1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

One reason that I think for incomplete alignment is that the creator may not have considered the length of time it takes for students to master a concept. Some lessons are written as if mastery could occur after just one exposure to a new topic/skill.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I hope the platform is truly able to attract teachers who value feedback on their resources. I think it would be such a wonderful place to see teachers share something they created that worked really well in their classroom and open the resource up for iteration by others. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I would love to see my PLC evaluate some of our resources. It would be wonderful to have part of our monthly meeting be looking at a specific resource, analyzing alignment and discussing different ways it could be remixed. I hope my PLC will find this as exciting and valuable as I do.

Hey Joanna! I think what you mentioned in (1) was happing a bit with the resource I added to our folder.  It had an interesting set up where they presented a scenario and some questions and then it launched into some student dialog.  Whoever those "kids" were they sure did sound like adults who learned and problem solved very fast!  

I agree with what others have said. This a a wonderful idea. It is incredibly important to engage students in dialog amongst their peers. It helps them to solve problems and see from other perspectives. Similar to what we are doing here in this group!

I love this idea.  I didn't think of that.  

Great idea! Do you see this as participants reviewing prior to the PLC meeting, and then speaking on them, or rather everyone viewing it during the PLC?

I hope that when GoOpenNC is officially rolled out that we will be able to have more of a valid PLC within our county and our disciplines.

1. The wording can often be vague and lead to confusion in the text. Many of the ELA standards overlap through activities, and not all of the standards may be noted initially. 

2. It can definitely provide an opportunity for conversations to begin because identifying additional elements may lead the reviewer to add an additional standard. This discussion is valuable because it allows everyone to see all of the ways these lessons can incorporate the standards. 

3. Our PLC could use the alignment discussions to determine units of instruction in terms of skills being taught, then needing reteaching based on the results of assessments. It could also ensure we are targeting the power standards (those which most often appear on the NCFE) and ensuring our objectives are met. 

Jennifer, I totally agree with your answer to #1. One lesson covers so many standards, and the way a lesson is tagged on this website may not be the only critical or timeworthy standard in the lesson.

Hi Julie and Jennifer, I would argue that in ELA we are so text specific in our focus that we forget a specific standard focus. Only recently have I tried to use only passages or portions of texts to maintain standards focus. 

Hi Grace!

I have taught ELA with both a text specific post and also a standard focus.  I can see the value in both, but have found that my students have grown so much more by using a standards based approach.

I agree with both of you!  I've been a media coordinator for 20 years so I've seen the tide go back and forth.  I'm a firm believer in a standards based focus and all of the professional articles I've read recently presents data that proves students are more successful with a standards based approach.

I agree that vauge standards could lead to misalignment; however looking at the unpacking of the standards can help to resolve the issue.

I agree that standards are vague. I think standards need to be much more specific and have skills attached to each standard.

Hi Jennifer! I agree that an activity can be aligned to more than one standard. 

Hi James, I don't think of the anchor standards as vague, but standard 1 and 10 really frame the others, so I think the language used earlier in this thread about there being an overlap makes some sense.

I am curious about your choice of picture: I am reading Steve Inskeep's Jacksonland now. Have you heard of it?

Honestly the picture was the only one I had saved on my computer at the time and I have just never changed it.

I agree that MANY standards are vague and up for interpretation, which makes things difficult to see complete alignment, or clear alignment to certain standards. 

I agree with your repsonse to #1 as well.  One lesson can touch on many different standards and the wording in the standards are so broad in nature.  

Jennifer, I believe you hit the nail on the head. The wording for our standards can be very vague at times and therefore hard to align our curriculum to fit appropriately. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think for ELA a common reason might be simply the nature of the standards. They are so overlapping, and a good lesson will easily reach several standards including a reading standard and a writing standard, which may then include a language standard and a speaking and listening standard. The teacher's goals may affect which standard he/she selects for the lesson, and different teachers may have different goals for the same lesson. I have personally seen teachers use the same lesson to reach different standards! 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think feedback on the lessons will facilitate discussion and viewpoint sharing. Teachers searching for lessons do need to review the feedback and contribute their own thoughts. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

ELA PLCs must discuss alignment for pacing throughout the year. It's also critical to have alignment discussions after benchmark exams for extra student support (which is done at my school through 45-minute tutoring sessions every other day). 

I definitely agree with you about the overlapping standards Julie.  The activity I chose to add to our folder definitly touched on more than one standard but actually didn't cover any of them entirely.  

That is a great observation. Those standards cover a lot and much does overlap. You really cannot teach a ELA lesson without touching on several standards.

Great point about pacing! I know we often find ourselves rushed at the end because certain lessons/texts took longer than anticipated. It will be great to see teacher feedback on the resources. 

Pacing is a challenge!  Look at the 7th grade science essential standards unpacking document!  I used it to write I Can statements/ Learning goals for my classes.  I have over 120 slides!  And we have our students for 180 days.  Take out days used for testing, assemblies, etc.  and often you only have 1 day for students to get the concept!

I had this same discussion with a Beginning Teacher this week...about the overlapping of ELA standards.  I think that is the beauty of them as well as the challenge.  When looking for aligned resources...materials may cover multiple standards.

Multiple standards are often covered in reading, phonics and writing activities..

Julie, it is validating to hear someone speak to the same experience with overlapping ELA standards. Not only do they over lap, but many of them are recurring on a daily basis. For example, providing text evidence is recurring objective. It is not difficult to align - it is just often difficult to narrow down.

I completely agree about ELA overlapping.  I teach kindergarten and we are constantly discussing how certain standards connect or overlap with others and how sometimes we can use one assessment to cover a couple of standards so we don't burn the kiddos out!  

I completely agree about ELA overlapping.  I teach kindergarten and we are constantly discussing how certain standards connect or overlap with others and how sometimes we can use one assessment to cover a couple of standards so we don't burn the kiddos out!  

The overlapping in ELA can also be cause for misallignment sometimes. It can get confusing and complex to touch on everything we have to cover in ELA! On the other hand we can cover multiple standards with one lesson, kind of a catch 22 I guess!

Julie, I totally agree with you abaout the ELAstandards. It is really hard to isolate these standards as you are teaching reading since you end up covering more than one.

Julie, I agree that in ELA the standards often overlap.  I think this is particularly difficult for beginning ELA teachers to understand.  ELA standards are not a one and done lesson.  For example.  RL.3 & RI.3 can not be taught in isolation.  Inorder for students to be able to master these standards, they need to be able to  identify the theme or central idea (RL/RI.2), identify and understand the author's purpose of the text by analzying the structure (.5), be able to identify and analyze the POV/perspective of the characters or author (.6), and/or identify the argument and how it is supported (RI.8, RI.1).  All other standards are incompassed in RL.3 and RI.3.  You can't teach the one without the others.  

1. I agree that ELA standards overlap but what I've noticed is that the verbage and academic vocabulary increases as the grade level standards increase. For example, I review one resource that was supposed to address drawing inferences from the text in 5th grade and explaining the meaning by providing examples. In 6th, and 7th grade, the same standard addressed the same concept but used the terminology of cite, analysis, evidence, etc....Therefore for the activities are sometimes misaligned because they do not provide complete coverage of the skills(verbs).

2. I also agree that the lesson feedback will foster discussion and different points of view. That is already evident our posts and comments.

3) It is critical to have alignment discussion before and after benchmarks in order to monitor and adjust the instruction and strategies being used.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think one big reason that this might happen is because an existing resource has already been created and is later being shared and connected to a standard.  It was not created with the standard in mind first.  

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think it helps to have at least a first set of reviews/comments that set the tone for how others might respond.  It may also be a good idea to list "norms" for feedback/commens somewhere.  

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I think it would be great if our eLCs (for NCVPS they are not "PLCs" but "eLCs") went over standards together to see if we felt our current courses cover the depth and bredth of the standards.  If they do not, it would be great if we could supplement with things we could find from this platform :) 

I agree to list "norms" and remind everyone of professional courtesy. 

Yes, I agree being nice goes a long way. However, norms are also a good idea that way everyone knows what they can expect when working together.

I definitely agree with a lot of resources being planned with no standard in mind. I see it happening all the time as a coach -- there is an activity that someone REALLY wants to do (for whatever reason -- they've done it before and thought it went well, it seems "fun", their colleague told them about it, etc.) and then they try to find a standard in the NCSCOS that "kinda" goes along with it. There's a looooooot of stretching going on when it comes to aligning existing activities to current standards.

Megan Lewis I completely agree with finding the activity then trying to makeit match or fit the standards.  

Melissa, love your idea for our eLCs. This would really help making sure that our current courses are tightly aligned, especially our depth of difficulty. It would also help with pacing. As you and I well know, we look at instruction on a daily basis and see everything from barely touching on the standard/skill to instruction to going way too deep at too fast of a pace. Also, I would love to see our curriculum assessments use more question stems that mimic what the students see on their end of year state-required summative assessment. 

That is a great idea to include a list of norms in the feedback to help guide professional conversations.

For number 2, you said what I was thinking but couldn't articulate: set the tone with examples of how those discussions could be done productively. And post norms for this conversation somewhere obvious on the site.

Hi Melissa!!

I wholeheartedly agree your statement that the resource was created and then later linked to a specific standard. By doing this, that resource might only cover some of the standard, and there could be gaps that need to be filled in with some of sort of tweaking. 

I would love to have our eLCS in the OCS math department to review some of the course together (like we already did this past year in math 1) to see if there are any extra resources from here we could supplement for our teachers. 

"Norms"  for feedback will be very important, I agree. I was thinking the same thing! I worked with a different website where I posted a bunch of lessons, and can remember feeling a bit nervous about getting feedback. (I taught a very remedial fifth grade class at the time, and was posting for other fifth grade teachers.) I only received appropriate, helpful feedback though, thankfully. 

Hi!

I agree with you that sometimes the resource is created first without truly thinking about the standard. I have seen several things like this when looking for resources. 

With your idea about setting norms for others who follow, the general ideas in the Curriculum Review Rubric helped me articulate in an objective manner.  I wonder how we could post this for others to us on #GoOpenNC?

1) In ELA, many of the standards are similar (L5 similar to R4, etc)  Also, although many of the RL/RI standards are parallel (R1, R2), others are not (R3, R5), which can cause confusion.  Now that the state has moved away from Common Core, the difference in the NCSCOS standards (especially in writing) causes confusion.

2) This provides a great opportunity for norming in standards practice.  Since our ELA standards can be spiraled and taught with different texts, it gives teachers the chance to see how standards can be taught (remediate/extended) with different texts. I also love the opportunity for us to help each other broaden our classroom libraries beyond the literary canon classics.

3) Our PLC gets very frustrated with curated materials that are clearly built by/for teachers in other states. There are similarities, but also crucial differences that end up creating more work for us to find ways around it. Being able to search curriculum that is already clearly aligned to our NCSCOS allows us to have deeper conversations about how to make the lessons accessible for and challenge the specific students sitting in our rooms. We are spending less time in conversation about creation and more time on facilitation.

Kristen, you make an important point about time! I often feel like I spend too much time searching for the "right" lesson for my students, but when we have the time for discussions about accessibility and challenge, we can share one lesson across the grade level. 

You mentioned "broadening our classroom libraries." What are some modern, relevant books that your students enjoy? I think it's wonderful to share "Top Pick" book lists! :)

I am going to teach American Street (Zoboi), Internment (Ahmed), and Just Mercy (Stevenson) in small groups this year.  I am always on the lookout for new titles if you have some! 

Kristen, thank you for this post. I agree that the difference in NCSCOS standards can cause confusion. I too am excited about this resource and how it will align to NC!!

The same thing happens in Math PLCS in NC - materials are often curated by other states and do not fully align.  It's hard to find resources that area appropriate which results in one of two things:  Teachers teaching with misaligned resources or teachers spending hours and hours creating or modifying aligned resources.  This platform will certainly help to alleviate that.

I totally agree!  When I was a math teacher it was so difficult to find engaging activities that actually aligned with NC standards.  Often times, when I would find something "decent", I would have to modify it to make it align with the standard I was teaching.  

I agree.  It takes so much time to find, revise, or create resources that fit our curriculum.

Kristin, you make a great point about how similar standards are. There can be some confusion there and my PLC has encountered this often as we align what we are teaching to the standards that the state has given us! 

Kristen, I like the idea of materials just for NC as well!

I agree! Sometimes we spend more time trying to "fix" something great we have found than we would have if we had just created it ourselves based on our current standards! I feel like this new site (OER) is really going to be helpful! 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Sometime teachers go into more details then necessary and do not know about the standards of the class prior or above them. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think having the groups and discussions with in the groups is a good way to foster productive discussion.  We all come from different backgrounds but in the end we all want to help our children succeed in the class.  

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I teach a single course so I do not have an opportunity to PLC right now.  This platform could be a way to PLC across the county and state.

Jennifer,

1) I agree that sometimes teachers only know their course that they are presently teaching.  This is why vertical alignment is so very important.  A teacher needs to know what was taught before and have an idea of the next course. It will help with the planning and the overall success of the students.

2) I agree with you.  Our background experiences are important.  I am a lateral entry teacher and I often share my work force knowledge with my students.

3) The PLC is a great way to informally communicate with fellow teachers.  If you can not do that at your school, please find a teacher  in your area that you can buddy up with for support.

Jennifer,

That's interesting that you're the only one in your school who teaches your course. I bet it's a mixed blessing not having a PLC. On the one hand, discussions which normally would be a group decision fall to you. On the other hand, work which can be approached by several team members to lighten the load also falls all to you. What course is it?

This coming year, I will teach Discrete math, AP Calculus BC and AP Computer Science Principles

Jennifer - I relate with your answer to #3... I'm optimistic this platform will open opportunities for job-alike PLC discussions, as well as some vertical and cross-curriculuar dialogue. 

1. I believe that some common reasons for misalignment/incomplent alignment include but are not limite to the following:

    a. The state assessments contain varying levels of Blooms Taxonomy, but most require higher order thinking skills. 

         With that being said, it is important to align standards with resources that align to the Taxonomy level of the 

            learning target. 

    b.  Another reason for misalignment would be that the resources does not adequately assess what the standard

        intends for the learner to master. Backwards planning anyone?

2. The GoOpenNC platform can foster productive viewpoints regarding resource alignment by:

• Allowing participants to engage in online discussions within Content/Interent Specific Groups.
• Allowing participants to rate the resouces and provide feedback on the alignment in a collaborative and supportive environment.
• Allowing participants to provide and recommend examples they think are aligned to the standards.For example, I think it is helpful that we can upload documents, pictures, or links in our discussion responses because this enable us to provide evidence to support our viewpoints.

