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Recipients (customers) ultimately determine what quality is.
There are two kinds of recipients (customers):
- internal: the next person in the process within the (school) system.
- external: people outside... the (school) end-users.
It is better to understand recipient (customer) and contributor (supplier) as aspects of relationships rather than as assigned roles. The relationship changes according to the task and process.
The author believes that there is a basic human need to be a contributor (supplier)
With learning as the central process in schools:
- The students are the arbiters of quality teaching (and usually communicate this)
- The students are the school's customers* (not parents, the community nor the Minister!!!!)
- Families, friends, the community, society, employers, ... are the students' (potential) customers and learning needs to be about enabling students to meet the needs of their customers.
* When anyone other than students are deemed to be the school's customers, students are to reduced to mere objects to be (educationally) processed.
Implications Everyone has suppliers and customers so know your suppliers and know your customers.
- As a recipient let your contributors know what they can do to help you do a better job.
- As a contributor ask your recipients what they want you to do more of, less of,..
- Help clarify contributor/recipient relationships for all that is done in the school
- Action: Change from attending to things to attending to people