Reflective Practice & The Importance of Professional Supervision in Schools with Greer Kharidi
Where do your thoughts go after the school day ends?
For many big-hearted humans working in schools, the day doesn’t always end when the bell goes. Conversations linger. Decisions sit with us. And the emotional weight of supporting students, families and colleagues follow us home.
In this episode, Meg Durham is joined by experienced educator and professional supervisor Greer Kharidi to explore a powerful, yet often overlooked support for school staff: professional supervision.
Together, they unpack what it means to have a dedicated space to reflect on your work, process the challenges you’re facing, and think through the decisions you’re making every day in schools.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What professional supervision is and how it differs from mentoring, coaching, therapy and EAP
Why educators are carrying such a significant emotional load
How supervision creates a safe space to reflect, process and gain perspective
What becomes possible for schools when supervision is normalised
And so much more…
Who is Greer Kharidi?
Greer Kharidi is a counsellor, experienced educator and professional supervisor who is passionate about supporting people working in schools.
With experience across a range of education settings, Greer understands the complexity of school life and the emotional demands placed on educators. Her work focuses on helping school staff develop reflective practice, strengthen their professional identity, and find healthier ways to navigate the challenges of their roles.
Greer supports school communities through supervision, training and workshops, as well as through her children’s book Is That Really Fair?.
Why does this conversation matter?
The reality is that many educators are making complex decisions every day, often without the time or space to properly think them through. They are supporting young people through difficult situations, holding conversations with families, managing team dynamics, and doing it all while trying to meet the ongoing demands of school life. Yet very few are given a structured space to process what they are carrying.
Professional supervision offers that space. A space to pause, reflect and make sense of what’s happening. It reminds us that we are not alone in this work, that we are doing the best we can with what we have, and that we don’t have to have all the answers. And perhaps most importantly, it invites us to consider what would be possible for our profession if this kind of support became part of everyday practice in schools.
You can quote us on that…
“If we don't have space to work through those moments of friction and discomfort in order to build our clarity around them, we can really end up sitting in that reactive space.”
Greer Kharidi
Contact
Greer Kharidi Website | LinkedIn | Facebook
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Your Questions Answered:
What is professional supervision in schools?
Professional supervision is a structured, reflective space where educators can talk through their work with a trained professional. It’s not about performance or being told what to do. Instead, it’s about pausing to think, gaining perspective, and working through the challenges and decisions that come with school life. It helps educators strengthen boundaries, build self-awareness, and show up more intentionally in their roles.
What is emotional labour in teaching?
Emotional labour in teaching refers to the process of managing, regulating and sometimes suppressing one’s emotions to meet the professional expectations of the role. This includes maintaining calm, care and professionalism while responding to student behaviour, supporting distressed students and families, and navigating complex interpersonal situations.
It often involves both surface acting (displaying expected emotions) and deep acting (trying to genuinely feel those emotions), which requires significant cognitive and emotional effort. Over time, without opportunities to process these experiences, emotional labour can contribute to stress, burnout and reduced wellbeing.
How can professional supervision support teacher wellbeing and decision-making?
Professional supervision creates a safe space for educators to process their thoughts before they turn into stress or overwhelm. It allows them to reflect on situations, explore different ways of responding, and make decisions with greater clarity rather than reacting in the moment. Over time, this supports wellbeing, strengthens professional identity, and helps educators feel more confident in what they can and cannot carry.
What would change in schools if professional supervision became standard practice?
If professional supervision became part of everyday practice in schools, educators would feel more supported, more connected and better equipped to do their work. There would be greater clarity, stronger boundaries and less isolation. This would not only benefit staff wellbeing, but also improve consistency, relationships and outcomes for students. It invites a shift from coping alone to working together with intention and support.