3. We have actually discussed the importance/need to evaluate instructional resources in our PLC's to determine their alignment to our learning targets. We currently have 60% lateral entry teachers in our district and new teachers that tend to rely on Teachers Pay Teachers, Textbooks and other resources for their intstruction. Although they both have their positives, they are also have negatives in that they often do not address the level of Blooms required to master a standard nor do they provide the most effective teaching stratgegies. With that being said, we are planning to look at aligning our resources more effectively to our learning targets this year and this Review Academy is an excellent seguay to that goal. All Things PLC provides many helpful points about aligning with the standards in Celebrating and Curating Curriculum Alignment.  We currently look at the standards that will be addressed on the EOG and focus on the standards that are most heavily assessed on the EOG. Is that the way it should be? Probably not, but that is because of the intense focus on student proficiency instead of growth. Additionally, we focus on the standards that are being assessed on the NC Check In's. The alignment work we are doing in ths Review Academy will provide us with a template for diving deeper into our standards and alignment during our PLC's and planning sessions. I think this platform will be a great resource to use in providing professional development on curriculum alignment during our PLC's.

Good point-we definitely need to think about Bloom's/ D.O.K. when looking at resources!

1. Some reasons could be teachers not understanding the standards (vocabulary, mastery, depth). A teacher was checking out weather books for her K class and I asked her what the standards were so I could help. She listed the activities her students would be doing. I'm not sure she knows what the standards are.....

2. I think a great way is through groups. How exciting (and challenging) it will be to collaborate with teachers across the state to discuss standards alignment. Teachers have the opportunity to create a variety of lessons that aligned with the standards and as a result, give themselves many choices for resources/lessons to reach students.

3. Unfortunately, as a media coordinator, I don't feel I have a PLC in my county. I would love to have a group in GoOpenNC to collaborate with elementary MC's around the state! I envision looking at resources available on the GoOpenNC as well as creating resources to share.

Martha that would be great! I know we are covered for the students during PLC's and rarely get an opportunity to dive into standards with them in any detail. Count me in!

Sounds great! I will be in touch!

Great idea for the media coordinators! 

Sounds great! I will be in touch!

As a fellow media coordinator I would love to be in this group too! We have a PLC in our county, but we do not spend a lot of time talking about alignment to standards with lesson planning. A group across the state would be great! 

I like the idea of collaboration across the state. My only concern is getting teachers onboard so they don't see this as just another thing they are required to do. There needs to be honest buy in from stakeholders to make this project really meaningful and impactful.

Yes, I am already dreading telling teachers about this because some will think it's just "another thing for them to do." However, once they get on and see for themselves, I KNOW they will find it useful!!! 

I'd love to join a media coordinator group here!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Sometimes we get so excited about an "activity" we lose the focus of the standard. We have to check and recheck ourselves to ensure we maintain our focus for the lesson. 

1. I agree that some teachers do not understand the vocabulary and depth of knowledge of the level of blooms required to master the standard. A colleague called me several days ago and shared a lesson that she was creating for 5th grade. Her assessments only required recall of knowledge which did not align with the standard objective.

2. I think this is an awesome way to engage in honest conversation about resource alignment.

3.  I too am a media coordinator and we never meet as a PLC in my district either..... That would be because media coordinators are used for the resource classess. We must advocate that we are masters in curriculum integration, that's a large part of what we do!

Count me into a media coordinator PLC on the GoOpenNC platform! 

1) We often create items/documents with concepts that are familiar to us, or ones that we like. It is easy to use only the big idea of a standard and not completely align it to our unit, lesson, or activity.

2) We always say how important feedback is for the students - it's important for teachers too! We have to be both good receivers and good givers of feedback.

3) I am excited to share the GoOpenNC platform with my colleagues. In our PLC, we plan together, but don't look at how each assignment fully aligns.

Good point in #1, Barbara! I am so guilty of spending more time in class on the "ones I like." :) I need to use standards checklists so that I don't just stick with my favorite lessons. 

It is so easy to keep doing similar lessons year after year so you don't have to reinvent the wheel! I am guilty of doing this myself! There are several resources that I know I will need to go and check on standard alignment and make sure it still fits. And if not, then I need to rework it to make it fit and be aligned correctly! 

So true Barbara!  We all have lessons that we like to teach--they may have even aligned to the standards from 10 years ago.  As educators we have to embrace change...revamp, redesign, reimagine :)...for our students!  And if we freely share resources, then we can work smarter not longer and harder.

I love your #2 comment.  As teachers we are constantly providing feedback to students.  This is such a great way to get feedback to our own practice. 

I LOVE your response for question 2. That is so true! 

I think that you brought up such a good point Barbara that teachers need feedback. I think some teachers are afraid of feedback because of negative aspects by school adminstrators, but this forum will give teachers the opportunity to support other teachers.

AMEN!  I think we are all victims to this.  

1. Misunderstanding of what the standard is asking the student to learn and do. Unclear specifications about the standard.

2. It is a great place to begin discussions about standards and resources we could use. This discussion will help us all to grow. 

3. I believe my PLC will be SO excited to see a place where NC teachers can share in a way that has vetted resources. As an ITF I can't wait to help my teachers find resources here.

I supervise the ITFs in our district and they are so excited as well!  Something they will be bringing to the table at PLCs!

Hi Lisa, I agree that there can be a lot of misunderstanding of what the students are expected to learn/do. I feel there needs to be some deep curriculum/standard PD for some teachers (at my school, at least). Unfortunately, that takes time - something we don't have enough of. I hope this platform will help and give us opportunities to discuss and collaborate.

Lisa, I am also excited to share these great resources with other teachers, and I love how user friendly the site is. 

Lisa:  My work is related to the support of beginning teachers.  I agree with your perception on #1; especially as it relates to those teachers who are internalizing standards as a new practice.  It's very easy (new or veteran) to misunderstand the specifics of the standard.  This is where unpacking documents can come in very handy.    I appreciate the perspective that you shared.

Lisa:  My work is related to the support of beginning teachers.  I agree with your perception on #1; especially as it relates to those teachers who are internalizing standards as a new practice.  It's very easy (new or veteran) to misunderstand the specifics of the standard.  This is where unpacking documents can come in very handy.    I appreciate the perspective that you shared.

Lisa:  My work is related to the support of beginning teachers.  I agree with your perception on #1; especially as it relates to those teachers who are internalizing standards as a new practice.  It's very easy (new or veteran) to misunderstand the specifics of the standard.  This is where unpacking documents can come in very handy.    I appreciate the perspective that you shared.

Lisa:  My work is related to the support of beginning teachers.  I agree with your perception on #1; especially as it relates to those teachers who are internalizing standards as a new practice.  It's very easy (new or veteran) to misunderstand the specifics of the standard.  This is where unpacking documents can come in very handy.    I appreciate the perspective that you shared.

1. I think that items can be misaligned for several different reasons. One, maybe the item is not fully aligned or fits somewhere differently better.  I also think that interpretation can sometimes be a reason for misalignment.  It is important to always look at the unpacking document! 

2.  I thikn this platform is going to be a great place for teachers to share and the comments feature is going to help with questions about resource alignment. 

3. We talk about standards alignment a lot when we talk about pacing and assessment creation. 

Hey Danielle! 

I think you are on point with what you said about the interpretation of a standard.  I have read a lot of standards in the last few years working with NCVPS and I will still read some standards and wonder exactly what it means.  I will then sprint over to the unpacking doc because that is where things really become clear for me.  

I agree with you guys.  The unpacking document can be so helpful in making sure they standards are clearly understood.  This can be one central location for NC teachers to not only seek or share resources, but also grow professionally.

Danielle I totally agree with interpretation being a reason for misalignment.  There are teachers, no fingers pointed, who know their curriculum, but forget to check those unpacking documents each year/semester/unit.

I also agree this platform will be a great place to share and glean from others.  New teachers, old teachers, we all can use input on lessons and resources.

1)  I believe one common reason for incomplete alignment is a standard may take an enire unit or microunit to teach.  For example comparing mitosis and meiosis.  Mitosis can be a lesson and meiosis is a lesson and comparing the two is a lesson.  These lessons can span many days depending on the labs/activities/ and games you may incorporate.

For biology, some of the unpacked standards are very specific in terms of breadth but do not address depth in any way that is meaningful for teachers.  Bio ES 2.1.2 refers to the behavioral, structural and reproductive adaptations that contribute to an organism's survival in its environment.  Several behavioral adaptations are listed in the unpacked standards document--suckling, taxis, classical conditioning, etc.  For me, this standard indicates students should not only be able to identify the listed adaptations but also be able to apply and explain how those adaptations aid in the survival of a particular organism or group of organisms.  How a teacher interprets a standard guides them in their lesson-planning.  Does the teacher need to spend time after the students have mastered the vocabulary on a more in-depth lesson?  This question of depth and breadth has led to some "lively" discussions among biology teachers in my county.

2)  The platform allows you to look at how other educators use and/or value the resources in their teaching.  These discussions can stimulate ideas in educators and ultimately to creation of resources by educators that can be shared with others.

3)  I plan to share what I've learned with other teachers at my school and the district level in our PLC discussions.  I like the idea of our subject teachers creating groups and folders and discussions within this platform.  This format seems to work better than having a PS learning page or Google Drive folder with the prompt...if you find a great resource, share it here.

I agree-It is difficult to find a resource that is completely aligned and includes the depth needed. 

Charlene:

I think that you perfectly framed the problems about breadth and depth and using the unpacking guides. The middle school science unpacking guides (written by teachers) often have excess material that is helpful for providing context, but often includes vocabulary that is not tested. While state tests are not everything, I do think that lessons should be developed with the end in mind (ex. Biology EOC, Science EOG/NCFE). -Jeff

Charline, AP Computer Science-A has the same problem that you brought up in #1. Also, in the past, the standards were extremely vague and overlapping. This year we have a new Course and Exam Description. This document provides us with the big ideas, enduring understanding, learning objectives, and essential knowledge. So, aligning standards and lessons will be much easier. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think one of the most common reasons for misalignment is that people do not know their standards in depth. For example, last night's sample activity had almost everybody saying that the comparing fractions was aligned with the given standard (3.NF.3), when it actually was not -- and even if it had been tagged with the correct standard (3.NF.4), it also went outside of the grade-level denominator expectations -- to me, this is unaligned. In math in particular, the confines of the standards are often ignored, even from companies that our district consults with to create standardized benchmark tests (I've had to write several emails informing these companies that 5th graders do NOT actually need to be expected to add 2/3 + 3/4). These things are really easy to miss if you aren't extremely familiar with the standards or you don't dive into the unpacking document before you start matching up activities with standards.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think it opens up the floor to talk about things like what I described above (i.e., if an assignment goes BEYOND the expectations of a standard, is it aligned? My personal belief is no, but I am open to discussions!) I think it also encourages people to really think more about their standard-task alignment. I's not just about having a "fun" or "creative" assingment idea and sharing it with colleagues -- this pushes us to really consider if our idea is completely fleshed out, or if it's maybe suited to a different grade level than the one we intended.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

My school currently uses math and an ELA curricula that are rigorous and go deep into our standards. We are lucky in this regard; we do not have to try and recreate the wheel and check for standards alignment. The only big thing we have to contend with is making sure that these CC-aligned resources (the ONLY downside to having these great curricula) are adjusted as need be to fit the NCSCOS (which affects math much more than ELA). As the math coach, I work with teams in PLCs to identify any changes that need to be made to the number types, and then we work together to make those changes in our assignments and assessments.

Hi, Megan!  I like your idea about a resource going BEYOND the expectation of the standard.  Do you think these types of resources would be beneficial to AG students?  Maybe there could be a label for the resources so teachers know the resource will go beyond what the standard calls for.  I think the resource could still be aligned, especially if the assessment piece assessed the standard in entirety or in whatever way is indicated on the resource itself (example: "This resource only aligns with the adding decimals piece of 5.NBT.7.").  In regards to hitting the standard spot on, I hadn't thought about how too much may be just as tricky as too little. :)

I personally don't think numbers beyond a standard are appropriate for AG, just because I think enrichment is more about the depth than the breadth -- just using "harder" numbers doesn't make it academically gifted. I'd rather these students go deeper into the ideas of their grade-level NCSCOS instead of using that time to do the same thing they were doing with thirds but with sevenths...not very enriching.

I agree that I wouldn't give it a hard NO as far as alignment, but I think it needs to be made very clear on the resource that it goes beyond the standard. I too often over the last year have seen teachers think that students are only partially meeting a standard (due to their materials following outdated standards), when really they are mastering the standard as it is written now.

I think I misunderstood your "go beyond the standard" definition.  Instead of harder numbers (breadth), I was thinking if the standard said students should add decimals with models, drawings, etc. then "beyond" would be students may be lead to see a pattern with money and cents.  I definitely agree - more practice of the same with the different numbers is not enriching.

I'm sure it was different over the last year with the math amendments last summer.  We definitely have to visit the unpacking document regulary in math! 

Yes, I completely agree with your thoughts about "beyond"!

Great points, Megan! One thing I learned over the years was to never trust items from vendors that professed to be "CCSS Aligned" or even specifically aligned to NC's standards. Any good teacher works to understand her/his standards in depth and the scrutinizes the resources and activities used with students. That said, one practice I frequently used was to take a resource from OER Commons, even if it was not explicitly aligned to my standards, and remix/adapt it so that it would be aligned. That's the beauty of this platform...even if you find something that's not aligned to one's standards (something you obviously want to note in the comments per the rubric if it makes the claim that it is), you can remix it to make it aligned - assuming the license allows it. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?  Some common reasons include the misunderstanding of a standard, when someone really likes an activity and tries to make it fit a standard so they can use it, and just the different interpretations of a standard.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?  When two or more educators are in a room chances are they may interpret a standard in completely different ways and somewhere between them lies the true intention of the standard.  So it will foster conversation that will lead to a deeper understanding of standards, how standards align verticaly and horizontally, and how to dig into a standard.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  I'm already planning to use the material shared last night in BT Meetings to add to our "Standards Unpacking" and enhance our conversations that just because a material says it is aligned...doesn't mean it is.  "You can't believe everything you read on the internet."

I see so many teachers start with activities they really like or something they've always done instead of starting with standards.  It does take a mindshift to get others to start with the standard and then really take time to understand what the standard is asking.

