I think that knowing curricular resources are being looked at and verified to be aligned with standards/learning objectives/and assessments is huge!  I'm excited to share with my coworkers! 

I agree. I think it is important to make sure  our lessons are aligned to the standards/learning objectives.

Holly I agree - I want to hear from real teachers basedon NC standards. 

I believe my colleagues would agree on having resources that align with the state standards and ensure students can transfer their learning to the performance tasks.

I love your wording here:"students can transfer their learning to the performance tasks." 

Cynthia, 

I love that you included transferable skill as a quality check of sorts. I often see students who may be able to meet the standard in one circumstance; however, when taken out of the familiar context, the same student may struggle with the concept. The generalization of skills learned is a truly holistic approach to determine standards mastery. Thanks for posting!

Shannen/Cynthia,

I wonder if it might help to have those cross-curricular conversations when we share this new information with our colleagues.  Maybe though Team Meetings or Grade Level Meetings.  I'm thinking that if we did it that way, we would have a way to say "I'm working on this concept in my classroom this way; how do you work with it in your classroom?"  and then we could also share that with the students so they don't think everything is learned in isolation from classroom-to-classroom.  Thoughts?

THE RUBRIC!  I think that every teacher should have that printed out and accessible.

Laura, I agree! The rubric will put us all on a similar page when looking over these resources and it could also be used on the school/PLC levels too!

I can definitely see the rubric hanging in a planning location to reference when looking at these and other resources.

I think it is a helpful resource, too.

I agree!

I so agree!  Having the rubric available can help us fine tune our own resources use.

I think most educators will appreciate a place to go for resources that have already been reviewed to align with the standards by expreienced reviewers from all over NC to help meet the needs of students in a specific content area.

Definitley! It is a gold mine!

I love that I can search by standard instead of by topic. The search makes it so convient to find appropriate resources! 

I agree the open unfiltered web can be too much topic and distraction - having this focused on standards is going to be a lifesaver!

I feel the same way. It can be overwhelming to sort through all that is availabe on Google and other sites. I also like that the resources are free, which may not be good news for sites like Teachers Pay Teachers but it is definitely good news for those of us (i.e. every teacher I know) who invest a lot of time and money into getting resources for our students.

Yes! I am tired of spending money on resources, especially when I realize they are not fully aligned! Free is good!!

Yes. This way everything is more streamlined and easily available at no cost! We just don't get paid enough to spend so much time and money on resources.

Absolutely!!! I'm so glad I'll have a solid starting place to refer teachers to when they are looking for free standards-aligned resources.

This is especially true now that our state standards are different from the common core standards that come up in searches!

Yes! This resource is amazing! 

I love that part as well!  It's very user-friendly as well

Lori,

I agree.  Teachers who have loaded schedules will likely gravitate to the resources that have already been reviewed.  The platform has huge potential.  

Lori, having resources that have already been reviewed is amazing! I think most teachers will appreciate that.

I think most educators will love the fact that there are free resources that have been vetted by fellow NC teachers.

Free is the fantastic part!  There’s a veteran teacher at my school that refuses to explore platforms that charge teachers for other teacher’s work. I’m hoping this teacher will be able to use GoOpen resources because they are free. 

FREE FREE FREE - sounds great to me! I so agree!

I agree with you. I also like the fact that we can add information that will help other teachers to ensure that it is standard aligned. 

Free is amazing! And they are all in one place!

Kathleen,

Vetted, and aligned.  The idea that we can now search for resources based on standards is amazing to me.  I think that "free" will be a big draw and as teachers see that the resources are "worthy" (for lack of a better word), more will come to see the benefit of the platform.

Just the sheer volume of resources will make teachers thrilled! But looking at the standards and making sure resources are "adequate"--this is the most important aspect of a resource--with user-friendly and motivating/engaging a close 2nd and 3rd. I think having teachers use this process when unit planning would improve the alignment of instruction and assessment in my building.

I also like the idea of "remixing" a resource--we tend to stick with what we have always used. But maybe if we "remix" we can improve the alignment or the engagement. This is how we get better instead of stale.

Janice, I think the "remixing" also helps to modify or extend resources making them more accessible for students.

Janice, I tried my hand at remixing a resource last night and I actually liked it!

Marquis,

I have tried to remix and cannot seem to get the hang of it.  What is the best way to approach it?  I feel like I will mess up the resource and devalue the original educator's resource.

Candace, you won't mess up the resource. Trust yourself and your expertise, you will only enhance what is there. For example, I remixed a resource called "Accommodation Keys." I simply added additional accommodations that I felt like would be beneficial to include as accommodations. I included a clear, concise description of the addition because it was my first remix. At least 2-3 other reviewers have remixed it since I did, so I felt comfortable with what I created. The link to the resource is (if you want to check out what has been remixed): 

https://goopennc.oercommons.org/authoring/1833-accommodation-key-for-modified-tests/view

Hope this helps!

Educators will appreciate having access to resources that have been vetted by other educators. Knowing that information will help them choose resources they can use in the classroom. 

Nakita, that is almost exactly what I said in my reply too. For new teachers especially!

I hadn't thought of how valuable this will be for new teachers.  I can see all kind of people having their own groups on the site, such as new teachers.

I agree!  I believe this platform will only strengthen over time, as more input is gathered from more and more educators.

The categories from the content quality review rubric are well thought out and explained.  I think this is a quality resource to refer to when self-reflecting on our own daily lessons. This is a tool worth sharing with other teachers. I can see how it would be helpful to begin addressing patterns of strengths in our teaching and easily invite goal setting to make our instruction more impactful.

I agree that the rubric is a great starting place for reflect on our own lessons. It is simple enough to be done on a regular basis, but broad enough to hit on the key elements of a strong lesson/resource/activity. 

I have already been sharing with coworkers and have set up a time to present about the resource to 2 elementary schools after it goes live. I would like to present at the district level. I think what I am going to focus on is the opportunity to learn from others and to share with others. 

Takiyah I think that is a wonderful idea! The more that we share about the benefits and usefulness of this tool will encourage our colleagues to explore it.

Takiyah,

I hadn't even thought about taking it outside my building!  There are other year-round middle schools that could certainly benefit from knowing about this resource, even though the ELA and Math people have specific curriculum that they are to work with, enhancing through a platform resource would help student engagement a lot!  Thank you for the idea of taking it outside the building and into other schools and maybe the district level.

I think that they will appreciate the resource links to the NCSCOS objectives and the reviews by other educators.  I'd love to see them use the CRM in curriculum alignment, but that will require more PD than we'll likely get to during this year.  

I think that the teachers at my school will be glad to know there is one place to go for teaching resources that have been vetted for accuracy and alignment. This will be a HUGE time saver and will help deliver the best content for our students. I have already started "chatting it up" at my school and teachers seem excited! I can't wait to share with them in December and I am excited for all of the teachers in #TeamUCPS!

Janna,

It's good to hear that your teachers are excited to use the resource.  I agree that having a central location for resources is great.  

Janna,

You hit the nail on the head.... "One place to go for vetted teaching resources!"  I can certainly appreciate the idea of locating modified and aligned resources for students with disabilities. This is the need that I have, that have required me to search high and low to support my student's special needs. By the way....   Go Team UCPS!

 The thing that I believe will resonate the most with the educators I work with is this huge volume of free resources that have been verified by fellow educators. 

Yes!!! I often go on Teachers Pay Teachers and have spent a lot of money and then realized the lesson was cute but not aligned to the standards/objectives. I can not afford to spend money on a resource that is not helpful.

I know exactly what you mean as I have been a victim of the same thing.

