Listed and defined below are some educational terms used within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. This list was generated from the input of professionals in the Archdiocese of Baltimore in hopes to assist both teachers and administrators in developing a common language. This list is not complete and will follow a process for renewal. The contents are divided into the following categories: Archdiocesan Course of Study, Archdiocesan Progress Report, Progress Report Comment Code List, and Assessment.

Archdiocesan Curriculum

Archdiocese of Baltimore Standards

            Statements of what students should know and be able to do within the context of the Catholic worldview

 Archdiocese of Baltimore Curricular Benchmarks

            Statements of what standards look like at various developmental levels; an additional level of specificity

            Introduce

The student through discovery and inquiry gains initial awareness of new concepts. In other words, the student gets the Image. The teacher introduces the material with a focus on providing an overall image of the concept.

            Develop

The student, most of the time and with options for assistance, can perform adequately. In other words, the student is Delving more deeply, but has not arrived. The teacher delves more deeply into the concepts that enable the learner to develop a level of facility with the material.

            Master

The student without assistance can perform adequately, can explain and apply the concept in the particular discipline, other disciplines and real-life situations. In other words, the student knows what it Means. The teacher provides learning experiences that require the learner to show mastery through meaningful use of material.

 Archdiocesan Progress Report

 Achievement Comments

                        Descriptors to indicate student progress towards meeting Archdiocesan Curriculum Standards

Used on the Grades 3-4 and 5-8 Progress Reports

            Proficient

·        Always applies skills or processes with ease and confidence in completing grade level and above academic performance tasks

·        Always demonstrates a thorough understanding of AOB grade level appropriate curriculum strands and objectives taught this trimester

·        Always uses knowledge to skillfully communicate complicated ideas and concepts within the content area

·        Always completes and turns in accurate class work and homework

            Very Good

·        Consistently applies skills or processes with ease and confidence in completing grade level appropriate academic performance tasks

·        Consistently demonstrates an above average understanding of AOB grade level appropriate curriculum strands and objectives taught this trimester

·        Consistently demonstrates the ability to use knowledge to effectively communicate difficult ideas and concepts within the content area

·        Consistently completes and turns in above average class work and homework

            Good

·        Demonstrates above average uses of skills or processes in completing required grade level and appropriate academic performance tasks

·        Demonstrates above average understanding of AOB grade level appropriate curriculum strands and objectives taught this trimester

·        Demonstrates above average understanding of important information

·        Usually accomplishes purposes of academic tasks

·        Demonstrates average ability to use required knowledge to communicate important information

·        Completes and turns in above average class work and homework

            Satisfactory

·        Demonstrates average application of skills or processes required to complete grade level academic performance tasks

·        Demonstrates average understanding of AOB grade level appropriate curriculum strands and objectives taught this trimester

·        Demonstrates average knowledge of important information

·        Demonstrates average ability to use required knowledge to communicate ideas

·        Completes and turns in average class work and homework

Improvement Needed

·        Makes many errors when applying skills or processes required to complete grade level academic performance tasks

·        Demonstrates an incomplete understanding of AOB grade level appropriate curriculum strands and objectives taught this trimester

·        Demonstrates an incomplete knowledge of important information

·        Unable to use acquired knowledge to correctly communicate important ideas

·        Performance is markedly below grade level

·        Class work and homework fail to meet teacher criteria

Not Yet Demonstrating

·        Unable to perform any understanding of skills or processes required to complete grade level academic performance tasks

·        Demonstrates no understanding of AOB grade level appropriate curriculum strands and objectives taught during this trimester

·        Demonstrates no knowledge of important information

·        Unable to use acquired knowledge to correctly communicate ideas

·        Class work and homework fail to meet teacher criteria

Effort and Conduct Codes Used on Progress Reports Grades 1-8

Descriptors to indicate student progress towards meeting effort and conduct standards

Schools will define the codes based on their established criteria

            Outstanding

            Good

            Satisfactory

            Improvement Needed

            Unsatisfactory

Marking Codes

                        Used on Progress Reports Grades 3-8

            A+       97-100

            A         93-96

            B+       89-92

            B          85-88

            C+       80-84

            C         75-79

            D         70-74

            E          69 and below

Progress Code Used on Progress Reports Grades Pre-K-2

                        Descriptors to indicate student progress towards meeting Archdiocese of Baltimore Standards

            Independent

·        The student understands concepts/skills and works with little or no reinforcement or assistance

·        Students show the ability to apply the knowledge or perform skill accurately without instructional support. Student is able to do more challenging work

            Progressing

·        The student’s understanding of concepts/skills are developing and are in need of occasional reinforcement and assistance

·        Student is retaining material and shows the ability to apply the knowledge or skill with little instructional support

            Emerging

·        The student’s understanding of the concepts/skills are still at the beginning level and/or need reinforcement and assistance

·        Student is being introduced to the skill and is beginning to use the skill in context with extensive instructional support. Students need reteaching/reinforcement

 Progress Report Comment Code List

 Accelerated Curriculum

            Student has demonstrated knowledge and skills beyond grade level appropriate curricular strands and objectives and is being taught using above grade level curriculum.