Torrieann, I agree! It is like the old topic of learning about dinosaurs from K-5!

Patricia, I have seen #1 many times, particularly when the standards change and someone has a hard time letting go of something hey love to teach.

Patricia, yes, I have also seen teahcers determine lessons based on activities instead of standards. Great point!  

I see your answer to #1 happening all the time. Teachers either have activities they really like or just learned something new and want to try it. The problem is sometimes it doesn't fit in that part of the curriculum but since it is an activity they have used forever they are unwilling to adjust it. I think as educators we need to be willing to adapt and change and get away from the idea of using the same things and the same activities year after year "because they work!"

1. Some common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment might be that not all parts of a standard might be addressed in one lesson.  Thinking of lesson planning vs. unit planning, some lessons may be individual parts of larger units where the alignment happens by the end of the unit, but may not happen by the end of the lesson.  Another reason is misunderstanding of what the standard is actually asking students to do – what are the nouns and verbs and the standard and are they aligned to the nouns and verbs in the lesson (depth and breadth).  Something I observe in teachers is while some are really good at starting with the standard when they plan a lesson, others start with the lesson (Pinterest, Teachers-Pay-Teachers, something a coworker gave them, etc.) and then try to connect it back to a standard. 
2. I love the idea that #GoOpenNC can be a platform where teachers can revise, reuse, repurpose, remix (and all the other re words)  lessons in order to better suit the needs of their students, and also better align them to the standards they are teaching. 
3. Our PLC could spend time looking at the lessons we’re teaching and see how aligned to the standards they are as well as calibrate on our understanding of what the standards are. The unpacking documents from NCDPI are really helpful with this process, as long as they are being used and referenced in our planning.  There are also some gaps between standards and assessments and so discussing what the standard is actually asking students to master and making sure the assessment matches that.

I agree with your point that some teachers find a lesson and then look for a standard. Or they look for a theme or idea - like "insects" and then go from there. Time to look at the standards first!

yes! we have to look with mastery in mind. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Sometimes resources don't hit the entire standard (example: Part of 5.NBT.7 says to "add and subtract decimals to thousandths using models, drawings or strategies based on place value."  There are several parts to this particular PART of this standard.)  One resource couldn't hit every part of 5.NBT.7.  Sometimes cute, frilly ideas that are so much fun aren't truly aligned to a standard at all but they catch students' attention.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

The platform can serve as a 24/7 hotline for teachers who need resources.  These resources will continuously be remixed and reviewed by teachers who are currently in the classroom (not by a company).  No one knows better than practicing teachers, so the platform will allow the experts to bounce ideas and opinions off one another.  Some teachers' opinions may even be transformed. ;)

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?

Alignment discussions NEED to happen.  Since we meet weekly, we could start by looking at one resource each week to put into our box of goodies.  It would encourage us to look at every resource we already use in our classroom and determine its reliability and alignment.  We have always broken down the standards together to make sure we're catching all the parts, but we need to spend more time breaking down the resources we use.

Excellent points, Jamie! I really appreciate your Q2 response. Also, per Q3, one thing that helps focus a review of an item in a PLC (in addition to the review rubric) is to use a formal protocol. My (now former) school's teachers would use this one to review proposed projects, activities, student work, etc: https://www.nsrfharmony.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/TextRendering-N_0.pdf. It really helped keep everyone laser focused on the task at hand, making the review and feedback process much more efficient.

Thank you, Ben, for the tip!  This is definitely a useful tool.

It seems that we are so concerned with covering standards (and proving to admins that we are) that all that get touched on in a lesson are listed. I am guilty of this myself in my weekly planning. This is making me think I will divide them as to depth and breadth of coverage within my plans. Though as teachers, we know we are touching on some standards, knowing it is just a touch and that there is much more to do in subsequent plans later on. The standards are complex and cover a lot of learning territory within each one. But in the library sometimes I touch on small bites to refresh their memories of some things that have not been addressed in class for a while or to begin front-loading for an upcoming unit

I think if the platform allows for the evaluation and the rationale, it may help to soften the critique. I hope that people are gentle with one another and stay true to the frameworks. I also hope we will all be open to constructive criticism. We teach our kids to peer review because it works and makes a better end product. We need to foster that spirit within our teaching community. But I am excited to begin creating things to share and look forward to input from the community.

Being in the library, I am not able to attend teacher PLC planning as I usually have their students. It might be nice with our media PLC meetings to spend some time on this going forward as well since most of us are planning coverage in the elementary levels. We do some co-planning and talk through standards as projects and lessons are planned but to this depth. 

Hi Marina! 

I agree with you! Your response for number two is spot on! We need to foster that same peer review spirit! 

Marina - what you say about evaluating other's work is a very thoughtful point. As a fellow elementary librarian, maybe you can relate: I've run into situations where I'm discussing a standard with a 2nd grade teacher (for example), who doesn't know that 4th grade (ex.) has standards that build upon what was taught/learned in 2nd grade. Since I'm in a "big-picture" role & familiar with standards and units taught K-5, I can help with some vertical discussions around standards... but often, a grade-level teacher has a more narrow or focused lens, and misses opportunities to remix or work vertically with a grade level doing similar standards. When it comes to using/sharing resources on this platform, I'll be exercising that "big-picture lens" and hope all critiques given/received are helpful to make the resource relevant and useful. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

One common reason for misalignment of standards is that sometimes teachers do not stay current in their knowledge of the standards as the standards are modified over the years.  I have seen this more in Social Studies classes where teachers continue to teach subjects they are passionate about, even when they are no longer on their standards. The English Language Arts standards are sometimes misaligned when teachers do not pay attention to the verbs in the vertical alignment of the standards above and below their grade level.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

As an ELA teacher, this has always been a sensitive subject to broach with different grade levels. Who gets to claim that novel? What do we do when we disagree about the level of that text and the grade level it should be taught in? Like in our schools, I believe we are going to have to be flexible with our resources and think outside the box when it comes to how they can be applied or modified to meet the objectives we have for our students.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

For ELA, I would like to develop a Literacy Model built around the standards so that all teachers would have a framework for reading and writing instruction. The framework would be a way for teachers to plug in their standards and ensure that all parts of the model were being taught. It would also help PLCs lay out what resources they would use from grade level to grade level and from standard to standard. 

Hey Stephanie!  

I think you've  hit the nail on the head with #1, and I was certainly guilty of it when I was a younger teacher in the classroom.  Back then we had textbooks and I think I really taught more to the textbook rather than our official curriculum standards.  If the standards changed and the text did not, then I didn't change much unless I discovered there was something tested that I needed to add in or something no longer tested that I could take out, but if I am 100% honest as a very young teacher I didn't know when stuff like that happened.  I relied on the more veteran teachers who were on top of things like that to tell me :/  

Yes! I said something simliar in my responses... I think beginning teachers are often overwhelmed. It's easy to find a buddy teacher/mentor and just roll with whatever they do. Often that mentor does not take the time to show/explain the why behind the resource selection. I taught the same grade for 14 years, last year I moved to a different grade level and it was hard to really dive into every standard that I had to teach with all the other responsibilities life has to offer us. I really did have to rely on others that had been in that grade level for a few years to help guide me. Did I go back & double check for alignment & ask those difficult questions? Of course - but I've been at it a long time & know to to do those things. Many new teachers don't know to ask!

I completely agree with your points about flexibility of resources (#2) and vertical alignment (#3).  Those two things go hand in hand so often and being able to use resources multiple ways and in multiple grade levels is awesome. Students build on connections made through these resources so why not find ways to use them in multiple applications within one grade level but then across them as well  Pacing of standards and resources is a must in PLC's!

Stephanie I also agree that misalignment of resources are dependent on the current version. Keep current is saying that one is an content expert...that which we all are responsible for in our profession. 

In some way a veteran teacher has the depth and breath of understanding and views knowing the many changes that have taken place at the higher levels....so I see the platform and OER as priceless allowing varying viewpoints and conclusions about all we do.

Stephanie - #1   Passion for topics can certainly lead to teaching concepts not aligned with standards! The projects, etc. feel good, and are enjoyable, but the decision to include those activities is not based on alignment because that is not always discussed in PLCs before lesson plans are made.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think that one common reason for misalignment/incomplete alignment (specific to Math because that's my area of expertise) is that the assignment does not fully meet the rigor of the standard.  Often, assignments meet surface level and prerequisite grade level expectations but do not go into the depth of the standard with regard to rigor.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I'm hoping that the platform encourages teachers to communicate to each other with suggestions for  making their tasks more encompassing of the standard - and perhaps an area to build upon each others assignments.  Maybe one teacher who creates a resource shares it and another teacher adds scaffolds or modifications for EC or EL students that do not take away from the rigor of the assignment.  The modified resource would hopefully also be shared.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

The PLC's that I support do not frequently talk about the alignment of their current resources to the standard.  They simply use what they've always been using - which is not best practice.  I will encourage my PLC's to come here for resources, but also engage in discussions weekly about why those resources align to the standard.

Hi Rebecca!

1. I agree with your statement about math. The standards are challenging! Meeting the rigor of the standards is what I have seen lacking in assignments/lessons.

2. Love this! It's not about creating something new - it's about making it better. The modifications (both higher and lower) is a great idea as well.

3. Most of my PLCs have focused on test scores and remediation, which really doesn't help in professional learning. If the resources were aligned to the standard, perhaps the rest will take care of itself (in theory, anyhow!).

We are working really hard to create a non-testing culture - while test taking is necessary and mandatory we don't want teachers teaching to the test anymore.  It's not what's best for kids and a lot of instructional time is lost.  I hope my PLC's catch on to this and trust the district in this.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think one common reason of misalignment of standards is the misunderstanding of a standard when a teacher is preparing a lesson. Another reason may be the misconception of time that it takes to complete a lesson. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think the platform can foster productive discussion because we are all experts of different subject areas, and when we look at other standards and lessons (in same or different subject area) we can give and receive feedback and ideas from others that we may have not thought of or tried before. Also, I think it will makes us more aware of the resources we are using.   

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?

Together we could discuss and evaluate the current resources being used, and determine if there are other resources that fit the standards that could possibly better fit the needs of our students.   

I agree Martha, some standards take a lot longer than expected to teach!

I hope this platform proves to be a place where we can all support one another and helping students demonstrate mastery of standards. I think some of the confusion teachers face when looking at the standards is a result of not using the unpacking documents closely. They also have the "I taught it" mindset rather than the "did the students demonstrate mastery?" mindset. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Some common reasons for misalignment could be that the teacher does not have a clear understanding of the standards taught in the years before therefore, he or she cannot scaffold the correct material so that the student is ready for the upcoming year.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think that it will offer a lot of discussion because teachers will have a place to pull resources from that are good and in turn hopefully they can share some of their ideas as well.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Our team likes to understand the previous years standards that were taught so that we have a baseline of the exposure level that the students have been taught.  This helps us to start a review of those concepts especially at the beginning of the year when they have been on summer break! 

Hi Amanda,

I also believe a few teachers may not have a clear understanding of standards being taught in their current grade, not just in the years before.  This could be due to being a beginning teacher, being moved to a different grade to teach, or being moved to another subject (if the teacher is dual licensed).

Hi Amanda! 

I 100% agree that this platform can offer a lot of discussion. I think this is going to be a great resource for teachers, new and old! 

Hi Amanda! 

I 100% agree that this platform can offer a lot of discussion. I think this is going to be a great resource for teachers, new and old! 

1)  Two common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment are the teacher is not comfortable teaching the standard and the teacher may only teach the portion of the standard they feel will be on the EOG or EOC.  I am a middle grades and high school math teacher.  Many times teachers are reluctant to teach geometry or probability because they are not comfortable teaching the concept and already presume the student will struggle or become frustrated in learning the concept.  Also, at my school, my principal emphasizes teaching to the power standards; concepts that are widely used on the EOG and EOC which could interfere with reviewing the entire standard at the end of the year or semester. 

2) The #GoOpenNC platform will foster productive discussion about different viewpoints because, especially in math, students may understand a concept taught in a different way.  There may be mutiple resources on the same standard, however each teacher may have a different approach to understanding and teaching the standard.  I believe it's important to allow students to demonstrate understanding their way.

3)  My PLC uses alignment discussions in our planning cycles by viewing the standards together and ensuring we develop lessons and assessments that adhere to the standard. 

Geometry and Probability are definitely struggles for my teachers, too.  But the funny thing is that the students who struggle with algebraic thinking often excel at geometric concepts.  They need to be given this opportunity to shine!

Chavonda - You are **spot-on** with your comment, "...and the teacher may only teach the portion of the standard they feel will be on the EOG or EOC". Teachers all across the state feel this same push and are asked to create assessments with items that "look" just like what they will see on the test. This will also impact depth of how well the standard is covered. Love your openness about this issue.

Chavonda, that is an excellent point about a teacher's comfort zone. I do think sometimes teachers are better equipped to help students in areas they have personal experience struggling with. It's like they get how to help them overcome it. I think we always have to keep in mind what mastery will look like, and we have to provide learning resources and opportunities to help get the students to that point. I also hope this platform will help get teachers talking and supporting one another when teaching standards. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

In ELA, one resource can be used to cover several standards. Also, some to the standards are so broad, it's challenging to find a resource that will teach one standard exclusively. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

My hope is this platform will build a repository of lessons that teachers can access knowing that the lesson will align to the objectives. Teachers won't have to constantly 'recreate the wheel' since the lesson will have been vetted.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

I would like to see my PLC evalute and even add to the resources. There are so many wonderful ideas that need to be shared to benefit all students.

2)  Agreed! I also hope that it will build an array of lessons that teachers can trust are aligned to meet the standards.  If teachers don't have to 'recreate the wheel' and have they access to this trusted repository of lessons, they can spend their time more productively- like finding ways to teach 'the whole child' and not just teaching to the test.

2)  Agreed! I also hope that it will build an array of lessons that teachers can trust are aligned to meet the standards.  If teachers don't have to 'recreate the wheel' and have they access to this trusted repository of lessons, they can spend their time more productively- like finding ways to teach 'the whole child' and not just teaching to the test.

Linda, I agree! It is very difficult to find a resource that completely meets an ELA standard. That is definitely something we need to address in PLC meetings!

Linda, I see ELA teachers at my school fighting those same battles!  I think another difficulty with ELA is the converse in that one resource can contain parts of so many standards.  It is definitely not as contained as math (and math has some overlap itself).

Linda

1) YES!  I agree so much with your reponse for 1.  It can be ahuge challenge to find resources for just one standard.

