Religion

An integral part of Catholic Education is catechesis. "Catechesis is an education in the faith of children, young people, and adults which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted, generally speaking, in an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating the hearers into the fullness of the Christian life." (CCC 5)

The Guidelines for Religious Education are structured around a center; the mystery of the Blessed Trinity and of Christ as expressed in the 4 Pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1. The Profession of Faith--Creed
2. The Celebration of the Christian Mystery--Sacraments
3. Life in Christ--Commandments and the Moral Life
4. Christian Prayer--Prayer

These guidelines are intended to assist catechists in fulfilling the mission of the Church to educate her children in the fullness of the Catholic Faith: to believe what the Creed teaches; to participate in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church; to live a life of love for God and neighbor; and to pray to the Father through Jesus, His Son, in the Holy Spirit.

Mathematics

The Mathematics Curriculum Objectives outline the essential components of the Math curriculum for each grade level (K-8) for Diocese of Arlington Catholic Schools. Additionally, the overall academic, personal, spiritual and physical development of the child is an integral part of these objectives.

Mathematics is recognized as a great example of the expansion of God’s gift of the human mind for the betterment of all mankind. In today’s global society, we are challenged to fully understand and expand mathematical accomplishments to assure a peaceful, productive and more equitable world. Everyday lives are increasingly mathematical and technological. Understanding and applying quantitative skills and solving real-life problems are essential educational goals for all students, regardless of heritage, language, aptitude, talents, needs, or interests. Therefore, all students must be given the opportunity to learn and understand mathematical concepts. Teaching strategies and learning experiences must be varied, meaningful and engaging to students.

In our increasingly technological world, students need to be exposed to and know how to correctly use new tools, communication media and technology to solve cross-curricular mathematical problems. Technology, however, should not be a substitute for the understanding of concepts. Mastery of computational skills should be accomplished at the appropriate grade level as outlined in these objectives. Development of critical thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving skills is recommended in accordance with age-appropriate development of such higher-level thinking skills. It is through communication and collaboration that we will advance our students towards a deeper appreciation and knowledge of mathematics.

Science

The primary role of science teachers is to facilitate the learning of science by engaging the student through enjoyable and meaningful scientific inquiry, while preparing these students to become life long learners. In this way, the students develop their full potential and grow in the love, knowledge, and appreciation of the gift of Life in our World.

The following are broad performance objectives to be used when developing lesson plans throughout the year.

1. To cultivate in our students a love, curiosity, respect, and stewardship of God’s infinite creation.
2. To recognize that we share the responsibility to respect the sanctity of all human life and the dignity of the human person.
3. To develop scientific inquiry skills to be used both in individual and cooperative learning environments.
4. To maximize hands-on opportunities for students to explore, discover, and experience the universe.
5. To insure the ability of students to safely use scientific materials and equipment to explore, discover, and experience the universe.
6. To incorporate mathematical tools into the organization and interpretation of the data.
7. To integrate technology to prepare students to be able to effectively succeed in today’s society.
8. To achieve scientific literacy and an understanding of the role science plays in our daily lives through utilization of cross-curricular instruction.

Language Arts/Reading

The language arts program is the foundation of academic instruction in the Catholic elementary school. Retaining our Catholic identity is critical in the selection of reading and writing materials that we utilize with the students. Success in all areas of learning relies on competency in the four areas of language: reading, writing, speaking and listening. In working toward this goal, recognition of varying learning styles, developmental levels and teaching methods is essential.

Language mastery best develops when a program provides systematic and sequential skills instruction along with the opportunity to interact with a variety of literary genres. Familiarity with the scope and sequence of skills as well as with an assortment of materials is a requirement for successful instruction.

The implementation of a sound language arts program must be carefully formulated, articulated and integrated into each content area of the curriculum. This approach will help to build confidence and support for each student.

Social Studies

As social studies educators, we believe that we are called to teach the value of citizenship as Jesus did when He spoke of loving our neighbor, hungering and thirsting for justice, and rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. In the words of the U. S. Bishops in 1990.

"We are called to transform our hearts and our social structures, to renew the face of the earth...As believers we are called to bring our values into the marketplace and the political arena, into community and family life, using our everyday opportunities and responsibilities, our voices and our votes to defend human life, human dignity, and human rights."

This is the call of the Church and the Gospel. The social studies educator responds to the call by encouraging active citizenship on the part of his or her students.

