Rethinking Quality from the Inside Out
The phrase quality management rarely excites classroom teachers. For many, it conjures images of accreditation visits, institutional audits, observation rubrics, and administrative paperwork. It sounds managerial, corporate, and distant from the daily realities of teaching. Most teachers assume that quality management is something handled by directors of studies, academic managers, or school owners rather than by the person standing in front of the class.
For many teachers, the phrase feels imported from another world—one of audits, checklists, and accreditation visits rather than lesson planning and learner relationships. This distance matters, because it shapes how teachers respond to the idea before the conversation even begins.
However, in truth, this assumption deserves a closer look. Because long before institutions began measuring quality, teachers were already trying to improve it.