This happens so often!  They lure you in with the big talk and the cute front page.  :)

I have already spoken to my team and administration about it and they want access asap. We have been working on improving our teaching of the science curriculum consistently at our school across the grade levels and hope this will help.

Laura,

What has been your team and admin's response to the GoOpenNC platform? I would love to know!

I think that my coworkers will appreciate resources that have been peer reviewed, aligned to standards and most of all-free! 

Teachers are always looking for material and just having one place to look for it helps them.  I also think that teachers trust other teachers when it comes to sharing material and this platform would resonate as more support for them.

That's what I said, as well.  I can see the strength of teacher feedback on the resources only growing stronger over time as more and more people take advantage of this.

Teachers are always looking for material and just having one place to look for it helps them.  I also think that teachers trust other teachers when it comes to sharing material and this platform would resonate as more support for them.

I agree Tania, teachers do trust other teachers and finding resources in one place is definite a A plus. 

I think teachers I work with would appreciate the resources available as well as the ability to evaluate and decide what gets used again and again. It may provide more continuity for students who transfer schools frequently. Something as simple as seeing a familiar assignment in a new school can mean a world of difference for a struggling new student. 

I never even thought of the benefit it would give transfer students. That is an interesting point! I hope that many of our districts and schools embrace and take advantage of the platform. It could really be a game changer! 

Teachers are always looking for material and just having one place to look for it helps them.  I also think that teachers trust other teachers when it comes to sharing material and this platform would resonate as more support for them.

Tania,

You hit on an important key to encouraging teachers to use these resources is that they TRUST other teachers.  Since they are in the thick of things together, they will listen to one another more than they will believe and support the top down information or mandates.  

I am excited to share these resources. I know textbooks have all but disappeared and those we have are quickly outdated. I think my colleagues will be thrilled with resources vetted by NC teachers that are based on NC standards. I think this is such a needed innovation. I know that the accessibiity and portability of these materials will be of great benefit to my colleagues. 

@ Susan Miller - I agree with you! Online resources are so readily available, but sometimes, challenging to sort through. Many textbooks are outdated, worn out, or not convenient. This online platform provides accessibility to sort and filter through lessons that meet standards and have been evaluated by other eduaction professionals in that content area. Also, no teacher has ever complained about not lugging home heavy textbooks to plan with! ;-P We encourage our students to pursue new technologies, and it is time for us to embrace the same! 

I know that in my school we are so concerned with standards alignment, that they will love that the resources are already aligned. That will make planning so much easier for them.

I think that knowing whether or not the activity fully aligns with the standards and objectives is something that would resonate the most with my coworkers. I also think that they would really enjoy knowing how to put a copyright on their work before they share with others.

I think that just a place that we all can go to get curriculum related resources is the one thing that my fellow teachers will find most useful.  We are constantly searching for and buying resources to use in our classrooms...we as educators need a place to go for resources that have been "checked out" and deemed appropriate to use.

Jessica, I agree. I love the idea of free resources for teachers to use as needed!

The Curriculum Review Academy reminded me how important it is for teachers to make sure they thoroughly understand and evaluate standards before they select resources to use in their classrooms. Teachers have the expectation of evaluating instruction, content, technology, and design of resources for fidelity of student learning and data driven, targeted learning. 

The one thing from the curriculum review academy that educators I work with should not teach without is the digital review tool. The tool is such a clear, concise way to evaluate what you are teaching, that I have begun to rethink my lesson plans. Having said that, I feel that the Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrix shares the top spot with the digital review tool. The matrix allows educators to ensure that we really are covering the breadth and depth of content. Finally, GoOpenNC as a resource in and of itself is a huge help for teachers, both veteran as well as first year. I feel that GoOpenNC is a one-stop shop for teachers by teachers and that is priceless! 

Hi Shannen, 

I love how you connect the digitial review tool to lesson planning. Many teachers are looking for resources that have been properly vetted and aligned to NC standards because they are already overwhelmed with other daily teaching requirements. Showing teachers how this resource is connected to daily lesson plans is a huge buy-in. 

Thank you for sharing!

Thomasine

I agree that the Cognitive Rigor Matrix is an awesome tool for teachers. Until now my fellow teachers and I have just been using Bloom's Taxonomy for support with unpacking standards and writing learning targets, but no more!

There are so many wonderful reasons to use this resource that I don't know which one to choose. My colleagues will mostly love the alignnment to engagement. Currently, the focus at our school is 21st century skills such as collaboration, creativity,  communication, and criticial thinking skills. Also, our school and district is 1-to-1 with technology.  Each student has a laptop or iPad. Therefore, teachers are looking for ways to use technology more effectively. The staff will also enjoy free resources and the option to search by standard. 

Thomasine, I agree the opportunity to search by standards is huge! Not just by standards, but by NC standards!

I'm a coach in an elementary school and I think introducing a tool similar to our review rubrics would be so beneficial during my planning and lesson review. It would give them a "lens" to look through that puts a spotlight focus on standards alignment. It has already changed my lens slightly. :)

I can definitely see how a rubric like that would help coaching conversations by providing a lens. I wish I had something like this when I was in a school-based coaching role. It definitely would have helped move some conversations along. 

Honestly, I want to share EVERYTHING! There is so much available, that it's hard to narrow it down to just one thing. I have shared information about copyright laws and the different protocols for that. I'm particularly interested in how the resources will tie into special education and what that will mean for inclusion and resource teachers.

Marquis,

I think that the copyright information is a great place to start, especially since they'll need to have those skills if they choose to create materials.  I could see the remix tool being used often by special education teachers.  This is good stuff.  Kim

I think it will be the ease of use as well as how reliably the sources align with the standards. Hopefully this will be something that is used once they realize it is available and meets their needs without a lot of extra work. They can edit and revise items that are close to what they want rather than having to start from scratch. 

I agree, Tracy.  For the longest time, a friend of mine who works in WSFCS and I have shared with each other how nice it would be if all NC districts had a way to share their resources with one another.  Each time I get on this site, I can envision how it can grow and adapt to help us do just that!

I think that having comments created by real teachers to read before looking at a resource is huge.  I think that knowing other teachers have reviewed and verified the content of a resource makes it more likely to be used by other educators.  We are all short on time, so having vetted resources is wonderful.

Definitely! Teacher reviews add value to the resources.

The rubric is one thing that resonates with me. I think it will for others as well. Another item that I think will stand out to teachers is the fact the resources will be aligned to their standards.

Since the resources are going to be reviewed by several educators, I think teachers will appreciate that they have been looked at for alignment, learning objectives, and assessment to ensure they are using quality resources.  Although a teacher may not always agree with the alignment, the remix tool allows them to take the tools and modify it for their needs. Then others will be able to see how that resources could have multiple applications.  

Megan, I love the remix tool to help meet the specific needs of our students!

I am really looking forward to sharing this with the teachers in my school after the first of the year.  I LOVE that the resources will be standards-aligned and that teachers will be able to trust the comments they see attached to the resources.  The search features are advanced enough that teachers will be able to find relevant resources that are specific to the standards they are teaching. 

Educators are going to LOVE having a spot to find resources that are completely vetted and aligned. Teachers spend so much time going through resources to check them for alignment. This will save teachers time for that very reason. Administrators and curriculum leaders will appreciate it so much, as they will be able to feel confident as teachers use the resources.

Lesley, I agree that this will impact more than just teachers! It will be a plus for administrators or anyone who works in education and could be responsible for new teachers' support.

Finding quality resources that are directly aligned with standards, as based upon the unpacking documents can be a challenge.  This repository will allow educators a place to search for standards-aligned lessons and activities.  The part that I think they will love is the Remix option.  Making something truly your own allows each teacher to own it directly. 