1. I think the most common reason for misalingment or incomplete alignment is due to not understanding the standard. Sometimes the standards themselves are worded in ways that make them difficult to understand. I know personally there are times when the standards are confusing or they contain multiple topics and skills that either aren't related or can't be taught together. 

2. I think #GoOpenNC platform can foster productive discussion by the nature of the platform. The platform is open so discourse can occur either online or in local PLCs over activities and standards. I would like to see PLCs at my school use this resource. I currently teach a class where I am the only person on my campus who teaches AP Human Geography. The platform can be beneficial for me to have online or other discussions with teachers from other schools in my district or around the state.

3. Honestly, my PLC really doesn't use alignment discussions. We focus most of our PLC meetings on developing common assessments and evaluating data from those assessments. I currently teach AP Human Geography so not having a PLC makes it hard to discuss with other teachers from the district. Many times AP Human Geo teachers only have 1 or 2 sections of that class and focus most of their attention on their course that has an EOC. I have started to build a small group with teachers from other schools and I would like to continue to build that group to have online PLCs so we can discuss alignment and activities.

Not understanding content is SO common - no matter what grade or subject! I teach high school math and thank goodness for the other teachers at my school who can break down the difficult lingo. 

It would be so much easier if they were easier to understand and said point blank what they want the students to learn. I think students and parents  would benefit as well so ALL would know what is expected and what is on the course agenda!

I agree with not understanding a standard. Sometimes a standard isn't written in an easy-to-understand format. Hopefully your use of the platform will encourage your PLC to foster alignment discussions! 

Good point, James. The wording of the standards can cause misalignment or incomplete alignment. 

A1: This may sound harsh, but one of the problems I tend to see is a lack of complete understanding of the standards - something I readily admit that I was guilty of early in my career before I started doing authentic, standards-based PBL. Of course part of the problem is the ambiguity with how some of the standards are written. Nevertheless, one of the assumptions for the GoOpen effort to have the impact it potentially can (as well as just being good teaching practice), is that we really understand the scope, intent, and specifics of our standards. 

A2: By opening up the conversation to teachers across the state - the professionals working directly with students in classrooms - we have the opportunity to quicken the pace of understanding of what the standards really mean (given that some can be quite vague) as well as exposure to examples of aligned resources that can be scaled to more classrooms across North Carolina. Rather than relying on a few "experts" curating and reviewing items in the traditional way, real practitioners are crowdsourcing and vetting what works, creating a much richer and deeper appreciation of both the standards and resources.

A3: A true PLC (as Defined by Learnig Forward https://consulting.learningforward.org/consulting-services/professional-learning-communities/) is dedicated to a methodical, collaborative focus on continuous improvement, thus leveraging the characteristics of this "open source" process (transparency, community, collaboration, crowdsourced feedback, etc.), we make our PLCs stronger and better aligned to their original intent. Reference: https://opensource.com/open-organization/15/7/what-organizations-can-learn-open-culture-and-technologies.

1)  I don't think you are being harsh, just realistic.  We all had to start someplace and some are lucky to be able to get more help than others.  I also wrote about the ambiguity of with how some standards are written and someone else below also connected our understanding to objectives and how we define mastery.   

2)  I can also relate to your comment about moving away from those few "experts" and using this platform as a way of crowdsourcing to take advantage of all of the talent out there.  I carried my own misconceptions of what this review was about and I have been happily surprised to see the direction this platform is moving towards.

3)  Thanks for listing the websites.  Being a small school we have very informal PLC's and it's helpful to have sites like these to share.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I believe the most common reason for misalignment/incomplete alignment is that many of the objective have gaps in the mestering levels.  The first lesson may start at the beginning point and the next activity moves to an advanced level with no discussion of the middle point.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I hope Go Open NC can foster subjective feedback from teachers on the resources that are provided.   Everyone teaches differently and that is what makes us unique.  Being able to discuss different ways to teach the same material will help us to learn from each other.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I would love to see myPLC use these resources in their alignment discussions.

1 - I never thought of that! We need to make sure we understand the mastery level of the lesson and how it fits into the big picture or big idea that it is focused on. 

2 - Totally agree! I think teaching is a beautiful art form and students can be successful and grow under teachers who teach totally different.  I love being able to collaborate with someone who doesn't think like I do... it helps me to grow as an educator and value another teacher's uniqueness and style of teaching. 

3 - Me too! Alignment is SO important... 

Hi Nina! 

Great point about the lesson can start at the beginning but move to more advanced points. Also, I would love to see my PLC use these resources as well. I hope to implement that this year! 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment? I think that it is because a lesson may have been created for another set of standards and someone is trying to fit it into a different set of standards.  Also, I think that sometimes there is a misunderstanding of what the studetns actually need to know and do.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment? My hope is that it opens a valuable discussion of what works and what doesn't for teaching resources.  In addition, I hope that it provides teachers a standardized way to evaluate resources.  

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?   Since my PLC is made up of new and experienced teachers I can see us using it as a way to help the new teachers understand the standards and the experienced teachers a way to talk about whether the lessons that they are using align with the standards.

I completely agree Bethany. I think teachers are always looking for great activities then they make them fit into the standards rather than thinking about what mastery of that standard will look like and how to get students there. I also hope this becomes a tool many teachers go to in search of high-quality activities that move students toward mastery of skills. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Some common reasons for misalignment or incomplete alignment is not being familiar with the particular strands, the depth of content or specific skills/ideas that should or shoulf not be covered.  I have seen many things for teaching 3rd grade math, specifically dealing with fractions, that detour my students from the deepness of what I should be teaching.  In 3rd grade we only teach fractions with denominators of 2,3,4,6,and 8 but my PLC curriculum faciliator and fellow Math teacher on my team still stumble across lessons we've taught or resources we've used that have fifths or sevenths, etc... We have been very careful to avoid misalignment of our resources by continuously going back to the standards.  Even if we've taught something for years, we still need to always go back to the standards and evaluate for accuracy against that guide. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

It's an awesome resource that can foster productive discussion because it allows you to see and hear others thoughts on the alignment.  As teachers, we are all continuous learners and you may see something I didn't and I learn more about a resource or a standard from you or vice versa.  I think it's powerful to have NC teachers collaborating, sharing, and helping with resource alignment.  It's going to be a powerful tool. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

My PLC meets weekly as a Math team and I feel that we are already constantly evaluating alignment.  I think with the addition of this #GoOpenNC website with resources it will continue to foster a depth of digging into our standards to find both best practice and best lessons to meet our students' every changing needs.  I could see the implementation of such alignment discussions as a vertical alignment piece as well.  At the end of this past school year, we (as 3rd grade teachers for Math) sat down with both 2nd grade and 4th grade to work on vertical alignment in Math.  This could very easily be a part of the discussion during subsequent meetings in the future with them. 

Hi Kristen, I agree with your point of returning to the standards often to make sure our resources are aligned and accurate.

1. I think there are several reasons for misalignment or an incomplete alignment. First of all, new teachers or even teachers who have recently changed grade levels may not be completely familiar with the standards that they are teaching. That is something that often takes time to learn. Another reason might be that they are reading the standard but not really thinking it through. Sometimes if a user is in a hurry they might breeze through reading a standard and then choose something without really thinking if that standard was what they really wanted. 

2. The #GoOpenNC platform can help provide discussion as users reflect and comment on resources. Veteran teachers may be able to ffer some insight to newer teachers and therefore create a learning cycle! 

3. My PLC has the standards readily availble and check them throughout the planning sessions. They are written into our plans as well as displayed in the classroom. 

Hey Kathryn :)   

I agree that it takes a while to really learn and get a good feel for the depth and breadth of a standard.  I still remember coming to teach my first year in North Carolina from having taught 5 years in Maryland.  I was a young teacher who was used to teaching from textbooks in MD and while we had standards there, I remember teaching more from the selected text for the class than from standards.  When I arrived in my first classroom in NC and was met with standards that often sounded broad I was not quite sure how deep I needed to go with a lot of things.  That's another time sharing resources really helps!   Those who know can share tests and things to make things a lot clearer for the newbies!

1) When standards are long and/or vague without helpful details of the specific learning objective(s) to be achieved, educators struggle in obtaining complete alignment. In other words, teachers often have a difficult time figuring out how the particular standard plays out into specific target skill(s).

2) Would it be helpful to be working in a content-specific group, example - teachers working with "NC Math 1", to foster productive discussion for resource alignment?

3) In our work at NCVPS, one of the main goals of our eLC groups (versus PLC) is to further delineate specific target skills embedded in course standards. This then plays out into discussions about best practice for engaging students in learning opportunities and creating tightly aligned assessments (both formative and summative). 

Hey Nancy :)   I agree with what you said about vague standards causing confusion.   I still remember the first time I looked at a set of standards to develop a math 1 course for NCVPS and I was completely unsure about what some of them meant as far as solving quadratic equations. It mentioned factoring but not specific types of factoring, nor did it mention if students had to be prepared to factor more than once (with a GCF & another method for example).  Luckily, just after beginning we received the unpacking document for the standards which helped a lot, but honestly even that still didn't answer all of our team's questions.   

I completely agree!  The ELA standards are sometimes hard to break down, as well.  I really like the Cognitive Rigor Matrix from the webinar.  I believe that will be very helpful in breaking down those vague standards, especially for beginning teachers.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

A resource not covering all topics that are contained in a standard or a resource cited with several standards, but only parts of each standard are covered in the resource. Another reason for misalignment or incomplete alignment would be information/content that is too in depth and not apart of a certain standard. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

Using #GoOpenNC I think will be a great resource for teachers to collaborate and see other view points from teachers. I always receive so much feedback from my coworkers with ideas that I hadn’t thought of, and there is only 7 others in my department. Hearing from teachers all over North Carolina would be so helpful and informative! 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?

Once or twice per semester - teachers teaching the same math courses will collaborate over what they are currently teaching to ensure that we are on the same pace. We discuss resources and compare assessments to ensure we are aligned with the NCSCS. We could definitely discuss it more often!! 

I agree Madison - it will be great to have feedback from more than just my PLC! I'm excited to think of how much my teaching could improve by being connected to so many other educators across the state!

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

misalignment-sometimes the standard is not completely understood, or the resource does not really address the depth of the thinking needed for students at a certain level. 

incomplete alignment is very common because it is often very difficult to use one resource to completely align with a standard (and that's okay). We just need to recognize that and be sure that we are teaching all of the parts of the standard in a logical way so that ultimately students can put it all together and show their proficiency with the complete standard. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

This platform provides an opportunity for us to really consider the standards all of the mini lessons and sections of a standard. Teachers will be forced to break down the standards and truly evaluate which section of a standard is addressed by a particular resource.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I will be joining a new PLC this year, but I could definitely see us using alignment discussions as a way to be sure we are addressing the entire standard and to share resources so that we are all teaching students everything they need to know to meet that standard. The more we work with the standards and take them apart, the better we know those standards, and this will definitely lead to better aligned curriculum.

I like your points about incomplete alignment and it being okay for a resource to not completely align.  Many of our standards are asking our learners to show an understanding of multiple skills.  It can be very difficult to find one resource that addresses every part of a standard.  These are definitely some of the discussions we need to have in our PLCs to make sure we have a plan in place to address all parts of the standard - instead of just hitting the high points!

YES to depth of knowledge... I think that gets left out of consideration when evaluating standards too frequently. We have to consider the learner, not just the learning target!

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I believe there are many reasons a resource might be misaligned or incomplete.  One of these reasons might be to an incomplete or superficial understanding of the standard.  Another reason might be the fact that the person who created the resource used it in a way that was not completely explained or clear, leaving the people viewing the resource with an incomplete picture of how it was meant to be used.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I believe that the #GoOpenNC platform will foster discussion about alignment by allowing peer review and feedback, having a vetted and safe process to have your resource reviewed, and having others view your resources from different perspectives and through different lenses.  

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I am excited to show my PLC Hess's Cognitive Rigor Matrix.  I believe this will help us break down a standard in a succinct way across subjects and grade levels.  I also see it as a great opportunity to help teachers create their lessons and units by beginning with the end in mind.

Would love to see any resources your develop to share Hess' matrix! Haven't had a chance to "nerd out" on that yet!

1. I think one of the most common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment of standars has to do with not fully understanding the entire standard.  I work with curriculum in Kindergarten through 5th grade, and many of our standards are multifaceted.  Without breaking apart the standard and studying the unpacked curriculum, it can be hard to understand the complete meaning of that standard.  I also think we sometimes get stuck in the midset of "this is how I've always done things" and sometimes assume we have a complete understanding of a standard when we acually do not.

2. I think the #GoOpenNC platform will foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignemnt through the comment feature.  It will give educators with different backgrounds and understandings of the standard opportunities to engage in discussions about the resource and whether or not they are aligned to certain standards.  Much like what we experienced during the webinar, it will also allow educators a chance to discuss which standard(s) a reasource best aligns.

3. Alignment discussions are super relevent to our PLCs.  We often spend time sharing resources in PLCs.  While sharing, we also need to consider how well a resource is aligned and whether or not it meets all the learning targets of that standard.  If it does't fully align with a standard, then PLCs would need to figure out what other resources they can supplement with or use instead.    

Great responses, Jessica! I agree that some standards can be so multifaceted that they require a us to be creative in how we approach them. I like your idea about unpacking the curriculum.

Jessica, I agree with your statement about "this is how I've always done things".  As standards have changed and evolved over the last years, there are still those using the same resources from long ago.  Sometimes the standards align, but often they are lacking.

When Common Core came about, a lot of teachers had trouble interpreting the standardds because they are so multifaceted (for Math).  To this day, teachers still struggle with fully unpacking them even with the unpacking documents provided by DPI.

When Common Core came about, a lot of teachers had trouble interpreting the standardds because they are so multifaceted (for Math).  To this day, teachers still struggle with fully unpacking them even with the unpacking documents provided by DPI.

1)  Reasons for misalignment or incomplete alignment can result from the vocabulary used in the standard.  Words like "create", "interpret", "justify", can be interpreted in very general and specific ways and may mean different applications depending on the viewpoint of the reader.  Incomplete alignment comes from determining the "depth" of what is needed, is a basic understanding and application sufficient or does it need to be more complex and require more steps.  Generally this level is determined by the released problems from the state exams.  Sadly, if they aren't tested then I've observed that due to limited time, the depth is not there.

