The Cardinal Newman Society's Catholic Curriculum Standards

This site is designed specifically for teachers and administrators who are interested in, or who are currently using, the Catholic Curriculum Standards .  Our hope is to share our insights into the development and structure of the Standards, provide ideas for implementation, and to provide a forum for dialogue and collaboration among users.  A NOTE FROM THE PROJECT LEADS: The Cardinal Newman Society offers these Catholic Curriculum Standards as a resource for educators to help keep focus on what is unique about Catholic elementary and secondary education: its evangelizing mission to integrally form students in Christ and transmit a Christian worldview. The standards cover English language arts, math, scientific topics, and history, focusing on unique Catholic insights into these curricular areas and complementing the CHurch's standards for religious instruction. They are broadly grouped into two grade levels, K-6 and 7-12. They express student levels of learning, inviti...

The philosophical concept of “transcendentals” has all but disappeared from common speech. Students of philosophy may study them, but the common man wouldn’t know this philosophical term until it is described - and then, almost immediately, recognition and embrace: “At last, bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh!”  The transcendentals are attributes of human nature inherent to all men everywhere at all times. It is within man’s deepest consciousness that he is aware of, and has a desire for, the transcendentals of perfect and unconditional Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. They are a way of looking at reality, a reality that aligns with the way God made us. When we find truth in daily events, we can say this is good, because the truth corresponds to reality, which is beautiful to behold.  These transcendentals lead us to God. When we question something to find truth, we are eventually led to the ultimate Truth, Christ himself, who is truth incarnate. When we look for the ...

This implementation guide seeks to assist in the incorporation of some or all of the Catholic Curriculum Standards into a school’s existing set of standards.  Standards Standards are statements indicating what students should know (content), do (skill) [1] , and/or be like (disposition). [2] They are broad statements that do not prescribe instructional methodology, but do guide curriculum decision-making, as well as the creation of classroom and standardized assessments.  Catholic Curriculum Standards The  Catholic Curriculum Standards can complement standards currently used in schools or serve as a starting point for the development of standards in English language arts, history, science, and mathematics. They are not designed to serve as a complete set of academic standards. The standards, as presented, are a set of  exit level standards for grades 6 and 12.  Those reviewing the standards might initially note the five key components upon which...

Underlying many of the Catholic Standards are the philosophical transcendentals of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. In this article by Dr. Peter Kreeft he speaks to how the use of philosophy can broaden our understanding of the world, especially when coupled with the light of our Catholic faith. This article was written to provide guidance for high school students in choosing a Catholic college, but has very practical and basic information for the Catholic educator as well. I am providing the beginning of the article here with a link to the full article on The Cardinal Newman Society website. On the side bar I have included some comprehension questions and thought provokers to assist those implementing the Catholic Standards with a deeper understanding of why this philosophical approach has been included.      "Here is one of the clearest criteria for choosing or judging a college: you can be almost certain that any college that has dropped philosophy and theology from ...