I agree, that the remix provides an opportunity for teachers to make these resources their own while still respecting copyright guidelines as noted. I could see myself finding a great resource and making minor changes so that it fits the needs of my students, which is much less time consuming than creating something entirely from scratch. 

I feel other educators want reliable lesson plans that fit their curriculum.  Many times you must adapt the lesson plans to fit your time needs or curriculum.  I am excited that we will have lesson plans that have been evaluated.

I would share the fact that this website is available and to encourage them to upload their activities to this site so that other CTE teachers can benefit from their work.

I think the RUBRIC is amazing and will help my collegues be able to know exactly what they need to look for in resources on the platform. 

I agree, Lauren! The rubric is a great resource to help with PLC common planning/assessments/etc.

The one thing I think will resonate with educators I work with is that we don't need to be recreating resources everytime we have a need.  There are plenty of resoures available on the platform that we could use as written, or remix to meet our individual needs.  For new teachers in my school, I believe the platform will be a great starting point for gathering resources that align with the standards being taught, and the fact that a lot of the resources will be reviewed by peers is even more of a bonus!  It's nice that a lot of the resources we already use (such as NC Tools for Teachers) will be available in the same platform as other resources that we can incorporate into our teaching.

I am interested in learning more about the remix option.

Great points, Kristin!  It could be a great toolbox for BTs.

The rubric for evaluating the resources.

It is a quick and easy way to screen resources for their use. Teachers will be able to quickly see if the resource is aligned, with goals and assessments or not. The process of screening a resource would resonate with teachers because they want to know if the resources they are finding and using are going to meet their curriculum needs.

I think that being able to collaborate on resources for all subjects area for our team is going to be a huge positive for my coworkers. We do a lot of cross-curricular teaching, especially in social studies and science. This will provide connections between their subject materials and ELA or math.  In addition, my team teachers have struggled with finding substantial resouces that can really challenge the kids. 

I think that is a great point to bring up. Cross curricuer assignments have a lasting effect on students. 

We experimented with Social studies really supporting ELA and the growth from the students overall was incredible. Some of the highest scores in the district as well as the most growth. I recommend everyone does it. 

I think that knowing the resources are aligned, easily found, and resources are added.

I agree! Also knowing that educators were the ones who did the aligning adds a layer of trust to resources! 

My faculty  will be so excited to know that they will be able to utilize resources that have been reviewed with a standard criteria.  

I think having verified, aligned resources available at your fingertips for free is a wonderful thing.  I think teachers like the idea that they are aligned and reinforce what we need to teach!

I am just excited to share the whole GoOpenNC platform. I think that for me and my peers it will help increase our involment in a PLC. As of now, the entire school is one PLC, each with a content area tacher (we're alternative). It has opened up things to me that I would have otherwise never gotten the chance to experience. 

I agree it really does create amazing discussions between teachers. 

I think one of my main take aways that would resonate with the educators I work with is the importance of making sure your standard, actvities, and assessments are all aligned. This will ensure your students are learning the standards and will give you the most growth in your classroom.

I completely agree with you. It seems really simple, but sometimes that is overlooked in planning. This platform will give teachers easy access and help build their capaity to ensure everything is aligned. 

  I feel the free resources that will be available to NC teachers.  The rubric helps us ensure they are standards aligned quality resources and to set the same standard of quality instructional resources.  It is so exciting to have this for our state and be part of this process to make our education in NC stronger.  

I've shared after each webinar and teachers like that the resources here are aligned and that hopefully the majority will be evaluated to ensure the alignment. 

I hear time and again that resources offered by admin or higher are outdated, user-UNfriendly, and do not reflect the type of work we do in our classrooms. The fact that the resources provided in #GoOpenNC are teacher-chosen, created, and vetted is a fantastic selling point. In addition to the quality of the resources, the sheer number and accessibility is fantastic. Teachers will have a wealth of standards-based resources all in one place. 

I agree! I think that the fact that the resources are teacher-created is a huge selling point. I look foward to seeing the comments and evaluations of teachers who use the resources. Those reflections are going to be a game-changer when selecting resources. 

I think the educators I work with wowuld be most excited about the resources avaliable on the platform! They would be interested in copyright laws although many of the teachers I work with don't like to share their resources in the "open market" because they don't like the idea of someone else "having their work".

Hopefully once they start exploring and using resources others created they will become more open to sharing their resources! 

I think thinking about standards in more DEPTH is very important, and I would like to see more focus on unpacking the standards and making sure we cover them in depth to what students require/could do.

I think something that would resonate with my colleagues is the fact that the resources they will have access to will be aligned with NC standards, even if they are just partially aligned(which they can see with the comments and the ratings).  We find lots of resources online, but many do not align to NC standards or grade level.  

I think the biggest thing that the teachers I work with will enjoy is just the "one-stop shop" of the GoOpenNC platform. You no longer have to look at multiple websites, blogs, planning documents, etc to find resources. You have one place, which will be constantly growing and improving, to access any materials you may need. It's just an added bonus that most of the resources have been vetted and connected to NC standards. 

Yes! And as the platform continues to grow there will be more and more resources to choose from and the best will (hopefully) rise to the top!

Being able to quickly find resources they need without having to create free trial accounts is one thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that I think would resonate the most with the educators I work with.

Queen, I know I struggle at times to keep up with all those "accounts" we create to try and find what will help our students!

Queen, 

I swear it is so difficult to keep track of all the free trial accounts I had to resort to writing them down in a notebook.  Of course, then I had to go back to said notebook to remember which ones I had signed up for!  Being able to just sign in with your NCEdCloud account will do wonders for educators who need something for their students, and can search very specifically for resources.

I agree with lots of others here that the rubric is an excellent resource that other teachers can use and will help us all when evaluating resources to use in our classes!

I think my department will appreciate that there will be a collection of verified and standard aligned resources at their disposale.  I also think having access to the rubric we will be using would be valuable in order for them to analyze any other resources they come across not associated with the platform.  Lastly, a once over and review of the copyright laws, intellectual property, etc. will be helpful in order to make sure resources are being used as they should.  The webinars have given good insight and will be discussed at future PLCs.

I agree, having the rubric is very helpful! It also makes me more reflective about the resources I create and how they would rate on the rubric. 

I think the main take away for many educators will be the rubric to help them identify resources aligned with the NC Standards. I am excited to share with my coworkers how simple it is to find resources that will fit with the NC CTE curriculums. 

Knowing that resources here have been evaluated to align with standards, have definite learning goals, and assessments to faciliate learning. 

I agree that the rubric is helpful for teachers to identify resources that meet the standards, have clear learning objectives, and built in assessment. :)

I think knowing that there is a place to get free resources that are open and available to use would be very appreciated by fellow teachers! I know that every time we search for a resource, we're always kind of cringing, wondering if we are using things that are actually copyrighted for the way we are using them. So to know that these are here, available, and we just need to learn the language/codes of levels of sharing allowed is great.

The thing that resonates most with me is the availability of resources for all content in one place and over and above standards aligned and verified by experienced teachers. It would be the ease of resources available that would make it awesome.

Being fspecific to  NC is going to be invaluable for teachers to stay focused on our standards.  Being reviewed by NC teachers and explicitly stating the standards that have been verified to be aligned will help people feel good about what they're using.

I think most people have already said it, but I am excited about teachers having another, better aligned, vetted avenue to find and share ideas than TPT.  I get it's a way to make money but it adds to the professional environment of our state when we collaborate with our best ideas aligned to our specific standards (and heck, you can still post on TPT and teachers from other states can pay you!)  I am thrilled the resources will be vetted and aligned to our state which might be the selling point to get my teachers to come here rather than Google!  And of course, free.