2)  I think including this assignment to comment and reply to discussions is the best way to get teachers and reviewers to take part in academic conversations on this platform to review resources.  I don't know if you can do subgroups from the groups formed but I think for vertical alignment a secondary (high school) group would be appropriate but if you can establish subgroups underneath that group by individual classes (Math 1, Math 2, Math 3, and fourth year math classes) then responses can be directed to specific standards.

3)  As a small magnet school, we have a small number of math teachers and in the past each took a specific class and vertical alignment discussions were only on specific topics.  Now we are encouraging teachers to teach at least two different classes so that they can see the alignment on a larger scale. 

Joanne, what you said in 3 is spot on.  When I first started teaching, I taught 9th and 11th grade English.  It was very valuable to me to be able to see those two different classes and how I could align my standards in 9th grade so that when I had those students again in 11th grade, I knew those standards had been taught.

Hey Joanne!  

I definitely think you are right that there are issues fully grasping those important words like "create", "interpret", "justify", etc.  I also agree with you that whether or not a standard is tested is a big issue.  Particularly when teachers feel like their students' scores reflect on them and their effectiveness as a teacher.  With stakes like that, teachers are likely going to be strategic and focus their time on what they know is tested and what is not will be put to the side and left for later if there is time.  

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Not fully knowing or understand the standards. Trying to know all ES standards is a gigantic task - even at a single grade level. I think for those of us who work with everyone in a school, that is the goal, but as the school librarian, I have a hard time remembering the nuances from grade level to grade level.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

The platform allows for commenting which can help us discuss alternatives, extensions, etc. AND lessons/activities implications from different POV. These qualities will help to fully develop lessons. One of the things that concerns me, though, is that the discussion feature will not be fully utilized. We all know how busy teachers are and it will take some effort to come back and comment or even comment as you are scanning resources. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

I love that we can revisit lessons and the attached discussions. Frequently I'm involved in a conversation about a lesson and by the time I get back to it, I can't remember what we said. IF we can get the ideas into the comments, that will be incredibly helpful. 

Hi Bitsy! 

I can only imagine that knowing all standards would be impossible. Knowing one set of standards is hard enough, but I bet as a media specialist you are expected to know all! :) 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Probably one of the biggest reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment is teachers not fully understanding or knowing the standards.  When you teach all subject areas, you have quite a few standards to use.  Interpretation is another reason; everyone may have a different way to read into the standard.  Standards are not taught in one single lesson, sprialing throughtout lessons.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

Being able to network with others who teach in your grade level, subject area and/or from different areas is a great way to share different viewpoints and resources. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

At the beginning of a nine weeks or cycle during planning, my PLC looks at the standards that need to be covered.  Our district provided us with Cycle resources and assessments for the stanrds.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

When I was a middle school math teacher, the biggest problem with alignment was that there was never enough time.  Time spent on standards depended on the students I taught that year and their grasp of the standards.  No matter which year or students, I never had enough time to finish everything.  Many years ended with me having to decide which standard was more "important".   As creators, we have to take the time it takes to master a standard into consideration.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I have always been one to welcome constructive criticism.  I think the #GoOpenNC platform will be a great platform for educators to offer ideas on how a lesson may be imporoved to increase alignment.  It's always good to have a second opinion.  

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I think PLCs could use alignment discussions to make sure everyone is using resources that are aligned correctly, expecially if there are BTs on the team.  I think this would also lead to deep discussion about pacing as well.

I agree with the constructive criticism but I wonder how teaches as a whole will feel about it. Some teachers I know are not too open to people disagreeing with them.

Yes, TIME TIME TIME!!  The one thing no teacher has enough of.  In my experience, much of my time is spent working below grade level either reviewing or reteaching concepts from previous years that students either don't remember or haven't mastered.  So, even if a resource is aligned to 8th grade curriculum, I may need to adjust to make it do-able by below grade-level students.

BTs could definitely benefit from these discussions! I remember being a new teacher and having no idea what a standard should really look like in practice and being too overwhelmed to create everything from scratch. Often I would use things that kind of, sort of worked. I wish there had been time dedicated to analyzing what I was using. 

I am a BT and would love any discussion about how I can better align my lessons to the standards. I sometimes feel like I am spending time pouring over the verbage, making sure that I am fitting my lessons to the standards, and since I am the only teacher of my subject in my school, there are not many people to discuss things with.

I hope that the #GoOpenNC platform will give me more places to have these discussions.

1. I think one common reason for incomplete alignment is many standards ask students to "do" more than one task.  Teachers often will find a resource that addresses one part of the standard and think it is "good enough".  Sometimes it is necessary to re-teach part of a stnadard and use lessons or assessments that just meet the gaps in learning; but teachers should most often look for ideas that will adress all parts.  

2. I am excited about this platform!  I think this will be a place where teachers can come to find quality resources that address the entire standard.   I also like that other teachers can comment on a resource.

3. Our PLC uses the standard to determine assessments that are necessary each quarter.  Our district provides a general outline for pacing and resources, but any additional resources are left to our team to find.   Our team reads the standards and then looks at the resources to see if all or part of it matches our needs.   

I agree that many standards are complex and have multiple parts.  As a math teacher, I am very appreciative of the unpacking documents that go with the revised curriculum and the specific examples and explanations they give for the standards.  I think it is ok for a resource to meet part of a standard as long as the teacher recognizes the partial alignment and makes sure to find other activities that will complete student mastery of the standard.  Many times, math builds within the standard, so I may need several activities that will lead students to the final concepts.

Alignment to a standard in a curriculum resource can be multi-faceted. Sometimes, the designer could be excited about one part of the resource and may not give adequate coverage to other, sometimes important, aspects.

This platform can help us all be more aware of the necessity to pay attention to resource alignment. This can take place in the planning and developing phases as well as in revision after review. Understanding that this is a process that can make these resources richer and more fully aligned to standards will assist everyone involved.

While developing resources for arts classes, we have a special component of conveying the hands-on experience. Having more eyes on the development and review can help align the standards in ways that can benefit students with different prior experiences and abilities.

Hi Helen, I agree that this platform has the potential to help keep us focused/aware of resource alignment. I'm hopeful the enthusiasm in this group will encourage others to use the platform - to share resources and to use them!

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Misalignment/incomplement alignment can come from how standards overlap and can be applied to different lessons/activities.  This can also occur if activities are written with a limited timeline of completion and vague explanations of how to assess the standard.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

#GoOpenNC platform would encourage teachers to share their thoughts and collaborate across subjects/grade level areas. It's also great to get perspectives from other teachers on how to utilize resources and best instructional strategies.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I would like to see in my PLC's the use of this platform to examine the alignment of different resources and how they can be used/revamped/remixed to meet classroom learning objectives. 

I think your comment for #1 is interesting.  You have the word applied, which makes me think that the teacher is not creating the lesson/resource but is using existing ones.  I wonder if there is a difference in alignment in creating new items or using existing ones?  

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Misunderstandings/interpretations of what the verbs are in the standard (asking students to do).  Varying frames of reference in terms of student products in order to assess the depth of their understanding (rigor).

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

Create PLC/PLTs and ask that teachers give one positive and one area for growth when reviewing resources and lessons.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Create a culture and habit of reviewing lessons with the rubric rather than accepting them and "trying them out."

I think your answer to number 3 says a lot! Culture matters so much and I think a shift in culture needs to take place for PLC's to address standards as they are meant to be addressed.  A culture of belief, practice, etc.

I agree that misunderstanding the verbs, or what students should be able to do, can cause misalignments. The unpacking can sometimes be helpful with this. I like how the platform allows comments and remixing so resources can be improved upon over time. 

Reasons for misalighnment/incomplete alignment may that teachers do not fully understand the standard. I'm thinking about general ed teachers who have to teach all subjects. You may be more willing to study and dive into standards of your favorite subject and the other subjects, just do whats needed to get by. I'm thinking about all of the adults who say "I wasn't ever any good at math" or "I wasn't a math major - how am I suppose to know what all of these terms mean?" And let's be honest - when you are teaching all subjects and your planning time is taken up by meetings/conferences it is hard to find time to dive deeply into all of the standards for all of the subjects we are expected to cover. Mentors may just hand over resources to beginning teachers versus really showing them the thinking behind it (right or wrong thinking). The beginning teacher is overwhelmed, runs with it & then it's years later they finally realize - "oh wait?! maybe this wasn't the best resource." I also think some teachers do not look at the vertical alignment piece. They assume some things were taught the year prior and it may not have been in the standard for that grade. Knowing what comes before and what comes next is benefical to complete alignment.

The platform could foster productive discussion about different viewpoints by simply opening up the circle of professionals people have access to versus those they have day to day interactions with. If there are different viewpoints already posted, the educator will really have to look at the resource and decide who they agree with or if they have a completely different view. Hopefully being online will be a comfort to those who may not like to speak out in face to face meetings. 

Currently our PLCs use a variety of resources for planning. Our district specilist have teams that have created resources for us to use, however, we always double check the alignment with the standards themselves & the unpacking documents. We typically look at the vertical alignment documents too, in order to make sure we are covering everything that needs to be covered. I think the platform will help by giving us a starting point for our discussions in the future if the resources have already been evaulated by other professionals.

Heather, thanks for your comment.  I agree that we need to do more than just load teachers with resources and information, but take time to really model and demonstrate how this work can be done.  I believe it is a process and vertical alignment is important.  I am currently working with a team in the district to ensure that systems are embedded for students as they transition throughout critical years from elementary to middle and from middle to high school. 

Hey Heather :) 

I definitely think you are right about not fully understanding the standard. I had an experience last year where a teacher was working on developing content for a particular standard in Math 2 which referenced transformations as functions.  She sent me a plan/outline of what she was going to do for the lesson and I realized from the wording of a few sentences that she was thinking about transformations *OF* functions, rather than transformations of gemetric figures *AS* functions (reflect, rotate, etc).  There are plenty of other places I came across similar issues with other teachers as well, and these were all math certified teachers.  

Common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment may occur when educators don't understand the standards or teach to the textbook that is provided for the course.  Sometimes there are great activities that are created, but do not assess the skill related to the standard. The #GoOpenNC platform can foster productive discussion by providing educators to discuss the importance of standard alignment.  Educators will have the opportunity to collaborate, share thoughts and resources to make impact. PLCs can engage in dialogue and collaborate to ensure that we are teaching to the standards, regardless of the attractiveness of the activity and/or resource.

To your point about the textbooks, I think misalignment can also happen when a textbook is not fully aligned but a teacher uses that textbook in the order it was written and as is.  Without many options for HS Math, this happens often.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

One reason I think incomplete alignment occurs is because there are often multiple parts to a standard.  Teachers find a resource that aligns to part of or most of the standard and call it done, when there are still other parts that need to be addressed.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

This platform will provide mutliple resources for the same standards and will allow teachers choice, voice and ownership through remixing resources to fit their individual needs. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?

Our PLT does a great job of discussing alignment when creating common assessments.

Honestly, I think a lot of misalignment is due to teachers not totally understanding their standards to the depth needed to choose resources. It is certainly not their fault. In elementary school teachers are expected to be experts in way too many things all at one time.  This is one of the reasons I am so excited about this platform and want to see it being used by teachers. It has to potential to be a huge help.

We all see things differently and interpret standards uniquely so this platform should offer us a chance to get together in a digital manner (since classroom teaching is so isolating is SO huge) to allow people to see these other viewpoints and increase their understanding.

In PLCs we plan for future work and the alignment discussions could really help teachers understand their standards. This would certainly help teachers increase the feedback they give students, which would increase learning. That is huge.

Hi Renee - You touched on an issue that I had not really thought about ... teacher expectations. You mentioned a possible dilemna with elementary school teachers and what they need to know. I can see how that would be extremely overwhelming, and as a result, only touch on one of the parts of a standard ... or even possibly just use their mentor's resources. Whether veteran or new, elementary, middle or high school ... teachers have so many things to do that we are often just surviving. I am excited about the possibilities of support this will provide for ALL teachers. :)  Thanks for sharing.

1. In general teaching life, misalignment or incomplete alignment can occur if teachers are working by themselves to try to find resources for upcoming lessons. If they are using Google or Pinterest or Teachers Pay Teachers, they may find resources that sound like they are address the content of the standards. But they may not take the time to be sure that they are fully aligned.
2. Some people may be hesitant to disagree in a very public forum such as the comments section of a resource, if they view it as place for sharing your final word on a resource. Or they may not know how to disagree in a productive manner. To foster productive discussion, I think there needs to be constant reminders that discussion is valued and that nothing on the platform is necessarily in its final form.
3. Our PLCs involve the sharing of many, many resources, however there are not a lot of explicit discussions of their alignment with standards. We would benefit from practicing reviewing those resources for alignment. Having a rubric and time to practice would lead us to included those discussions more regularly.

I love your answer to #1. I never even thought about the effect of working alone and its impact on alignment. But I completely agree with you - having someone to have that discussion with can be so helpful. This also made me think about resources from sources like TpT or even just found online and how if they were created by a teacher from a differnet state, there's a good chance it won't align with the standard of NC. It might be the same concept, but the standard itself might have more or less to it. 

I totally agree with what you said in your response to #1!  I have been teaching for 19 years, but I still make myself complete every assignment before I give it to my students.  So often, something looks great at first glance, and then you find so many hurdles or problems that make it not necessarily what you were looking for.

1) Some common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment include recognzing the standard cannot be taught all in one lesson (too deep of a standard), mistakingly putting the wrong standard, and lack of knowledge on how to decipher what the standard wants you to teach. 

2) I think education is one of the best ways to foster productive discussion. Acknowledging and describing the different viewpoints in perhaps a recorded video and then allowing for others to discuss would be a great start. Even having a panel of people who have different viewpoints on resource alignment and allowing them to openly speak about their viewpoints and the "why" behind it. 

3) In past meetings, my math PLC met right around benchmark times and analyzed our data with the standard and actually discussed whether or not we felt the question addressed the partciular standard. 

Hey Katelyn :) 

I definitely think you are right about lack of knowledge on how to decipher what the standard wants you to teach.  I think that would be an excellent professional learning experience for schools to work in an expert in their content area helping really define the standards and what they mean!  This took me a long time to figure out and I did all of that figuring out after leaving the face to face classroom and working online.  Looking back I think I would have benefitted from some direct instruction on that myself.

1. In my experience misalignment comes from misinterpretation of a standard. In the nc math 1-3 standards I have noticed some standards that are hard to interpret correctly, or even span across the entire math courses. This becomes difficult for teachers to create/find resources that are aligned to the standard they are trying to teach. 

