Report of the DSW’s PQM Committee for Quality Development
The PQM Committee deals with quality development at the German School Washington, D.C. The committee is comprised of representatives of various interest groups at our school, including school leadership, administration, faculty, parents, students and board members. One of the committee’s central objectives is the promotion of the quality improvement process at our school.
Therefore, the PQM Committee intensively analyzed and discussed the March 2009 Bund-Länder-Inspektion (Inspection by Germany’s federal government and states). In collaboration with teachers, parents and students we highlighted known areas with significant improvement potential, and focused on the following issues for the coming years:
1. Focal Point:
Teaching and further expansion of teaching quality, especially regarding classroom differentiation
2. Focal Point:
German as a Foreign Language at the DSW, i.e., creation of a language development/advancement concept
3. Focal Point:
Specialized and targeted professional training for teachers and educators
4. Focal Point:
Reworking the DSW’s mission statement and school program
In 2009/2010 we began working on new concepts to realize the objectives mentioned above.
One of the first steps was the formation of a task force to create a language development concept. This task force evaluated existing conditions, and then discussed additional steps to work with and improve already existing structures. This work will continue in 2010/2011.
Furthermore, we also formed a work group that deals with a general professional education and training concept for the DSW. This new concept will be introduced at a general teachers’ conference (Gesamtkonferenz) in 2010/2011. The concept’s quick realization will enable targeted, need-based, and specialized continuing education for teachers and educators.
The PQM Committee had also prepared an afternoon session to introduce the new DSW mission statement. Teachers, parent representatives and students participated and agreed on the school’s self-concept and its development goals for the next few years. The new mission statement was accepted at the teachers’ general conference in June 2010. This means that our school program has to be reworked to define and outline the programs required for the new mission statement.
To further improve the teaching quality, we are currently working on implementing a classroom visitation system, where colleagues observe and evaluate each other’s lessons, to expand and improve our education method concept.
We are very aware that the process of quality improvement requires continuous reflection and discussion.
However, we are convinced that the DSW can reach its goals and meet many requirements and needs thanks to the commitment and dedication of our teachers, parents and students.
Brita Tyedmers, StD’in
Karin Gerresheim, StR‘in