I love the term "professional environment"!  So true.

I think having a place where teachers can go to get ideas, "remix" ideas, and share ideas is awesome - especially while not having to pay for them on places like TpT.  I also think the Quality Review Rubric is a great resource to share with educators as well.  I know it takes time, but applying that to my own lessons only strengthens them, and I think many teachers would be willing to check their own lessons and assessments with that rubric as well.

Kinsi, what a great idea! Using the rubric to review my own lessons is a wonderful way to improve my planning too! Thank you so much for sharing!

With teachers seeing the value in sharing resources and then possibly being able to evaluate those resources would definitely provide them a sounding board to share what works and possibly things that would help with specific objectives. We get in our own little cubicles and don't want to grow outside of it because we are comfortable. When we see that we are like minded or even when we have differeing opinions, we can talk it through and come up with dialogue that provides growth for all parties and thus common misconceptions are eliminated. 

Ivey,

And often, I've found, a great remix can come out of those discussions or even a completely new lesson that could be cross-curricular.  Knowing that there are like minded individuals or differing opinions, helps us see our work in a new way because of the conversations we can have about it.

We have been told to use other databases before, like Discovery Education, but have found it lacking in Social Studies resources.  To have a platform of resources that are already aligned with the curriculum and is chock full of quality resources and lessons that can be implemented will be helpful.  We can also link the platform to our district's curriculum maps to share the platform across the county. 

Knowing that others are willing to help vet the resources and ensure that they are aligned with our standards is priceless.  I feel certain that this resource will be widely used.

I think that a feature of GoOpenNC that will resonate with educators is the flexibility in licensing/atttribution for the content the may choose to share.  I like the idea that I can assign a Creative Commons license to lessons/resources I wish to share and I think teachers will appreciate that.  Additionally, I think it is great that we can in turn remix resources, and teachers will love that feature as well.

I agree Laura! The security that the work they post will be credited and treated as they wish will really encourage educators to share their creations! 

That resources are being vetted (at least at some resources at this point--hopefully resources will continue to be vetted) according to standards alignment. 

I think it would have to be what I call the "DPI Review Wheel" (Criteria for Resource Use).  I completely agree with Laura Munster that every educator should have that printed out, laminated, and hung up to review.  I know that with all of the changes in curriculum and expectations for classroom work that have come down in the past few months for our District, this would be an invaluable resource for teachers to use when choosing what to put in their lessons and what to focus on.

I think the educators I work with will appreciate having a platform that has free resources that are specifically for North Carolina, and allows them to search in various ways, and even allows for remixing sometimes.

I think the ability to find resources that you know have been reviewed and are aligned would save time for teachers.  It allows easy collaboration, and a way to see other's ideas across the state rather than just the school or grade level.  

Yes yes yes! This could be such a time saver and broaden access to various resources! 

As a district, we have had many converstaions in Grade Level PLC's and School PD meetings on knowing your standards and make sure your resources support your standards. Having a resource that aligns with the standards in their grade level will be very helpful. Taking the I wonder if this will align or do I need to take time to research off the plate of busy teachers is going to be well appreciated. 

Kimberly hit the nail on the head! Giving back time to teachers with these resources will be much appreciated!

I would say just having a shared site for access to resources that are already aligned with state standards.

I think that having resources, lessons, and ideas that have worked weel for teachers that are FREE and aligned to the standards will resonate the most with educators.  

Being able to pull additional vetted math resources in addition to tools4ncteachers will be welcomed with open arms.  For them, being able to read the comments and review, and know how fully a standard is covered, will be excellent for supplementing what tools2ncteachers provides to create a full curriculum.

I love the fact that all of this is online and free! I can not wait to share this with other teachers. I also really like the fact that you can remix the lessons so that they fit your students!

Do I have to pick one??? Having one place to go for lots of resources, being able to see whether other teachers have found a resource helpful, and being able to change some resources to meet their needs are my personal favorites.

Personally, I think it would resontate w/ some of my colleagues that these resources have been vetted by teachers mostly in the classroom and not a "top down" approach from above.  Too often, we've been pointed to curriculum that is a "program" by some national expert or given prescripted program to follow.  What I really like about GoOpenNC is that these are real resources for teachers to use and remix in a lot of cases.  Sources that have been reviewed by folks in the trenches.  High ethos for most educators in the classroom. 

Agreed! Resources that are recommended to me by working teachers catch my eye more quickly than a required PD on the latest big thing.

Yes, this will really give teachers access to curriculum resources that are FOR teachers BY teachers, not from a company where some of the creators may have never even entered a classroom before! I like that you say "in the trenches". Educators are much more willing to trust resources that have been created by fellow educators who "get it"! 

I hate to sound like an echo, but I really do believe that the biggest " selling" point of the OER is the idea that someone actually took the time to make sure that things are aligned so that educators won't be wasting time on resources that may not actually meet their needs. Having said that , however, I would hope that a resource would be explored before someone just jumps on board with it.

There are quite a few things I have learned from the Curriculum Review Academy that I am anxious to share with all the educators I work with at my school and within my district. The two biggest things I will be sharing include 1) copyright and licensing information and 2) the proper way to look at and review curriculum documents that have been uploaded. 

#1: Resources are FREE! Budgets are thin. Resources are scarce. Teachers are overwhelmed!

#2 The resources are vetted by NORTH CAROLINA teachers who should understand the difference between Common Core and North Carolina Common Core Standards.

Yes Kelly! Vetting by NC teachers who know the NC Common Core Standards is a big plus!

The variety of FREE resources will resonate the most with educators. I have not looked at all of the subject areas but I know that for Biology there are several different types of activities (i.e. labs and readings) available. The teachers at my school who may have trouble finding resources for certain lessons will like that this platform offers several resources all in one place (and did I mention it is free?). 

I feel that the vast collection of available resources that the OER has to offer and the fact that they are reviewed to align with standards will be the most exciting thing for educators.  They will realize that this collection will only grow from here

As a teacher I appreciate that we will be putting strengths and opportunities of the resource along with how well it is aligned to the standards.  I feel my coworkers will also appreciate that information when deciding what resources to us.  

Crystal, I like the comment boxes that give us the opportunity to voice more about our experience with each resource.

The already vetted and aligned curriculum resources that can be REMIXED! We always want to tweak things to add our own ideas. Having an aligned resource will be a great place to start!

I am excited to share this great resource. Today I went to a workshop and I talked about it and others were interested. To know that there are free resources that have been evaluated and are standard base for teachers to use. Also that you can remix to meet your children's needs, so EXCITING!!

I believe that knowing we have a place to go to find materials that are aligned to NC standards will get them excited. As a science teacher in NC, I know how hard it is to find resources that are appropriate because most of the country is following NGSS for their curriculum. This makes finding content that is aligned to the standards and grade level difficult. 

I think knowing that the resources have been shared and reviewed by educators in our state will be very reasuring. Sharing the rubric with those educators for them to use when looking for quality, standards aligned activities will be helpful, as well. The platform with open communication and the process of commenting and reviewing resources sets up a very collaborative environment and a feeling that we are all in this together and here to help eachother teach our students to the best of our abilities. 

I think the teachers in my department will appreciate the opportunity to access reliable materials. As more and more resources are aligned to NC standards, the platform will grow in popularity and reputation. Also, "free" has a great ring to it!

Meredith, my motto has always been, "If it;s free, it;s for me!"

Educators will be excited about the wealth of free resources that's found using technology.  It's a matter of finding/making the time to find these wonderful resources/alignment.