2. This Go Open Platform will allow teachers to communicate with each other about if a resource is truly aligned with that particular standard and math course they are teaching. Pieces of it might be appropriate while the rest might be for another course. So when teachers reach out and comment on these resources it will allow others to see if something is truly what they are looking for and need to utilize in their own classrooms. 

3. My PLC last year really didn't plan together at all, but hopefully this year with a new course we will definitely be able to discuss more together. I think by looking at which standards/topics that we want to teach in advance will definitely help us narrow in our focus to finding additional resources we may need to use. Our intro course is solid for us already, but 2nd semester we have foundations of math 1, and we aren't going to use the MVP curriculum by the county since they will use it next year in math 1. Therefore this type of site will definitely be useful in selecting interesting tasks/activities for our students to stretch their thinking in specific standards. If one of us finds something we would like to use, then the rest of us could essentially use this type of rubric type thinking to see if we should use it all, some of it, or move on to another resource. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Browsing through the world languages lessons, many of the activities seem to be simple links to websites and are not fully developed lessons. Many of them don´t have both a formative and summative assessment.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I am a bit overwhelmed with all of the awesome comments I'm reading from my colleagues. It might be more productive for me if we were any smaller groups that bounced ideas off of each other, in addition to the main discussion. I realize time constraints might not allow this though.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Alignment with CC and SCOS are required for lessons. Any discussion with the additional access to GoOpenNC would allow for the teachers in my department to assess lessons for alignment and discuss in general. 

#2 is a good point-there is a lot of information here!

1) A common reason for misalignment/incomplete alignment is lack of knowledge of the standard.  With all the changes we've seen in NC standards (especially if you've worked in NC for more that 10 years), it's easy to think you know the standard you're tagging, but if you don't go back and re-read it or check it, you might get it wrong.  I know that I personally have seen 3 different iterations of the SCOS since I've been teaching in NC.

2) I think the platform will allow many people with a good variety of backgrounds to collaborate, which will lead to thoughtful discussion of the alignment.  More seasoned teachers will have different viewpoints than younger teachers.

3) Due to the nature of my position, I haven't been in a PLC in 2 years.  When I was in the classroom, we talked about standards alignment a lot.  I think many teachers get caught up in a lesson or activity because it's cute or they like teaching that skill, when in reality it doesn't align to the standard.  Our grade level PLCs worked hard to ensure our resources were aligned.

Great point, Samantha about question 2.  I think this platform allows an opportunity for all backgrounds to collaborate! 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment? I think in ELA we focus too much on content (the text/novel) and not on the freedom in our standards to focus on skills. I enjoy allowing my students to choose books to teach the standards so that I force myself to get away from teaching the novel and not the standards. But it is tempting to stay confined to books we love because we know them so well, and then assess the content of the book only.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment? I think that there are teachers who could model lessons based on deep reading of passages instead of whole novels. By sharing such lessons, we can all move toward skill based attention, which aligns to our standards, and avoid the pitfall so common to ELA. For example, I noticed several lessons on 1984 but wonder about their alignment to standards.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  We created a shared folder of resources that we made that included multiple choice standards aligned questions for specific passages last year. I would love to see that continue and plan to share GoOpen as a platform instead of google.

Hey Grace :)

As a math teacher I can't necessarily relate to teaching a novel vs standards, but I complely get the idea you are talking about.  I think that sometimes happens with activities in math..  We get lost in the activity itself and perhaps what we want them to get out of it instead of the standard that we chose the activity for.  

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

One reason for misalignment that I commonly run into is curriculum revisions.  As a math teacher, Many assignments partially align to standards, but may not be in complete alignment because of NC standards changing.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

Since GoOpenNC is a North Carolina initiative, the reviews and comments by teachers will all be based (I hope) on NC standards.  Instead of having to vet everything by myself or make changes and edits to make the assignment work for NC, teachers across the state can share their work and hopefully, I will be able to efficiently find high quality resources that are aligned to current standards.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?

With the revisions in Math 1 and Math 8 curricula over the last few years, my PLC (grade level and vertical) have ongoing discussions about curriculum alignment.We already share activities with each other and make adjustments to activities that we have used in the past, but may no longer meet the standard.  We also have vertical discussions to make sure we as 8th grade teachers understand what is being taught in 6th and 7th and to provide input and suggestions to 6th and 7th grade teachers.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think the reason for  incomplete alignment is that the person creating  may not have considered the length of time it takes for students to master a skill/concept. It takes several lessons in order for students to master a skil/concept. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think that this platform is truly able to attract teachers who value feedback on their resources. It  is wonderful to see teachers share something they created that worked really well in their classroom and open the resources for others to use.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I would love to see in our  PLC evaluate some of these resources. It would be wonderful to have part of our monthly meeting be looking at a specific resource, analyzing alignment and discussing different ways it could be used.  Also, we need to keep in mind that we are using resources that are rigourous and high order thinking for our students.

I love the 'higher order thinking"! So many teachers of standard level courses waterdown their lessons way too much. Students will rise to the bar we set. If these lessons vary on DOK, we should be able to challenge our lower-performing studenst to rise. 

1. I think the most common reason is what I mentioned in the Webinar. For a long time assessments have been geared toward "identify the metaphor in paragraph 2". Now they are more in-depth and require much deeper thinking - "How does the metaphor in paragraph 2 impact the author's tone"? So many teachers have taught the first way for so long that unless they truly pay close attention to new standards, misalignment and/or incomplete alignment occurs.

2. Having lessons that are aligned to standards will be helpful for those who are a bit lost on how to do it. The discussion comes in working with the team, grade-level, PLT, etc to examine the resource and determine if it is truly standards-aligned. With that conversation should come ideas for differentiating for diverse learners.

3. See #2, :). I didn't read ahead to see that this question addresses what I said in the previous question.

1. I think it is extremely challenging for one resource to completely align to most standards due to the complexity of the learning objective. Many standards are written to incoprorate layers of student learning which become difficult to acheive and asses based on a singular resource.

2. The platform provides a wide array of resources from various states and countries. The discourse occurs as teachers view and interpret not only the resources, but the individual standards as well. Individual perceptions and prior knowledge aid in the understanding of how a particular resource may fit into the learning progression for the students. 

3. Teachers in our department PLC would benefit from looking at the resources to continually improve instruction, assessment, interventions, and extensions for individual students throughout the year. Discovering a new way to explain, illustrate, or teach a standard may be the connection needed for student understanding. 

"any standards are written to incoprorate layers of student learning which become difficult to acheive and asses based on a singular resource."

Yes!  it definitely takes more (or a robust resource) to get those different levels to meet individual students.

I agree with your statement in number 1, about needing mutliple resources in order to fully teach the standard.  Thank you!

Yes to "layers of student learning." Prior knowledge fits in here as well. Scaffolding is key to ensuring students have full access to the curriculum. We also have to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to fully understand and demonstrate mastery of any skill.

1. A common reason for misalignment or incomplete alignment is that educators sometimes misjudge the amount of tieme that students need to master a standard and also think multiple standards can be can be mastered at the same time.

2. The #GoOpenNC platform should be a space where teachers can give and receive feedback on matierals to use in the classroom.  This collaboration across the state should help teachers to create rigorous materials that are fully aligned to the standards.

3. Our PLC discuss alignment for tasks while we are live planning.  We look at alignment before assigning tasks instead of after students have completed the assignment.

Melanie,

I agree that misjudging student time on activity can cause misalignment or incomplete alignment. It is good to see that your PLC discuss the tasks thoroughly before assigning the task. More teachers need to do this.

Carla

Hey Carla & Melanie :) 

Yes!  I absolutely think that how long it takes students to complete an activity or to grasp a concept can impact misalignment/incomplete alignment.  Particularly toward the end of the school year, when the state test is coming up and we need to prepare our students, often teachers are just doing the best they can with the time they have, but that may mean the some of the standards are missed, partially covered, or loosely interpreted.  

Not only is there misjudgement, but at times teachers may be forced to condense learning time based on the timeline provided by their school district. This creates gaps in student understanding. 

I agree that time is an issue.  I think an even bigger issue in my classroom that takes time and can cause activities to not work for my students is trying to teach on grade level to students who are multiple years behind grade level.  Last year, I had students in 8th grade math working on levels as low as 1st grade.  I'm sure it is just as frustrating for other content areas to try to find on grade level content that may have lower level vocabulary or may be useful to bridge the learning gaps that exist prior to them coming into your class.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Some of this may be related to the changing standards or teachers that aren't as familiar with the coursework.  It may also be too much or too little to full cover the concept.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

It opens discussion on the platform and allows for teachers to review and leave opinions and advice - and possibly revisit and remix the resource.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Looking at the resources and alignment to them allows team members to reflect on activities in the classroom as planning cycles evolve.  It really helps to use the best resources and bounce ideas to make the best choices for each classroom.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think  there are times teachers have taught material prior and develop/create the lesson with that knowledge.  I also believe there are sometimes we forget about the vertical alignment of the grade below and above our lesson.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think the platform allows participants to work in a collaborative and supportive environment.  This allows for open discussion in a rich enviroment for productive discussion about alignment.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

I think using alignment dicussions in PLC planning cycles allows for supportive discussions about appropriately aligned lessons for meeting the standards.  This will lead to meeting the specifics for each class.

Kimberlee I wholeheartedly agree with the vertical perspective and how alignment is part of it...Having high expectations I always incllude vertical components and this platform and OER objects will support that direction.

Hey Kimberlee! 

I read your answer to #1 and thought YES!! EXACTLY!  That is how I went through the first several years of my teaching career.  I would pull on my prior knowledge of the topic and teach that.  I never really dove in to the actual standards or the wording of them to determine appropriate depth and bredth.  

1.)  I think many resources hint the surface of the standard and not necessarily the depth of the standard. I think that is why the unpacking guide, thank you NCDPI, is so helpful when analyzing resources because it goes more in-depth of the standard on what it is asking, and not just the surface level of the standard. 

2.) The #GoOpenNC platform can help teachers learn the full level of the standard. Teachers have different years of experience and expertise with the standard. It would be great for our veteran teachers to share their wealth and knowledge of the standard with our new teachers switching grade levels, content areas and/or new to teaching. It would help other teachers from learning from other experiences. 

3.) GoOpen could help teachers to look in one location for resources. It would be a great opportunity to dig into the unpacking guide, to see if they are aligned and then order the resources how they will teach them. Just because the resource isn't aligned it may be a good springboard to launch their lesson from going to the grade level below to a prerequisite they need to know for that standard 

The one-stop-shopping aspect of this platform makes it really appealing!

Yes, Shannon, it would be great for GoOpen to be the first/only location teachers use for resources! As we come more comfortable with CC and OER, resources will constantly be changed, updated, remixed, revitalized!

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I feel that sometimes the teacher may not fully understand the standard. The standards can be confusing and many of then require us to read in depth. Sometimes the resources that we are using are not created with the standard in mind first.  Therefore, we have to remix and rethink so that the lesson will be properly aligned.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

The GoOpenNC can provide a teacher friendly place where teachers are comfortable to openly discuss their viewpoint about resources and alignment.  Since we are in the classroom, we can speak to what works and what does not work. There needs to be a non threatening environment for this discourse to occur. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

We use our planning meeting to discuss the strengths and weakness by math strands across the grade levels. First, we look at any common areas of weakness according to test scores. Next, we look at the standard that aligns with it. Then we collaborate about the vertical alignment of the standard across the grade levels.  Each teacher will have input about their math course.  We share ideas about why we think this area is a weakness.  Together we come up with ideas and strategies that will help to improve student achievement.

Melody~ I like the idea of being able to know what works and doesn't for teachers about alligned reources that can be shared here. 

Melody~ I like the idea of being able to know what works and doesn't for teachers about alligned reources that can be shared here. 

Hey Melody! 

I agree that often the teachers do not fully understand the standard.  I am not always 100% sure where the disconnect occurs.  Last year I was reviewing content for a Math 2 course and ran into an issue where the teacher was planning to teach transformations OF functions instead of transformations AS functions (meaning transformations of geometric figures like rotation, reflection, etc as functions with ordered pairs as input or "preiimage" and output or "image").  I think this would actually be a great professional development item for schools to work in with experts in the subject areas helping teachers decipher their standards.. 

1.  Some common reasons for misalginment/incomplete alignment could include the broad scope of the standard.  Several standards overlap, yet require different levels of rigor.  

2.  The #GoOpenNC platform can foster productive discussion about different viewpoitns regarding resource alignment by providing a platform by which professionals can submit resources for comment and or rubric anakysis.  As educators we are in regular practice of providing feedback to others.  Gaining feedback in a safe place is critical to building and perfecting our practices as resource creators.

3.  Alginment discussions should be a part of all planning cycles.  PLCs should seek resources aligned to the standard, starting with the standard.  I often see PLCs start with the resource and then seek a standard to match it/to promote it.  I hope this platform can be focused on standards first so that we can engage as one large, meanignful PLC that promotes standard/task alignment.

1. Yes, Yes, Yes. Some of the standards are so incredibly broad that it takes a unit to teach them while revisiting the rest of the year. Makes me wonder if we need to look at where some of these activities might fall in the spectrum of the standard - introduction to mastery. 

3. I see that happen a lot too - the activity forced to the standard. Kind of like a square peg in a round hole. Close, but doesn't quite fit. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think there are incomplete alignments because some of the standards are so broad it may be difficult to cover all the material with one resource. Another reason may be that the standard has been changed or the resource was created based on a similar but slightly different standard from another place or time. For example, the NC ELA standards were recently changed and some resources may get added that were created based on the old ones. They may be close to aligned but not exactly. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

The ratings and comments can help people share their viewpoints. Remixing can also allow someone to make changes a resource that they feel make it better align. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?

Alignment discussions in PLC could be used to help teachers gain a deeper understanding of the standards and content.  

I agree with you, Catherine, about standards being broad. ELA is so true for that! Other people may also have different interpretations of words like analyze. 

1) Common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment is the overlap between standards espcially in ELA. In Kindergarten, foundational skills overlap with many of the speaking and listening or other standards and sometimes when creating or remixing a resource we get caught up in the first standard we're focusing on but forget that we can align it with others at the same time.  

2)It's an open platform where discussions can take place and open dialouge pertaining to resources is enocouraged.  It is amazing to see and hear various viewpoints across within one district but even more so across districts and the state and how they compare with one another.  This kind of discussion is a great opportunity to give us all a wider persepctive on what we teach.  

