the background of the teachers—and particularly the biases that they bring with them as part of their own education. However, even assuming that curriculum planners are aware of the communal affiliations of the students and the ideological biases of the teachers, it is not clear how this awareness is translated into curriculum planning and teacher training.

The process of curriculum planning represents a meeting between teachers, student population, and specific teaching material, within the framework of a certain community or society. The educator's perception of each of these elements is, by definition, subjective, and represents his or her vision and analysis of reality, and the social context within which he or she understands the educational situation. Ideology is an important element in every individual's evaluation of reality and personal commitment, as well as expressing his or her social affiliation.

Ideology provides the individual with a map of social reality, creating a collective consciousness among the members of cultural groups. Thus, according to this approach, any cultural discourse expresses ideology, which represents reality for the members of that society.