I have already presented the CC licensing to my team, as well as the opportunities available with GoOpen.  They seem to be hesitant to share their materials for a variety of reasons, which makes me sad.  But, they were excited to know that this resource will be available to them soon!  I think by all of us evaluating the resouces, it will help pinpoint the exact grade level for NC.  I don't like finding a "perfect" source, only to find it not aligned.  I hope that others, like myself, will be willing to share and not keep their best ideas for their own. 

Beth,

Your mention of grade level got my attention.  In thinking out of the box, if a resource was grade level aligned, then we could determine the student's  functioning ability by his/her performance on the aligned assessment.  This would be a tremendous help with preparing IEP annual reviews.

Teachers will appreciate a place to find open source materials! Teachers always review material before using it since we do not have time to waste, but having another person to confirm our last minute reviews before planning for the week allows us to feel confident in our choices. Glad I can help make this happen.

I'm also thankful to be part of this, so I can spread the good news to others I work with!

I am very excited to, first of all, share #GoOpenNC with my staff!  We can always use more places to find resources!

I am also interested in working with my team with the deconstructing of the standards.  I think this is a valuable thing and the Academy really made it easy by pointing out that we should look for the verbs, the nouns, and the components.  It takes a task that can be daunting and breaks it into manageable steps.

The one thing that would "resonate" with my colleagues is the fact that the curricular resources were reviewed for alignment to the current NCSCOS by individuals who are using and know the current NCSCOS.  

The majority of the teachers I work with will be insanely excited to have a place for quality, standards-aligned resources! They have heard lots of conversations about the necessity to use quality materials in the classroom, but now they will actually have a database to use for locating these aligned resources.

Most educators that I am in communication with would love the large pool of resources in one place that are readily accssable and aligned. The ability to take the resource and modify it to meet the needs of students with disabilities is priceless. Other educators would love rhe ability to pull a resource by the standard which would be a time significant saving factor. This is a wonderful opportuinity to be in the position to share in the roll out of this educator tool/ resource.

I think that having a plethora of educational resources in one spot would save valuable time and money for educators. Instead of Googling topics to hope to find a worksheet, activity, etc. or scrolling through Pinterest or TpT for interesting lessons, this platform allows teachers to find everything in one place, know it's aligned to the standards, and Educator Verified and Approved! Furthermore, the non-core academic area teachers have spoke to are very excited that they will have somewhere to go to pick up resources. They do not feel forgot about.

Marie,

I wholeheartedly agree with everything you have said and would like to add that new-to-the-profession teachers will have an invaluable resource to go to for lessons that they know are aligned to standards and vetted by NC teachers.  I remember thinking how difficult it was at times when I was developing my own resources; having had this, I would have felt more adept at using the resource and being sure of the copyright issues.

What is one thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that you think would resonate the most with the educators you work with?

I too that  it is important to stress that the materials at this platform will be looked at by experts like them for allignment  as well as copyright.   I also think that this gives the teachers in NC a voice  and a platform to share their expertise in an non-threatening way.  Finally-  It is FREE!  :)

Good evening,

One thing from the curriculum review acadmey that I think would resonate the most with other educators I work with is the fact that this program is even going to be available, period! I am excited to share about this with my colleagues, and the fact that other educators are reviewing and unpacking standards to align things appropriately will also be a huge selling point. 

Jennie,

Absolutely, I with you!  Bottom line.... that there are aligned resources that will soon be available is reason to cheer. 

Success to you in your practice.

I think that looking at resources with emphasis on standards alignment is something that we all try to do when we are looking for materials to use with our students.  Knowing that the resources on GoOpenNC are reviewed with a rubric and rating scale that is aligned with standards may help them be more confident about using these resources. and I hope that they will begin to add resources as well.  I know that it will take time, but if they start to find high-quality resources consistently we can build confidence and encourage others to contribute.

I think that most of the educators whom I work with will appreciate having resources that are aligned, reviewed and in one location for use. The ability to share how the resources were rated and the comments given will also be appreciated by them.

I really like the rubrics we have been given. I think that it is really easy to grab a resource off the internet and use it without fully examining it objectively. The rubric provides a structure for a quick check where teachers can determine if the resource is okay or if there are areas that they may want to "remix" before using the resource with their students. 

I think eductaors will appreciate the various types of resrouces and the fact that they have been reviewed using the same rubric so they have been assessed fairly based on the rubric. 

I agree! I think that the rubric is a game-changer because it gives each resources a leve lplaying field and makes things less subjective. 

I think one thing that will resonate most with the educators I work with is the knowledge about copyright laws (what to look for) and the ability to copyright their own works and feel secure sharing their work. The security that they can share their work and still be credited will take away some of the fears they have about posting/using an OER platform. 

Hello!

I agree! Even though I've learned about copyright before this academy, it's something so vital for educators to practice that I think we should have a refresher on it every school year. It has definitely made me think about going back over things that I've created throughout the years and re-evaluate what I have and add the CC logos as appropriate.

I think the awareness of a reviewed and reputable database of resources will be a huge win for the educators I work with.  I am excited about having a bank of ESL resources and linking those to content classes and resources.  There are others, like Teachers Pay Teachers; however, those have come under scruntiny at times.  Additionally, sharing the copyright information and remixing materials etc. will be exciting to share!

I think one thing that will resonate with educators about the Review Academy is being more mindful and selective in choosing resources to use in the classroom. Teachers need to learn to unpack standards to truly understand what they need to cover within the standard and this helps with reviewing resources to ensure that the resource they are looking at is true to the standards.

I know that from taking to my PLC team members that the biggest issue in finding qualities resources is simply the price. I am personally so very excited that these resources are available and free to NC teachers. That is such a HUGE incentive for educators to take part in the #GoOpenNC platform. 

I agree! I also like that it pulls in resources from other sources that while they are free, aren't always easy to find!

I think the biggest selling point is that this is a place where teachers can go to find resources aligned to the NC standards.  Teachers can find resources and share resources on this platform with teachers across the state.

One thing that we've struggled with in the past was having to search all over for "good" ideas, resources, and lesson plans that align with our current standards. The staff members I've shared this with have been really excited about the "one stop shopping" experience we will have with the platform. Knowing that these resources have been looked at by current NC classroom teachers is a huge bonus!

Karen,

And, the fact that they are free doesn't hurt either!  I read another post where someone talked about having to remember all the free trial sites we had been to and trying to remember them was daunting.  I'm glad it is NC educators who are helping with the alignment and providing resources because we can be assured we are getting resources that will work with our students.

The platform itself is valuable for finding resources that are already aligned to state standards. 

I think one thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that would resonate the most with the educators I work with is how to identify if a resource is fully aligned to the standard being covered. This will allow educators to see if the items they are choosing to use is adequate for their grade/standards. Sometimes we find resources that look cute or fun, but are they actually aligned? 

One thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that I think wouold resonate the most with the educators I work with are the copyright identifications and meanings. A lot of teachers post resources that are not allowed to be shared on their teacher websites, which they are being reported to the district's technology department. 

I agree that the copyright identifcations and meaning are really important for teachers to be knowledgable about, especially if we are supposed to be modeling good digital citizenship for our students. 

I think my colleagues will be excited to know that there is a site they can visit for free, quality resources (spanning across subjects) that are aligned to the standards they teach. Knowing that educators from all over NC have evaluated the resources for quality is awesome-and a time saver when looking for an activity/resource. Visiting the site could provide a different way of teaching the standard to supplment the way he/she already does.

I think educators would appreciate the curriculum review rubric. This tool  feel is helpful especially for new teachers to actually take time to review a resource and how well it fits and aligns with standards. 

