Long ago when I began a new job, my superintendent suggested I go to TQM training which was being done via videoconferencing. I learned much and changed my department into one that applied TQM to increase our effectiveness while providing high quality service. Then the TQM movement was criticized for being too business like and it quietly disappeared from education. Ironically, many of the TQM ideas and tools have been renamed into more “acceptable” terms such as “continuous quality improvement” (CQI) or “data driven”. The premise in TQM is that you identify the quality that you want and you constantly measure to see if you are obtaining that quality. If not, you change your actions to achieve that quality. TQM builds in success structures (many graphic organizers came out of TQM). Movements such as formative assessment can be seen as TQM applied to student success.
How have you identify the quality of learning you want in your students? How do you build in success measures so that students reach that level of quality in their learning?
My book, Formative Assessment: Responding to Students, is available through Eye-on-Education.