We are called to teach the importance of geography and the environment in the lives of all the world's people. The materials of construction, the food supply, the climate, the agricultural development, the rivers, deserts, mountains, forests, and wildlife - all these impact on the way of life in any society, for better or for worse. The study of the human and environmental interactions of any group of people can help us to better understand them and to evaluate with our students the scriptural and global responsibility to be stewards, caretakers of the earth.

We believe that just as Jesus demonstrated the value of work through the carpentry trade, we should teach the dignity of work, discuss the rights and duties of workers in any society, and model for our students a strong, personal work ethic. "Work is more than a way of living; it is an expression of our dignity and a form of continuing participation in God's creation. People have the right to decent and fair wages....In Catholic social teaching, the economy exists to serve people, not the other way around." (U. S. Bishops' Pastoral, November 1990) In teaching the value of work, it is our hope that our students will discern that a life of discipline, sacrifice, and service is rewarding and that the self-centered life is not.

Jesus in both story and action showed concern for the poor, the disabled, the sick, the children, and the elderly. As social studies educators, our teaching should show the same concern for the most vulnerable people in society. It is hoped that our students will grow in their awareness of what it means to be marginalized as well as in their understanding of the work of those who continue to search for remedies. "Poor and vulnerable people have a special place in Catholic social teaching. A basic test of a society is how its most vulnerable members are faring." (U. S. Bishops' Pastoral, November 1990) Promoting this awareness and providing ways for our students to become part of the solutions is the duty of all social studies educators.

We believe that social studies education is not just teaching facts but also teaching the value and principles of tolerance and solidarity with all people and cultures. "We are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and gender differences. We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. In a linked and limited world, our responsibilities to one another cross national and other boundaries." (U. S. Bishops' Pastoral, November 1990) Therefore, we believe that the contributions and lives of women and men should be incorporated into the teaching of social studies. In addition, every effort should be made to identify the contributions of people of diverse cultures and races. If we answer the call to teach as Jesus did, exclusion, bigotry, and discrimination will have no place in our classrooms. Deepening the awareness of solidarity in ourselves and our students can only result in a more just and peaceful world.

Spanish

The teaching of foreign languages provides a variety of benefits:

• Teaches listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture with emphasis on communication
• Exposes students to the beauty and richness of other languages and civilizations
• Strengthens cognitive thinking skills
• Supports the native language of the student and reinforces English grammar

The ultimate goal of an academic elementary program is to complete successfully the level one high school curriculum. The high schools currently require a foreign language placement test and/or written recommendation by the student’s foreign language teacher.

Foreign Language Rationale

To support the current/existing philosophy incorporated in the Diocesan Foreign Language Guidelines, we offer the following rationale:

• Research indicates the most successful language learning takes place between birth and age ten to twelve. At this young age, the child will have an easier time of learning and retaining the language.
• When children study foreign language, they develop higher cognitive thinking skills. Foreign language study helps students gain a better understanding of the grammar/ structure of their native language. As a result they usually perform better on standardized tests (Terra Nova, HSP/AT, SAT, ACT).
• Two or three years of foreign language study in high school do not always provide fluency in a foreign language. Fluency will more likely be reached if the child has started foreign language learning much earlier and continues to advanced levels in high school.
• Study of a foreign language creates citizens who will learn to accept, understand and appreciate the diversity of cultures. Thinking globally will help to promote world peace.
• In our global society, as the world becomes more interdependent, students’ knowledge of foreign language is crucial for expanded career opportunities. It will also aid in developing responsible citizens of the world community and bring us closer to realizing the Kingdom of God on earth.

Technology/Computer

Advancements in our rapidly changing world necessitate the acquisition of technological skills to enable students to function in the 21st Century. As lifelong learners and followers of Jesus, students should strive to become citizens who are capable of making significant contributions to our global society. They must also become aware of the social and ethical impact of technology. To this end, the Diocese of Arlington endeavors to make our students not only knowledgeable, but also effective technology users.

Our goal is to present and strengthen the skills students need to access, interpret, and synthesize information which is constantly changing. Thus, technology will be used as a tool for learning and developing critical thinking skills across the content area. Having students acquire these skills will result in the development of self-directed learners who can independently and cooperatively apply technology to solve problems and make informed decisions. Following the established end goals/target areas, given the varying resources at the elementary level, the students will be well equipped with a strong foundation to enhance their learning with advanced technology resources at the high school level.