I think the most interesting thing that will resonate with others is the differences in copyright.  I didn't know before the workshop that there are so many forms of copyright and that as soon as I write it my works is copyrighted.  We mentioned it in a short part of a staff meeting and they were all surprised as well. I don't think any of us realized when/if we were in vioation of copyright laws on most of the resources we use.  

I truly hope you are right, Selena. I have taught Digital Citizenship and the importance of attribution; the BY symbol is what I will be calling attention to reinforce attribution even if the product they are creating is within Fair Use. "But we are just making this for our class, it isn't getting posted." The BY symbol explicitly means they need permission to NOT give attribution! :D

Selena,

I remember when I first started teaching, the copyright law was posted next to the copy machine.  We were required to make sure that we weren't violating a copyright.  Other schools I was at didn't even mention copyright, often, I think, because they assumed that teachers would make sure OR that because we were teachers we should be able to copy and use whatever we wanted to.  I'm glad that we had a refresher about this so I can share it with my team, department, and staff.

What is one thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that you think would resonate the most with the educators you work with?

I think most educators will enjoy having a central platform that they can go to and find resources that are aligned with the standards and provided assessments that truly assess what the standard is wanting the students to learn. 

I think teachers will appreciate the wide variety of lessons for many disciplines.  Sometimes a history teacher needs a lesson that explains statistics so that the charts about military engagements, lives lost, lives changed by wounds, and so forth are accessible to students.  Carl Sandburg’s poetry runs from nonsense to lofty pillars with stops at phone wires and motherhood on the way.  I will be encouraging our teachers to look for materials that match their own curriculum but also to consider remixing lessons in other fields.

Having multiple ratings and free resources will save many educators time while giving them many more options.

Vetted Standard Aligned Lessons and Resources. All of my teachers, especially my veteran teachers, are having to revisit the lessons they have taught year after year; standards have changed. Knowing that other veteran teachers will be using this resource to discuss those changes and perhaps help them remix their existing lessons to be aligned with the standards is very inviting. 

I like your point about #GoOpenNC being a great asset for veteran teachers. All along I have been thinking mostly of the newer teachers that I work with and how helpful it will be for them. I think it is multifaceted enough to engage teachers of all experience levels. 

I think the aspect of remixing will resonate well with educators in my building. Having the flexibility to remix a resource to fit the needs of your students or to make an improvement and then also to be able to see the ways a quality resource has been remixed by different teachers will open up so many windows! I know it will take some time, but I do hope it takes off! 

Teachers will have access to resources that have been reviewed for standards alignment, have achievable and clear learning objectives, and offer assessment strategies. The reviewed curriculum can be re-used, remixed, repurposed and reformatted, making them adaptable for differentiation!

I think what will resonate the most with the educators I work with will be the existence of a platform full of vetted resources aligned to NC Standards.  As many have already stated, searching for resources through Google and the like is time consuming and often produces resources that are not actually aligned to our NC standards.  The fact that the platform is easily searchable by standard will make using the platform an easy sell.  Thank you for all the work that has gone into creating this platform for NC educators!

You make an important point about these resources being aligned to NC standards. Some of the things that can be found with a quick Google search are aligned to similar standards but may not be exact.

Eventually we can come up with the lessons with many brains put together as opposed to work isolated and feel miserable. I'm imspired with this collaborative opportunities and I hope this can be a constructive platform for Chinese teachers to share and create lesson plans TOGETHER. I feel like Chinese is the subject which is often used as a "gimmick" or a glitter attraction for Magnet School to attract students without really invest in this subject.I will definitely share with other peers about this platform

Being able to know and understand the curriculum that you are teaching and how to present it to your scholars. Most teachers go into the classroom and do not know or aligned with the Curriculum (or even Common core, NCSS, and more) standards as they should be unpacked and broken down where teachers should understand what is going to be taught. I am very happy to share this with my team so that if there is something that they noticed, we as a team are able to discuss and maybe remix it to our standards towards the need of our scholars.

I beieve fellow educators will love that  the curriculum available on the platform is free and, because it is aligned with standards, it will save time looking for material that covers the standards.  The idea that everyone can contribute gives variety and options that can accomodate learning styles and different ways of teaching.  We are all looking for collaboration, comprehensive materials, and money saving options. 

I really appreciate the opportunity for all teachers to contribute and in such a way that they can protect their intellectual property using the different attritbutions types. This is a great way for us all to expand our PLC! 

I think my coworkers will love the fact that they will have a platform to go to with resources that are already aligned to our state standards.

One thing I notice is that we all have access to different content because of our specialties but also because of other aspects of our lives.  I am a middle school librarian but my BA is in Theatre.  That gives me a different set of skills than, say, the ELA teachers I work with.  For example, ELA breaks down plots differently than dramatists do.  I learned to use 6 points: exposition, inciting incident, rising action, crisis, climax, dénouement.

Stephanie,

I'm so glad you mentioned having the different set of skills.  My subject area is 6 - 12 ELA; but, I am also a Speech & Debate Coach, Mock Trial Coach, and Academic League Coach.  All of those bleed over into my teaching (which is good for the Speaking and Listening Standards!) and rigor with academic vocabulary.  Sometimes when I'm looking for resources, I forget to look in other areas because sometimes they will have an element that would resonate with some of my students (multiple learning styles/differentiation) - much the ssame way your dramatist background looks at plots differently.  Thank you for the reminder.

I think that the teachers I work with would appreciate that the platform is free and that assignments are aligned to standards. It is also nice to see what other teachers from around the state are using in their classrooms!

I agree, that it is really neat to be able to see what other teachers across the state are using in their classrooms because it offers different perspectives and interpreations of the standards as well as opportunities to reflect on our own teaching and the materials we select. 

Morgan,

I teach at a school where there is only one 7th grade ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies teacher so bouncing ideas off of someone isn't really available, subject-wise.  I think the different perspectives as to how one interpret's the standards across the state will be eye-opening.  I certainly don't like to feel like an island, alone in my classroom; so it is nice to not only be able to participate in this opportunity, but to also know that this platform is out there and we could possibly connect with those who put resources on it.

Definitely the fact that the resources are not only all free but also that they are already aligned to standards making it easy for educators to find what they need for their students

I think NC educators will appreciate knowing there is a place for such collaboration on resources that are aligned to the NCSCOS.  I know in a rural school there isn't a lot of opportunity for collaboration and this allows for that.  It is great for work in PLCs as well. 

Another thing that I think I will use to help this resonate with teachers is the use of the remix and groups aspects to facilitate collaboration. I also want to stress to teachers that if they create, share, and collaborate with teachers on this forum that this could move them into the higher parts of the evaluation rubric. This could be part of thier artifacts and evidences showing accomplished and distinguished teaching and learning. 

The one thing that really intrigued me was how the Academy and GoOpenNC foster collaboration. Being able to search out so may lesson plan ideas across the state and beyond, then give feedback or reviews cause us to take a closer look at the standards as well as assessments.

I think that seeing the evaluation of the resources will add value and confidence of knowing you are trying to seek the best resources for your students.

It will be great to share with my PLT that these resources are being peer reviewed. It is also great that there are so many resources available to us.

I think that having a rubric will be so great! Having that reasurance that resources for our curriculum are authentic and verifed with standards is amazing.  In a time where we're all so overwhelmed this will be great.  

Having a platform with resources that have been reviewed for alignment and are free will make educators very happy! 

I believe the one thing that would resonate with educators it ability to go in and edit a resource (that is allowed) and share it with others who need that "version" for their class that particular year for a particular standard without having to reformat or remake or break copyright laws.