3)Our PLC discusses alignment with the resources given already through our district as well as what we find to share in our group.  By being able to access other PLC's discussions on alignment we will be able to find other perspectives and expand our knowledge of the content we teach. 

1.  In my opinon, one common reason for misalignment is an incomplete reading/understanding of the depth and breadth of a standard, either at the PLT level, school level, or district level.  Sometimes it is is unclear what the students have to demonstrate in order to have mastered the standard.

2.  I think the platform will be a great place to share resources, and comment on the use in the classroom and the effectiveness of the activities.  It's also a "risk-free" environment to use, and to get feedabck about the activties.

3.  I think the alignment rubric would be very helpful to use in PLT, because it focuses on the noouns and verbs within the standard, what evidence there is for mastery, and then the assessments and how well they measure what the students know.

Susan your opinon is spot on....incomplete understaning causes so much wasted energy trying to accomplish all we need to accomplish and gets worse when its unclear and left that way. I too love the risk free OER component.

1. Teaching and learning is practice and not exceptionally like following a specific recipe format. Planning can be scientific, and also art as seen in successful experiences in the teaching learning environment. Using knowledge objects in isolation and or combined there is a focus of use. Overall, misalignment/incomplete alignment refers to little or no agreement in that construct.  So, evaluating, recommending or including objects can be viewed in many ways with varying agreements. I understand misalignment/incomplete alignment as a definitive classification that may or may not have merit in the lenses of the stakeholders. Curriculum can be and is often complex.

2. So, the #GoOpenNC platform has components of sharing, evaluating, recommending and in this way, varying agreements will be detailed and discussed. Viewpoints will allude to strengths and merits that aid users to choose.

3. We have a monthly 3 grade level PLC group for vertical planning. Prek-K-1^st grade PLC always looks at standards and objectives…. foundational and scaffolded. We will look at #GoOpenNC for groups and OER resources to be applied and shared.

Love the idea of vertical planning among grade levels! This could also help with interventions and extensions within a particular grade level.

Hey Frank :) 

I agree that curriculum is very complex and the classification of "misalignment" or "incomplete" alignment may mean different things to different people.  

To me "misalignment" might mean that an item is simply being used under the wrong standard, but really doesn't mean that activity isn't good or valid.  It could be the best activity I've ever seen but is labeled incorrectly.  

Similarly, the way I read "incomplete" alignment it does feel like it has a negative connotation, but it probably shouldn't.  We work with students at varying levels of understanding and often we need to scaffold, and break things down into smaller chunks.  While a lesson or activity may be PERFECT for eventually meeting the standard, I suppose we'd need to keep in mind that it's generaly not a "one and done" kind of thing and often a whole standard will not be covered in one day or one activity. 

1) When participating in a PLC, teachers are coming to the table with a varying degree of knowledege of the standards, based on experience. Elementary teachers have to plan all content areas, which also contributes to possilbe misalignment of standards with lessons. I definitely agree that ELA standards often connect/support multiple standards, so in-depth, focused conversations are necessary within PLC meetings to understand what "mastery" would look like, based on a backwards planning design. 

2) #GoOpenNC can be a platform for teachers to share successful, aligned lessons and resources with fellow teachers. Constructive feedback can support to productive discussions of resource alignment with standards, which in turn will lead to a deeper understanding of standards.

3) When a PLC begins the curriculum mapping process using a backwards design process, valuable discussions occur based on mastery of standards and student understanding. This will assist with pacing and discussion of the alignment of resources with the standards, as well as research-based, highly effective instructional strategies.

I agree with your mention of backwards design.  Understanding your end goal is the first step to deciding what you need to teach and how you need to teach it!

1. One of the most common reasons for misalignment or incomplete alignment is that a resource may be aligned to a Common Core State Standard (CCSS) such as F.IF.4, but not aligned to the NC Standard of the same number. Also, misalignment can occur from a resource provider giving a cursory review of the standard, thus having an incomplete understanding of the standard. Also, a lot of standards cannot be covered in one lesson.

2. I think the comment function is a great way for the #GoOpenNC platform to foster and promote discussions about resource alignment. Also, allowing teachers to review and tag resources can allow us to show different viewpoints, without necessarily giving a full discussion.

3. To be honest, my PLC is often so concerned with the lack of foundational skills, we have not made time to talk about alignment very often. A big recurring idea in PLC discussions is how to grow the students to the point where they are at least capable of attaining some of the standards. Usually talks about alignment are had before the beginning of the school year, when we have time to discuss and dive deep, without worrying about parent contacts, grading, duty, etc. I would like to have more conversations about alignment, but we're often spending our PLC discussion time figuring out how to put out metaphorical fires.

I agree entirely Nicole!  I think understanding the standards and ensuring alignment is crucial to student success.

Nicole, I fully agree with your posts! Especially "seconding"  your #3 response!! Years ago we had at least one or two full workdays for each quarter and now it is expected we have all of these team meetings and planning sessions with alignment while juggling all of the duties being a classroom teacher brings without workdays  :)

1. I have noticed during PLC time that interpretation of the standard sometimes varies because of the wide breadth of the standard. This can cause misalignment and incomplete alignment.

2. This platform gives teachers of all experience levels a way to interact with other in discussion of the true objective of the given standards. I think pooling together all different experience levels and viewpoints will help to clarify the standards.

3. Currently I am not in a content area PLC because I am the only person at my school that teaches the course I teach. Previously, we have used the course standards to design our unit and plan our summative assessments. After designing the summative assessment we have then been able to form lessons to help students reach that final goal.

Kathrin, that is a good point that you mentioned for #1. Two teachers covering the same standard, with two totally different backgrounds and experiences in that particular standard could teach it two totally different ways by focusing on one "part" of the standard more heavily than another simply because of the wide breadth of the standard. (...In CTE or core courses)

Kathrin, I have seen many people mention the same reply as your #3...this platform will definitely be helpful for all of you that are "solo" teachers at your schools. Hopefully you will feel more of a community feeling and support with this platform :)

I too am "alone." I am the only 5th science teacher making this type of discussion a challenge. I do have an amazing instructional coach with whom I collaborate. But we have not necessarily discussed alignment.  For this reason, I would love to create a district-wide PLC for 5th-grade science teachers. It's just a thought at this moment. I have not reached out to others. I need to make this happen, somehow. Suggestions are welcome and appreciated?

Yes, we have to remember that all teachers can find some way to participate on this platform. Some might use resources, others might vet and others might curate. We can all start somewhere!

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think one common reason could be if a teacher is not completely familiar with a particular topic within the course they are reviewing - misalignment could easily happen - or if industry standards or standards/objectives have changed referencing students here in NC, etc.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

With an overall rubric generic enough for alignment across the board?

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?

Planning cycle "reviews" of particular standard areas could be targeted for open discussion.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Teachers may not be familiar with there standards. For example, in American History, a teacher may understand that he needs to teach the causes of WWII but he may not know that the unpacked standards require students to understand how specific events led America to move from neutrality to intervention. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

This platform will allow teachers the opportunity to access resources that have been reviewed by others for alignment. Teachers will be able to discuss with each other whether a resource is aligned or if it is better aligned to another standard. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

We ensure that we are following unpacked standards and that we understand what students are expected to Know, Understand, and Do. 

I agree Cameron. Teachers do not always use those unpacking documents as much as they should. I think this leads to some teachers not knowing what mastery of that standard should look like. End mastery should always drive us when selecting resources. I think this platform will help move some teachers in that direction. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think the common reason for misalignment is that teachers don't understand what the standard is saying and/or using the verbage of the standard in their planning.  For Social Studies a lesson can and should include multiple standards to encompass various strands as well, from my understanding that isn't the case for all curriculum areas.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

Collaboration & conversations are key

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Review of what is being taught, how the students are performing, and ensuring that alignment to the standards are crucial to student achivement.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think the common reason for misalignment is that teachers don't understand what the standard is saying and/or using the verbage of the standard in their planning.  For Social Studies a lesson can and should include multiple standards to encompass various strands as well, from my understanding that isn't the case for all curriculum areas.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

Collaboration & conversations are key

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Review of what is being taught, how the students are performing, and ensuring that alignment to the standards are crucial to student achivement.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think sometimes we get "distracted" by other teaching resources or programs from the focus on the standards. Unless a resource is written by our state DPI, we must be careful in using it with full validity. Also, the language and vocabulary can be confusing or vague, leading to misinterpretations. Standards can also be very lengthy and can encompass a multitude of skills to be addressed. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

The platform will allow open discussions among educators across the state that are teaching and focusing on the same standards. It will also be awesome to have so many resources at our fingertips that are quality and standards aligned! :) Having one place for all teachers in our state to share lessons and resources will be a huge help and makes a lot of sense!

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

I think alignment to the standards should be PLC #1 upon returning in the fall. This is so valuable for all team members, but especially for beginning teachers or teachers who have moved grade levels or subject areas. I also believe it's important to have the verticle alignment within schools to study what the grade levels prior have covered and what will be covered in the next grade level. That is where depth and breath can be limited and expanded, when we know the standards students are coming to us having already learned and then what is expected of them in the next grade level up. 

Hi Wendy, I agree that it is easy to get distracted! This discussion has made me realize I need to make sure I'm practicing what I'm preaching!

Wow, I completely agree! It's easy to be distracted by fancy tools and applications that a curriculum has to offer.  But at the end of the day, if the fancy curriculum doesn't align to the standards then it isn't effective for our students.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment? One common reason for misalignment is student level of understanding. For example, 5th-grade math can be very difficult for any student who has not yet mastered foundational concepts and there are students who have mastered the content and need to be moved forward. I believe personalized learning much like CMS implement will help bridge those gaps and allow students ahead of the game to move forward. The differentiation of student mastery causes misalignment. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment? I am constantly seeking ways to implement. I do this by reaching out to the experts, other educators. GoopenNC will provide a stage just for NC teachers to collaborate and share, I am very excited about connecting with fellow educators of NC. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  I teach 5th-grade science. I would love to reach out to other 5th science teachers in my to discuss alignment and plan units. Using openedNC this would make the task easier, as would collaborating with other 5th science educators. 

Hey Amy!  Great point about student understanding impacting misalignment.  I had not thought about that part of it but you are right.  Teachers are driven to help students and meet them where they are and perhaps sometimes they are so focused on that the standards get lost, or in other cases (particularly with math) there is so much time spent trying to catch a child up on required prior knowledge that there isn't sufficient time for the standard itself. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment? One common reason for misalignment is student level of understanding. For example, 5th-grade math can be very difficult for any student who has not yet mastered foundational concepts and there are students who have mastered the content and need to be moved forward. I believe personalized learning much like CMS implement will help bridge those gaps and allow students ahead of the game to move forward. The differentiation of student mastery causes misalignment. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment? I am constantly seeking ways to implement. I do this by reaching out to the experts, other educators. GoopenNC will provide a stage just for NC teachers to collaborate and share, I am very excited about connecting with fellow educators of NC. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  I teach 5th-grade science. I would love to reach out to other 5th science teachers in my to discuss alignment and plan units. Using openedNC this would make the task easier, as would collaborating with other 5th science educators. 

Amy, I completely agree with #1. Many students don't have the background knowledge needed for a standard so resources may not look aligned but are actually quite needed! I see this often in high school science. I have always enjoyed sharing resources with colleagues at my school or perhaps even within the district, but like you, I look forward to seeing how GoOpen will broaden our collaboration and resource sharing. 

1. Common reasons for misalignment: On the surface it may seem that the resource/lesson aligns to a standard. Misalignment may occur because the standard has not been deconstructed in a way that allows for all the components of a standard to be addressed. Sometimes standards can be very complex and it takes time to truly understand the depth of a standard.

2. The #Go OpenNC Platform is a great place for educators to come together from across the state to collaborate with each other and find great resources that are aligned to our standards. We tend to stay in our "bubble" at our schools and having varying viewpoints from across each of our districts gives us some new insight into each of the standards that we engage with every day. This platform gives us a new lense to view each of our standards to better ensure standards alignment!

3. In our PLCs at the school level we often have discussions about whether a "fun" activity is actually the best fit because it may not be aligned to a standard as closely as it needs to be. We try to find lessons that are both engaging and deeply aligned to meet the depth of the standard. Working collaboratively in a PLC helps us to have those conversations with each other to notice alignment issues more easily that we may not catch working independently.

Amy I love your bubble comment from #2!  I really appreciate the feedback and ideas presented by other educators around the state- Gives a bigger picture and more insight into the standards we address.  I also find that we stay in our bubble ofte at school- One of my favorite things is to get some time to visit other classrooms, especially those not on my grade level to see what expectations are for learning and how standards are addressed.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Common reasons for misalignment can be very blatant or very minor depending on the depth and breadth of the standards. For math, it could be as simple as using the wrong range of numbers or as complex as the wrong verb and not going deep enough. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

Different people may have different interpretations of the standards. While people can refer to the unpacking documents, it is still possible to read the standards differently. This platform will allow the discussion to happen between experts in the field to discuss how they view it. It will also get feedback on resources in order for teachers to find the best resources. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Teachers could review resources and discuss whether it meets the standard and at what point of the instruction it may be most beneficial for students to complete. It would be beneficial to start discussion about how to look for alignment in resources. 

I agree with your response to #2 - some math standards are still up for interpretation even after being provided excellent unpacking documents.  I hope people other than teachers (like DPI, test writers) pay attention to teacher discussions on this platform and see how exactly we are interpreting the standards.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Misunderstanding of how to actually teach a standard and also lack of knowledge in teaching the standard. Some standards take longer than others to teach and if you have never taught it before, it is hard to know the length of time or number of exposures it will take students to grasp it.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

It provides a "safe place" for teachers to react and support resources posted.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

PLCs can review alignment of standards as they plan for future lessons based on assessment. It's a great idea to review data and consider alignment of the curriculum materials being used to see if there is something that could be adjusted to produce results.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Most standards are very broad.  Misalignment/incomplete alignment occures because teachers do not understand the depth of the standard to be taught and only teach to what they understand.  

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

The platform will help teachers discuss and see differenting veiwpoints.  By reviewing the resources, we will be able to point out where the resource is not aligned to part (s) of the standards and then modify the resource to fit the whole standard.  

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

PLC could use alignment discussions to make sure each teacher understands the standards fully and are teaching the skills in order for students to completely learn the skills needed for standard mastery.  As a coach, my teachers complete a standards deconstruction before planning for the coming quarter.  This way they are able to plan assessments that are aligned to the standards and choose lesson materials that will get the students where they need to be.  