Technology should enhance and enrich as well as extend the existing curriculum. It should be used in a variety of ways within the classroom and computer lab setting. The classroom teacher, the media specialist, the technology coordinator, and the librarian should collaborate to maximize the effective use of technology in support of the Diocesan curriculum.

Due to the rapid advancements and changes in technology, the curriculum will be reviewed annually or as needed. The review process will reflect appropriate changes and or adjustments as needed.

Technology and Curriculum Integration

Technology for technology’s sake does little to enhance the academic lives of our students or our role as Catholic educators. Accordingly, technology curriculum coordinators will, to the greatest extent possible, work toward achievement of the following skills-based target areas by close collaboration with teachers. Sharing of written curriculum objectives, one-on-one meetings and teacher hands-on participation in technology instruction are examples of proven collaborative methods. In this way, student technology skill achievement is successfully integrated with content/subject-based, curriculum objectives achievement. Successful integration, whether in a lab or classroom environment:

• Leads to maximum use of technology resources
• Provides more substantive learning experiences
• Encourages teachers to creatively incorporate instructional technology tools into their curriculum over time

Art

The art curriculum is designed to stimulate the child to think creatively, to plan, to attempt, to evaluate and to choose to work in a variety of visual, oral and written languages with a variety of media, tools and technologies. Students understand that making and responding to works of visual art are interrelated and include perception, analysis and critical judgment.

The following statements underlie all programmatic and instructional goals:

• Art instruction allows children to explore and nurture their God-given abilities.
• Art instruction respects students’ developmental levels and is child-centered.
• Art production is personal and intentional; each student’s expression is valid.
• Art instruction provides a context for critical and creative thinking for the communication of feelings and ideas through the production of art.
• Art instruction provides a context for making connections because students have the opportunities to reflect personally on ideas, experiences, objects, processes or products to deepen their understanding.
• Art instruction provides challenges that require individual and cooperative problem solving, resulting in creative and cognitive growth.
• Art instruction is delivered sequentially to establish a foundation for students to acquire art content, knowledge, and skills.
• Art instruction provides students regular opportunities to see works of art from diverse cultures
• Art instruction includes opportunities for students to view and discuss art, analyze and critique art, and learn about the cultural, social and historic context of art.
• Art instruction provides students with the opportunities to interpret and apply key ideas and to develop a level of technical mastery and control over materials, using the elements of art and principles of design.
• Art instruction promotes students’ sensory experiences as a basis for creative expression and for understanding artists’ works.

Music

The music instruction continues to be cited as a profoundly positive element of educating young students. Our own experience as well as countless studies validate the benefits of elementary music education in the development of a student’s ability to understand new concepts, thinks logically, solve problems, exercise intellectual and personal discipline and perform confidently individually and as part of a group. Further, as a Fine Art, music draws on virtually all elements of multiple intelligences and introduces opportunities for exposure to varied cultural and historical elements so critical to today’s learning environment and lifelong success in academic and vocational pursuits. Finally, as Catholic educators, we are exhorted to consider the importance of music, especially in its liturgical application, in shaping the whole person presented to us by God for our care and instruction.

Library

The St. James Library provides students with the foundation for a lifetime love of books. Each student visits the library once a week with his or her class. Stories and lessons presented by our librarian introduce our youngest students to the concept that people of all ages like to read and that the library is a good place to discover books.    In addition to encouraging a love of literature and reading by teaching print and media awareness and literature exposure and appreciation, the library curriculum progresses through grade-appropriate concepts which address the organization of materials in a library, how to access information in print reference sources and on the web, evaluation of information, and the ethical use of information.    After each weekly lesson, students have time to select and borrow books from the library’s collection of over 16,000 different titles for their reading pleasure and to support activities they are doing in other classes.

Physical Education

God grants us the intellect to know, to care for and to protect the body that houses His image. For students, this is learned when schools promote and model lifetime wellness by teaching health concepts and physical fitness activities. As such, physical education needs to be an integral part of a holistic Catholic educational process.

Physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle need to be everyday priorities. Evidence based research strongly supports improved student academic outcomes when health, P.E. and wellness strategies are utilized in the school setting. Each promotes the development of confidence, dignity and respect for self and others. Within our Mission, we will reinforce Christian values that will promote life-long health and physical and spiritual fitness.