 Accommodation(s)

            Teaching strategies adjusted to meet the needs of students. Accommodations can be formal; based on required documentation or informal, based on teacher and/or parent and/or administrator input.

 Differentiated Instruction with IEP

Instructional strategies consistent with a formal, documented, report from an approved source. See Archdiocese of Baltimore Accommodations Protocol for Standardized Testing for definition of approved source.

Differentiated Instruction Teacher Recommendation

Instructional strategies adjusted to meet student-learning needs, based on classroom quantitative and qualitative assessments.

 English as Second Language

Students whose primary language is not English and for this reason have instructional and/or curricular adjustments to their educational program.

 Enriched Curriculum

Student has demonstrated above grade level skills and knowledge in particular academic areas and is given performance tasks to expand their skills and understanding beyond what is being delivered in the classroom.

 Modified Curriculum

            Indicates modifications in curriculum, instruction and/or other accommodations directly related to the curriculum being taught. An IEP or other approved professional report is required.

 Modified Instruction

            Indicates modifications in instruction based on teacher, parent, administrator, and/or other professional input.

Assessment

 The current Course of Study has included a specific section on assessment; this document serves as an addendum.

 Assessment
 The act or processes of gathering data in order to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of student learning. Assessment results are used to identify: instructional practices that should be improved; professional development needs of teachers; additional resources to enhance student learning.

            Anecdotal Records

            Factual accounts of meaningful incidents and events observed.

·        Limit the meaningful incidents that will be observed

·        Record events as they occur or soon after

·        Record only what you observe

Authentic Assessment

            The process of gathering evidence and documentation of a student’s learning and growth in ways that resemble “real life”.

·        Student’s work is compared to their previous work rather than the work of others

·        The work represents the student’s application of skills and knowledge

·        The student’s use of knowledge effectively demonstrates the ability to critique their own efforts

·        The lesson engages students in the activity and reflects best instructional practices

·        Is based on central experiences in the learning process and takes place repeatedly throughout the year

Essay Test

            An assessment tool that requires students to answer questions in writing. Student responses may be brief or extensive. Generally used to assess students’ application of knowledge and writing skills.

Evaluation

            Judgment regarding the quality, value or worth of a response, product or performance based on established criteria. Based upon multiple sources of data/information and or assessments.

Formative Assessment

            Observations which allow one to determine the degree to which students know and are able to do a given learning task, and which identifies the part of the task that the student does not know or is unable to do. Outcomes suggest future steps for teaching and learning.

Graphic Organizers

            A way to provide visual organization, develop scope and sequence, furnish a plan of action or to aid in assessment, clarify points of interest, and document a process or a series of events.

Journal

            A student’s personal records and reactions to various aspects of learning and developing ideas. A reflective process often found to consolidate and enhance learning. Used by teachers as informal and formal assessment tools.

Objective Assessment

            Requires students to supply or select a response.

·        true/false

·        matching

·        one-word answers

·        short completion

Performance Assessment

            Direct observation and judgment of student products or performances. Students are asked to create, produce, or perform something, often in a setting that involves real-world application.

Portfolio Assessment

            A purposeful, integrated collection of student work showing effort, progress and or achievement in one or more areas of learning. A comprehensive array of a student’s work over time that indicates growth towards meeting standards and assessment criteria.

·        Student selection of items

·        Self reflection is encouraged

·        Criteria for achievement is clearly stated

Reliability

            The measure of consistency for an assessment instrument. The instrument should yield similar results over time with similar populations in similar circumstances.

Rubric

            An established set of parameters for scoring or rating a student’s performance on tasks. An appropriate rubric consists of:

·        A fixed measurement scale

·        A set of clear criteria

·        Performance descriptors for each criteria at each point on the scale

·        Sample responses that illustrate various levels of performance

Standardized Achievement Testing

A collection of tests in several subject areas that have all been standardized by using the norms for all tests that were obtained from a national group of students at each grade level.

Summative Assessment

            Evaluation at the conclusion of a unit or units of instruction or an activity or plan to determine or judge student skills and knowledge or effectiveness of a plan or activity. Outcomes are the culmination of a teaching/learning process for a unit, subject, or year’s study.

Reporting

            Synthesize, interpret and communicate results to student and parents.

Validity

            The test measures the desired performance and appropriate inferences can be drawn from the results. The assessment accurately reflects the learning it was designed to measure.