I agree completely!  Our students are so different from year-to-year, sometimes day-to-day (!), that being able to adapt a resource that you know would work for you, you just need to remix it, is great.  Reinventing the wheel year-after-year gets tiring and sometimes I don't feel like the resource I made is as fresh as it once was for the students I will be having that year.

I think that educators might enjoy the Remix part of the platform. This way they can create a resource to meet their own needs. So, I think that this will be an important part to share with others.

I like the Remix part, too.  So many times you have to find a way to adjust or simply not use something because it isn't quite right for you students.  It's nice to be able to make those adjustments, and then reshare.  

I think that reliable, free resources to browse is a huge asset; knowing how these resources align to standards while also not having to take a gamble on paying for a resource you may or may not use is important. 

I think my collegues will appreciate that all of the resources contained in this platform have been reviewed by teachers accross NC to ensure they are of high quality and that they align well to the standards.

I really think that several things will excite teachers. The fact that access will be readily available through RapidIdentity, the fact that this is a one stop shop for FREE resources, and the fact that these resources are being reviewed for accuracy and alignment. This will be a huge time saver for teachers! 

I appreciate the fact that it is linked to Rapid Identity as well. I think that gives it a stronger legitimacy, especially as the platform rolls out. 

I think teachers really appreciate resources, but when there are a lot of them, it really seems like you have to weed through them, and when you find too many that aren't useful or quality, then you move on from the search platform you're using. I think teachers will be excited to find resources that are rated and reviewed by teachers using NC Standards. 

The biggest thing that I think will resonate with teachers is the availability of resources that are aligned to NC standards, and the opportunity to tweak those to fit the needs of their classroom on an easy to use platform.  I'm excited to GoOpenNC with my teachers!  

I'm excited to share the platform, as well as the evaluation tools.  I think that the teachers will be very excited about the opportunity to find resources.  I'm pretty sure I know some that would even be willing to upload their own resources or would be interested in attending a curriculum review academy like this one.

I think that educators I work with would really enjoy the fact that there is a platform that has resources that are aligned to standards and are peer reviewed. Sometimes finding resources can be overwhelming. But having a platform where resources are vetted and rated is a huge deal.

I like that the resources will be vetted by other teachers using the site, however, like Wikipedia, it will need volunteers to vet things immediately so that "bad stuff" doesn't get placed on the site. Free resources are always welcome, but they need to be good and useable by teachers. I really like how you will be able to copy and change a lesson to fit your needs if the license is correct. I get ideas from other teachers all the time but reformatting their lesson into something useable can be time consuming. Working with an already formatted template will help.

I think you make a really important point about the need for volunteers to vet. Hopefully programs like this will continue for folks to have an incentive to vet and teachers will post evaluations as they use things or there will be a lot of "taking" and not a lot of evaluating, which kind of defeats the purpose. 

Teachers will be excited about the plethora of free resources available to them. They will also like the rating and comments that fellow educators make about standards alignment, learning objectives, and assessment. 

I think the free resources would be most appreciated by teachers knowing that there is a place online they can go to access them that also align with NC's standards

The alignment rubrics will resonate most with my colleagues.  The stem sentences provide focused and objective language that will help guide all of us as we talk through shared resources.  

Teachers who want an activity for a specific unit or content topic have the ability to use the advanced search and be as broad or as specific as they want to gind resources that fit their needs.  Many times you can end up down a rabbit hole of resources that may or may not be related to what you want or need.  This is in depth, accurate and quick to use. 

Tricia,

I love how you used "down a rabbit hole" for what happens when you go looking for something to use as a resource and 154,346 hits show up on Google. I think maybe you should see if the platform needs a PR person - your take on the reasons for why we should use it would resonate with others. :)

Teachers get excited about receiving access to quality lessons that are aligned with standards.  I think it will foster collaboration and assist with vertical alignment as well.

Teachers love a bank of resources, but resources that have been vetted, show standards & licenses - YES PLEASE! This is long overdue!

It also makes me feel like I'm working toward a greater good for our whole state, that this platform helps connect all of us educators, which in turn helps students. I know I will be advocating for use of this platform at our district level. 

I also think we live in a time where teachers struggle to get validation, be told enough how awesome they are. This platform provides opportunites for reassurance and support. 

Yes! A bank of resources is huge but a bank of resources aligned directly to our standards- that is a win, win. I am thinking about all the planning time that will be saved from having a bank to choose from. I also feel like the bank of resources will always be changing. People can add to it, get rid of things, etc. It will allow us to keep fluid with our resources and adapt our resources! 

I think that there are two things that are really helpful.  The first is the link to the standards.  The second is that you can search for topics in a variety of ways.  That ability will be really helpful to minimize the time a teacher spends trying to find a lesson.  

I will be sharing this platform with my department.  I think they will be interested in having a place to go to find peer reviewed resources and new activities to discover.

Brian,

I was just sharing with someone else how beneficial this platform will be to teachers who are the only ones in their grade level/subject.  Sometimes it is so isolating not having someone else to bounce ideas off of;I know my 7th grade team will be very thankful for these resources

I like the idea that fellow educators can quickly see if the resource is allighned to standards. I think too many times, educators just choose a resource and don't know if it really is aligned. 

Stacey,

I was just responding to somene else and the idea that we go "down a rabbit hole" when 153,465 hits show up on a Google search.  Often, when we are going too fast, we do choose something because it has an element we think will work for what we need and we sometimes assume that it is aligned - because who would make a resource that wasn't aligned to standards? [I'm really hoping that is a rhetorical question! :)]

Learning about Copywrite, the review rubric, how to remix - I think it should all resonate with educators.

Kristine,

I almost completely forgot about the copyright information!  I have been trying to explain to some of my fellow educators in the English department about copyright as we have new curriculum this year and the person who created it is very, very copyright savvy and does not want any of it copied at all.  I think it is because she has developed materials that she charges for, and the District has to buy the additional resources if we need them for our classrooms.  Having the platform will help with this issue because it is possible to find pieces that will enhance the purchased curriculum, without violating copyright.

I think it is important for educators to understand the breadth and depth of the standards they teach and how they align with the work students are doing in class. In my PLC yesterday, we talked about how we are presenting the standards to students; What language are we using in sharing those standards.

My biggest take aways are using this great platform to collaborate with teachers across the state and align our standards in the same way also having a place to upload great lessons to share with other professionals.

I think making my team aware of this platform is the first step, then as a team we can review the resources that will support and enhance our lessons is the next step. 

I think that one thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that would most resonate with the educators I work with is the flexibility it offers and the resources.  Also that they can share their own work.

I am not sure what will resonate the most, but what I will be sharing the most and promoting the most will be how we can find resources that align with standards, and we can determine the extent to which those resources align with standards. Too often, music teachers are concerned with exposing students to musical experiences and are less concerned with meeting curricular standards. Since we are not a tested subject, the range of commitment to standards varies widely between teachers. I am frequently frustrated with music educators who do not adhere to curricular standards. I am hoping that being able to find ready-made lessons on the #GoOpenNC forum will encourage some of my colleagues to craft plans that are more rigorous and relevant to today's students. 

FREE, ALIGNED resources!!!

Finding great resources is difficult! It usually involves taking  "a bit of this" and "a bit of that". This should save time and sanity!

We learned so much from the Curriculum Review Academy! I think that the one thing that would resonate with most educators is really bringing to light that we need be diligent and make sure that when we are picking our resources we are using with a careful and purposeful eye. I think it’s a great reminder that while some activities may be fun and cute- we should only use them if they are completely aligned to our standards. I also think it brings to light that if a resource is not completely aligned sometimes a teacher can add a couple small tweaks to align it! I think teachers will be so happy to find a place where there are resources that are already put together, aligned and ready to be used in one place!

One thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that I think would resonate the most  with educators I work with would be the quality rich resources that aligns perfect with the standards they teach. I believe that would also appreciate the resources that are available. For an example, when I went into "group resources" I found a resource titled, "10 Fat Turkeys" practice with subtraction from ten. It provided a full layout of what the student wil do. It also provided pdf for the turkey template. I didn't have to go scrolling through pinterest or teachers pay teachers, but I could come directly in the group resources. The resource allows me to click and upload directly into my "Google Classroom." The Curriculum Review Academy gives you everything you need in a more equip way. With all the things educatos have to do, we can certainly appreciate the academy as a #1 source!

There are several great things that I have learned through this webinar series.  My greatest take away will be the rubric for evaluating a resource.  I will be able to use that in the GoOpenNC platform and on other resources that I may find as well.  Up to this point, I would evalute resources to determine if I wanted to use them, but I didn't have a structure - it was just my gut and impression.  Now I have a structured way to determine if a resource is worth the valuable classtime!

Diane,

I agree that the evaluation rubric is an asset. I'm interested in knowing if you would also post your comments on how you scored the resource?

Gwendolyn, I don't understand what you are asking.  Could you please explain what resource you are referring to?

I believe that the evaluation of the resources to make sure that they are properly aligned with the standards is something that would be the most beneficial. Also, as an ESL specialist it is helpful to have a platform that would contain resources that would accommodate my students' needs.

I think the one thing from the CRA that I would like to share is that this is a great tool to share and use resources as well as lessons that have been vetted towards alignment of standards and other criteria that would be beneficial to them. 

I think the thing that would resonate the most with educators re: the Curriculum Review Academy, is the fact that teachers can remix resources. Teachers are always tweaking resources to make them "fit" the needs of their classes - this allows them to do it for free. 

I think the main thing that will resonate with my coworkers is the ease of using the GoOpenNC platform to find and share resources that line up exactly with what we are teaching. On top of that, knowing that many of the resources have been vetted and evaluated, makes it even more exciting to have access to the materials. 

The one thing from this academy that I think would resonate most is there are people out there trying to create a common website for everyone to assist in finding resources that align to standards, are free, and are easily accessible to all.

What is one thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that you think would resonate the most with the educators you work with?

I believe that one thing the educators I work with would resonate with would be using the rubric to evaluate our resources BEFORE we use them! Too often I know teachers who will buy an item from TPT or get something from a blog, but once they go to do the activity, they realize it does not fit what they actually needed/wanted. I know sometimes we want to find good resources and take what we can get, but I know that the rubric will help all educators to have an idea of what the resource has/does not have before deciding to use it.

One thing that would resonate with my coworkers is the ability to check alignment to standards to ensure that students are getting lessons and activities that are appropriate. 

I think it is incredibly awesome that lessons will first be reviewed and aligned to our standards.  But also that iterations of the lesson can be created.  That we can add an assessment, exit ticket, follow up activity, opening phenomena, and so much more.  This can allow a lesson to grow into a unit.   

Having ONE place to search for Quality/FREE resources is a huge perk!!  As teachers, we are always crunched for time and often times I get sucked down the rabbit hole of the internet, pinterest, and TPT.  This will be a great resource for us!  I also think it will be beneficial for planning purposes as a collaborative team.  In our district, the AIG specialists from various schools have been working together to create inquiry based units but have struggled to find a platform to share them on.  This seems like it may fit the bill!

Having resources that we know that we can use and that have been aligned to our standards.  It's a one-stop shop for materials!  I think my fellow educators will really like the collaborative piece as well!

GoOpenNC will allow teachers to find, share and tweak standard-based resources legally. :) Looking forward to it:)

I think knowing that the resources  has been evaluated by other teachers will resonate with educators that I work with because we get so many resources that are not "teacher approved."

Helping each other vet resources allows us to hone in our skills of what resources we should be using in our own classrooms.

The one thing that will resonate with my coworkers is the alignment to standards. We talk a great deal about how we need to teach the standard, not just the literature in English 9-12. For example, we love Shakespeare, but we are using Shakespeare to teach text complexity and author's purpose, not just teaching Shakespeare. We are data driven, so having reliable sources connected with the standards is going to be a win for us. 

Doing fun lessons is great but they should be aligned to the standards. 

I think that knowing that teachers will be able to remix existing resources will be one ot the things that will resonate the most with the educators that I work with.

What is one thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that you think would resonate the most with the educators you work with?

Resources that are free and have worked in real teachers classrooms.  Finding the resources to base solid ELA lessons on is hard!!!!

I think being able to discuss these in our PLC will be of great benefit to our entire department!

I think the collaboraqtion between teachers is the greatest part of this platform. Teachers can find additional resources to add to their toolbox once they become familiar with the platform.

Cathy

I think what will be most resonate is that the reviews are actually thoughtful and not just "great resource". It will also be nice to know they are aligned to NC stanards not just any standards. 

That we need to make sure the things that we teach focus on the "verbs and the nouns"

If I had to choose only one thing that would resonate the most, I would choose the review process. I think teachers will be happy to know that North Carolina educators are rating and reviewing the resources that are in the platform. This adds credibility to the resources and can save them some time, as well.

Amy,

The fact that it is NC educators doing the review/aligning process lends a great deal of credibility to the items that are included on the platform.  I like to think I'm always good about reflecting on my lessons and the resources I use, but sometimes I get started on something new and forget.  Being able to go back and look at the review/ratings again could definitely help me, and others, to evaluate how well the resource worked with students, what I might change next time, and how I could provide good feedback to the creator based on what I saw in my classroom with my students.

The fact that educators across the state can now collaborate and share ideas on a platform is wonderful.  Often times, our ideas are shared only with those within our school or district, so it will be interesting to see what others across the state are doing in their classrooms and ideas that they have.  It opens up communication statewide amongst teachers, and helps us become better professionals.

What is one thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that you think would resonate the most with the educators you work with?  The Rubric is beneficial and thorough.  Every teacher should have access to this through their county website to ensure departments use this as they align resources and review content.  SETDA would be proud of this work.  

One thing that would resonate the most with the educators I work with is that there are a lot of resources that are out there for them to use but it must serve a purpose to what they are doing in the classroom.  It's important to see the connection between the standards and how it can support the end goal when it's time to assess whether students understand the concepts.

One thing from the Curriculum Review Academy that I think would resinate most with the educators I work with is the thoughtful, careful and constructive feedback all teachers receive on the resources they use/create. As teachers are so busy collaborating and outlining their plans and ideas for their classrooms, sometimes, we seldomly forget to provide commentary and/or feedback on what we have noticed from other teachers. Communication about this is so critical- teachers should know what they can change, grow and improve on. 

Curriculum resoures at are aligned with learning atandards and objectives.

I believe in access to a abundance of resources that can easily apply to their assigned content. The resources will allow teachers to diffenrentiate their insturctional style among our classrooms. 

I think my fellow math teachers will like the easy access, one stop shopping, for task and activities that are aligned to the standards.  The star ratings will help them identify ones that others like and the comments will help them decide if they want to move forward.

I think the one thing that would resonate with my teachers is that the OER Platform is another new place to find great, reviewed lessons that take the guesswork out of standards alignment... and discussion can be found about the lesson in the review section.  The website may help move teachers to a higher level of content in a differentiated way to create exposure to students.  

Fellow educators would love to have additional resources to pull from, as needed. I think being able to access the items you need quickly will be a definite plus for all teachers.