Each member of the mentor team must agree that mastery has been met in order for the student to be judged to have completed the competency. Once this happens, each mentor should judge the degree to which the student has demonstrated the competency according to the grading rubric below.
Using the Rubric
When assessing the degree to which a student meets a particular competency, Northwest's grading rubric provides four different options. Three of the options (Exemplary, Accomplished, and Proficient) would represent three different levels of a passing grade. To better understand what each level of the rubric represents, let's look at them in more detail.
Insufficient
We have purposely avoided calling an Insufficient grade a fail. It isn't. Insufficient simply means that the student has not yet demonstrated the competency completely and there is more work to be done. This work may simply be giving more time to demonstrate the competency or there may be more development work to do. In either case, mentors should help the student find more assignments or other learning activities that will allow them the opportunity they need.
Proficient
Though proficient is the lowest of the "passing" grades, it represents at least an average demonstration of mastery of the competency. For someone to achieve proficiency, they must consistently demonstrate the competency both with and without supervision, in a variety of situations and contexts.
Accomplished
There is an implicit bias to see "Accomplished" as the average score given in to a competency because it is in the middle of the three "passing" grades. However, this is incorrect. In mastery-based assessment, any passing grade represents at least an average mastery of the competency.
With that in mind, "Accomplished" represents an above average mastery of the competency. The depth of skill, knowledge, and/or character related to the competency is easily evident and holds up under close inspection.
Exemplary
The highest score you can give to a student is Exemplary. Quite literally, this score indicates that you believe that the student is a valuable example in demonstrating this competency. An exemplary demonstration of the competency should include consistent modelling of the competency in multiple areas of their life and ministry. Where applicable, this will include innovative and contextualized applications of the competency.
Analogy
When assessing the degree to which a student meets a particular competency, Northwest's grading rubric provides four different options. Three of the options (Exemplary, Accomplished, and Proficient) would represent three different levels of a passing grade. To better understand what each level of the rubric represents, let's look at them in more detail.
Insufficient
Someone who is still Insufficient may simply have not demonstrated this yet. If they have demonstrated related competencies, we may let them jump, but we will have safety precautions in place.
Proficient
The brave soul to our left has achieved Proficient status. How do we know? Because we trust him to jump in with no aids and no life guard or rescue device in the water. He may take a while to steady himself before he jumps, but we know he will survive.
Accomplished
We will employ someone who is Accomplished as our life guard. They are able to brave the jump with a moment's notice when called upon. They have made the jump many times with hardly a second thought in all but the most treacherous conditions.
Exemplary
Our accomplished life guards are trained by one that can only be described as Exemplary. She has written the book on cliff jump rescue and is the only one trusted to enter the water in the high spring floods. The videos of her technique are studied and broken down in slow motion. And she is recognized as the example to follow.
Real World Example
It is highly unlikely that any Northwest program will include a competency around cliff jumping, so let's look at some examples of actual competencies from actual programs. We will look at three different ones - one aimed primarily at each domain of learning (head/heart/hands). For each competency, we have provided a description of what one student who receives each level on the rubric may look like.
Competency:
Articulate clearly how a theology and practice of imitation is embedded in discipleship in general, and leadership in particular.
Insufficient
The student may demonstrate a knowledge of the various aspects of theology related to the topic of imitation and discipleship, but they haven't drawn these connections together in any type of cohesive way. The student may need to continue to develop knowledge in the subject area through bible or critical reading, instruction, discovery or other assignment types. Or they may simply need to demonstrate that they know how these topics relate through a paper or presentation.
Proficient
The student understands how the theology and practice of imitation informs discipleship and leadership. Their work that specifically articulates this (whether it be through written, visual, or oral presentation) utilizes key sources and makes keen insights. They are able to integrate different views even though they may not be able to find their own way to express them.
The student's practical application of these principles in their own discipleship and leadership is evident, even if it is a little bit inconsistent. They should continue to develop their understanding of the practical application of what they have learned, but possess a knowledge base that will enable them to do this unsupervised with time.
Accomplished
The student has engaged with a variety of perspectives on the theology and practice of imitation and has portrayed a compelling vision of how it affects discipleship and leadership. They have clearly learned from various sources but are able to articulate their own, contextualized understanding. They are able to defend their understanding against both critique and misapplication. Their application of what they know in their own discipleship and leadership is clear and consistent. They recognize when where their own discipleship and leadership is informed by a theology of imitation.
Exemplary
The student's work in articulating the embedding of imitation in discipleship and leadership is outstanding in its clarity and creativity. Their ability to see the connection is one of their greatest strengths and you refer other students to both their work of articulation, but also its application in their practical ministry.
Competency:
Model humility in character, attitude, and actions as a disciple and leader.
Insufficient
The student has not yet consistently demonstrated humility in all areas of their life. They may consistently demonstrate humility to those who lead them, but not to those whom they lead. Or they may demonstrate humility as a peer, but not when they are not in a position of leader.
The student may also have struggled with pride or consistently demonstrating humility but has made great strides and just needs more time to demonstrate a consistent track record of meeting this competency.
Proficient
The student may have struggled at points in the program, but they have demonstrated a consistent humility in their actions as a disciple and a leader. They may need reminding from time to time and humility may not be a great strength, but you can be confident that their desire is for humility and that they pursue it when you are looking and when you are not.
Accomplished
Both those who lead the student and those that follow them take note of the student's humility. Though they may not have always done so, the student has consistently demonstrated humility in all situations for a substantial length of time. Their growth and sustained attitude assures you that this will continue.
Exemplary
Not only do those around the student speak of the student's humility, they emulate it as it has rubbed off on them. There are few, if any, examples of the student not acting in a spirit of humility throughout the duration of their entire program. You often find yourself comparing the humility of others to that of the student.
Competency:
Equip others to embody and share their faith in their contexts.
Insufficient
The student has not had the opportunity and/or the ability to equip others to share their faith.
Proficient
The student clearly understands the process of equipping others to embody and share their faith and has also effectively done so at least once. Their methods and practices may include a lot of relying on the material of others, but they have been effective. Though some whom the student has equipped have not been effective, you trust the student enough that you will refer others to them to be equipped.
Accomplished
The student has effectively equipped a number of people to embody and share their faith in a variety of contexts. The student has drawn from multiple sources to develop a method of their own that is very effective, though it may not be easily applied in or for different contexts.
Exemplary
Not only has the student equipped a number of people to embody and share their faith, they have done so in different ways to suit the maturity, personality, and context of those that they trained. Those that they equipped have proven to be effective themselves and speak highly of the role the student has played.