I agree. I also think teachers fall victim of finding interesting activities then making them fit into the curriculum. They don't always think about what mastery will look like for students, and finding resources that help the students demonstrate that mastery. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Teachers may think that since they've been teaching, they know the standards by heart. Teachers may browse the standards during planning, and not truly unpack them. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

GoOpenNC can provide one viewpoint, but as with any resource, it needs to be evaluated by the teacher using it before implementation. Reviewing comments from other teachers about the resource prior to using could help implementation. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

We use alignment discussions prior to planning, and unpack standards together with the basics, and then think about tie-ins to literature, for and foremost. 

1) Common reasons for misalignment that I encounter are people not having a deep understanding of the standards and what they truly mean. I feel that the unpacking documents are critical to understanding the standards and what the students are meant to accomplish.

2) If teachers are open to meaningful discussion and feedback, the platform will succeed!  

3) PLC's could definitely use alignment discussions! Discussion will allow teachers to analyze if the content truly matches the standard and how reteaching and/or remixing the content would benefit the students!

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?  Standards are complex and detailed- Often it takes several years of teaching the same standards for teachers to truly understand the depth and scope that each standard requires.  

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment? The #GoOpenNC platform allows educators to collaborate and connect with other educators around the state.  This collaboration allows for many viewpoints to be presented and offers additional insight into lessons and resources that may have be unknown before using the platform.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  Adding an alignment discussion would be a great idea to our planning time.  Often, we spend time looking at data, but adding an alignment discussion would enable my PLC to ensure that the resources/lessons we are using truly matches up with the expectations of the standards.

I agree with your statements about standards being complex and detailed!  I also agree with it requiring years of teaching for teachers to understand the standards.  Unfortunately, so many teachers change what they are teaching quite frequently and the standards (especially math lately) change every few years, which makes that full understanding even more difficult.  Hopefully, GoOpenNC will help distribute the interpretation of standards so that teachers can more readily understand the standards!

1)  Common reasons for misalignment may be that the original task was not written after Common Core standards, and thus creator just added one that seems to fit without really looking at the standard.  Sometimes creators are not rewriting the activities they have created.  They are only reattaching a standard.  Also, there are situations where teachers really like a material they have always used and want to find a way to attach it to a standard, instead of starting with a standard, unpacking it, then writing lessons and activities that directly align to it.

2) Thus platform invites teachers to collaborate with others, join specific groups to meet their individual needs, and reflect in a safe environment on the quality of works available.  Collaborators have the abitity to comment on a piece of work and creators can improve their work based on feedback provided.

3)  I would use this format in much the same way in my PLC.  I would use this platform as a starting point, to show others what is already being compiled for NC teachers.  I would also like the PLC to look at resources we have "always used" to see if they really do align to our standards.  I would encourage my PLC to join groups they are interested in and be an active participant.

This experience is making me dig deeper into resources I have used before, but not really thought about in terms of engagement level and direct standards alignment.  I think that this opportunity would foster an environment where a teacher could improve their own vetting skills and find tasks that are more aligned to the standards, possibly saving time in the classroom because they are not teaching and assessing things that are not actually in their standards.

I like your comment about the creation process- that is what I do when I create classroom acitivities -- I think about what I am trying to teach (which skill, which standard) and then from their build the resource. When I was a newer teacher it took me sometime to figure out that though there might be lessons I want to do -- I need to consider the WHY and WHAT when it comes to what I was trying to accomplishing. If teachers are lucky perhaps we do activities that finely align to standards that we created without that intention-- but I prefer the reverse. 

I like the idea of encouraging your PLC members to be active and join groups! Good way to get them involved and invested.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

One common reason for misalignment is in the interpretation of our standards. Even with unpacking documents, I have worked with educators as a coach where we have differing opinions on the alignment of an activity.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I believe that this will happen naturally in PLC discussions, however we want those same discussions to happen in the comments section of the particular resource. Through purposeful comments this can certainly happen, although I'm not sure it will happen in an organic manner to begin with.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

In discussions with the teachers I serve, we are always aligning resources and justifying our reasoning for alignment of particular units, experiences, and lessons. Typically in each PLC, there is a content expert that just elevates and leads the discussion.

One common reason for misalignment is that a teacher may not exactly understand the full scope of the standard. It is imperative to review the unpacking statements or see examples of what complete mastery should look like. Sometimes a lesson may not address the depth of knowledge needed to fully master a standard. It may just touch on a surface understanding.

Guidelines for discussions should be established first. Derogatory comments should not be allowed obviously. Everyone is encouraged to grow. By viewing other's opinions, we all learn and develop our own deeper understanding of what good teaching practices are. We also should be willing to gather new ideas and innovative approaches.

My PLC is great about discussing/sharing resources and brainstorimng ideas on how to remediate or accelate according to needs of students. We are given time during planning to do just this. We also share team planning sections and add input from others to make ideas even better. If someone has an idea/need, we discuss and revamp mateials according to that need.

1) In Biology, we often have the same topic addressed in multiple standards. I can see where resources could be misaligned as there is overlap. Also, some standards require prior knowledge that is not addressed in any other standard. Students are often lacking these skills! I may know a resource is needed to actually help students get to the "real" standard but others could see it as not aligned. 

2) By being able to rate and comment on resources, I feel that the available content will actually be better aligned. Teachers are the experts on all levels of learners so I can foresee some great discussions on why resources may be aligned for standards to meet the needs of struggling learners or advanced learners although the alignment might not be obvious to an outsider. 

3) I was excited to give a brief preview of GoOpen to my 8 colleagues (we are an Early College HS) so only 9 of us total. We are trying as a team to make cross curricular connections and we are working within each discipline to scaffold knowledge as students move through their courses. Having the alignment discussion will aid us as we look for these connections. 

Melissa~

I think you make some valid points, especially in question 1 when you say that "we often have the same topic addressed in multiple standards." I believe this is true in a majority of standards. I also agree that "some standards require prior knowledge that is not addressed in any other standard." I have heard throughout the years that teachers blame the grade level below them for the students not knowing the standards. 

Terry

Prior knowledge is an issue in elementary as well. Students come into school with a variety of personal experiences and knowledge. Teachers sometimes struggle finding scaffolding techniques. I think this platform has the potential to not only help us find resources that promote skill mastery, but also remix the activities in a way that will encourage scaffolding and access to the curriculum.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I think individuals do not really understand the standard to its fullest. Part of the lesson may cover the standard, but it does not exactly address the standard. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

This will allow participants to have a dialogue about different aspects of the standard. This will integrate the crosswalks in the discussion of resource alignment. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

PLC can become more effective if teachers have the chance to center their discussions on resource alignment. This would give teachers the opportunity to show one another how to teach the standard, as opposed to just saying the standard. Many times, teachers, both new and veteran teachers, need to be shown the standard; it might be a different way of teaching the standard that they have not tried. Also, this would narrow down the standard and steamline the standard to the differerent parts of the standard being taught, without extra or unneccessary information being taught. 

One common reason for misalignment and I hate to admit to this, but if I need a lesson to teach and there are no resources provided I often turn to TPT. While this can be a great place to find quick and easy homework or in-class practice, the lesson/materials are not always written by someone who is trying to meet the same standard as I am.  I am better at recognizing this flaw now, but desperate times call for desperate measures. *Let's not be TPT.

I think anytime groups of people are trying to agree there are going to be disagreements. I think (encouraging)  open and honest feedback in a safe place where everyone's viewpoints are valued is going to be difficult and will not always going to "work". It's going to take being respectful and valuing our different opinions. If and when "feathers" get ruffled, try to put egos aside, turn to the unpacking standards. 

I like the idea of my team and I  to have the chance to read through and decide which resources we were going to use for the upcoming week. Then after we have taught the lesson and collected data revisit the lesson and write our collective feedback on the platform.

Renee~

Although groups will have disagreements, I believe that this would allow for better resources due to "hashing it out." This will allow for true discussion and true PLC to take place in schools. If Go Open NC has a rating system and educators have the opportunity to have open dialogue concerning standards and using those standards in the classroom. 

I love the idea of meeting afterwards, debriefing, and writing a collective feedback on the platform. That is a GREAT idea and gives a collecitve voice and a way of getting everyone's feedback and different perspectives based on the different students in each class. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

No matter the detail given to unpacking standards, there are different interpretations of standards, and vertical alignment of standards is often not known completely.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

#GoOpenNC platform could provide a productive way to give and receive feedback about alignment before resources are posted. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

We unpack standards with a vertical progress in mind. Resources could be checked to see if they align to this vertical progression.

I like the vertical progression mention here - an important detail when planning for instruction.

Hi Vicki! 

I agree we can all interpret standards differently. 

1)  In ELA, I feel many times standards overlap so much that it can be difficult to make sure you are addressing the corrent standard in its entirety.  The depth of the content is important to understand in order to make sure it is completely being addressed. 

2)  This will allow NC educators to connect with people in their same area and grade level.  They can discuss the standards and how they can best be addressed to meet the needs of students.  This can allow educators to reflect on different view points and allow for new ideas.

3) We have started using templates to facilate this process in our PLC. I found what we discussed in the webinar to be more efficent and I feel this could help us during our PLC time.

So true about ELA. Sometimes you feel like you do all of the standards everytime you begin a new reading selection. I think as ELA teachers, we need to really take a look at what mastery of that skill looks like. Then find ways students can demonstrate this mastery through activities. This platform is the first step in helping teachers find specific resources for each standard. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

When it comes to ELA for 9-12, OVERalignment is more likely than misalignment -- because we have language standards, reading standdards and writing standards. An in-depth writing assignment might touch base on many standards but what I'd really hope is that teachers and other resource authors consider the general intention of the assigment  -- WHAT is it trying to teach? Rather than "what does it also happen to teach"

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

The process to review resources and allow comments on resources encourages teachers to vet the resources and/or share. I do think the platform needs to strongly encourage -- perhaps with reminders after a resource is downloaded or accessed ---- to tell teachers to review it ---- similiar to when a website asks you to review or answer questions after you've purchased a product.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?

My PLC uses progress monitoring to determine skill mastery for our students. We share activities that worked for our students based on average performances on district common assessments. These skills are specificly derived from our ELA 9-10 standards. 

I've never heard of over-alignment.  Interesting concept.  Good ideas on how Go NC can foster the different viewpoints on resource alignment.

Carrie

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Misunderstanding or different interpretations of the objectives.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

Frequent discussions, use of rubric, practice examples

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Discussion of unpacking standards, making sure everyone is on the same page

Carrie Jones

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

 I think misalignment comes from not fully understanding the standard and ALL parts of the standard. If you haven't unpacked documents for a standard or are using a watered down version that has been reworded then it is easy to use a resource that doesn't line up with what it is really being asked. 

I also think sometimes we "overdo" it when it comes to trying to get students to do as much as possible and we do not givce students enough time to complete tasks to fully understand the standard presented. We all feel pressured to do as much as we can when we can, and sometimes that is not what students need. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think it is also a good idea to ask others what they think something means. I think we need to be open to different interpretations so that we can reflect on our own practices and if we are covering things from different viewpoints, just like our students learn. We need to make sure we fully understand standards ourselves. I am a media coordinator, and it is overwhelming trying to keep up with ELA standards for each grade level sometimes! 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Our county media coordinator PLC does not have a lot of discussions about standards alignment. I would LOVE for our PLC to change so that we include this! I think that having OER is going to help drive us in that direction. It would be great to be able to show teachers how collaboration can occur between the media center and the classroom easily! 

As Media Specialist we get caught up in book and device issues how to help teachers with resources falls to the side.  This OER platform will give us a new tool to help us move on and help with more collaboration.

1. Some common reasons for misalighment include 

                  - not fully understanding what the standard is asking for, this can be helped by always having the unpacked documents available

                  - sometimes you fall in love with an activity that doesn't quite align with the standards and choose to use it anyway because it is fun or interesting to you or, let's face it some teachers choose things because they are easy

2.  I think there are a lot of teachers out there that are passionate, talented and excited about learning. The ability to colaborate and share resources with all this brain power is very exciting to me. Hopefully, it will also spark discussion about what activites are best suited for different standards and encourage everyone to work together to create great resources.

3. Alignment discussions could be a great way to ensure that activities are lining up with the current standards and streamline time spent planning. They also can be used, just as in question 2 to discuss differing opinions about what activites align with what standards.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?  The quality of the resource is determined by how in depth the lesson/resource  is. The main reason for a misalignment is that a lesson does not go into the depth you need to cover some standards..  

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?  This platform will pull in resources from different parts of the United States and North Carolina. Teachers will be able to discuss resources and share insight from training on or use of a resource with students and how they best modified it to help their students.. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

This platform would give us a resource to use in alignment discussions.  We spend so much time on data from the students. This resource would help us focus on improving the lessons.  We could also learn from others and not have to reinvent the wheel at our PLC meeting.  

I am excited about the brain power as well.  I believe we will get an opportunity to collaborate and share resources and even make the resources better.  I look forward to more alignment discussions and to begin evaluating resources on the platform.  

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

- Resources often address only part of the standard for a given grade level.  If the resource is teaching part of the standard it is helpful if this is stated with suggested follow-ups to teach the complete standard.

- Resources often include 8 to 10 (or more) standards that may be addressed in a lesson or series of lessons.  It is suggested that resources limit standards to 1-3 standards that are being developed and taught through the resource.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

- As resources are being reviewed for a specific grade level standard alignment, it is helpful to include comments on which main standard is being taught through the use of the resouce.

- If a resource is only teaching part of a standard for a given grade level, it would be helpful it it would include a statement that this is teaching a specific element of the standard and that further teaching is necessary to teach the complete standard.  This could be noted in the comments.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

- As PLC groups meet to discuss what students will know and be able to do, using #GoOpenNC will be a "go to" spot to find resources.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment? Common reasons for misalignment are the misunderstanding of the standard.  This can happen without a close look at the unpacking documents and examples that is shared.  Also, sometimes people do not go deep enough with the standard.  The person who creates a resource might be too surface level and it does not get to the heart of the standard.  What does the student need to learn based on the standard? This is a question I ask to make sure the resource meet the needs of the student.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment? Post some exemplar pieces that are aligned based on the NCDPI documents and have participants discuss these exemplars in detail.  This would create productive discussion because the discussions will be centered around what NCDPI sees as exemplar.  Then others can add to the exemplar piece and the group can see the best of the best resources based on the alignment of the standards.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  We use the unpacking documents and we discuss how we will know that students have learned this standard.  We talk about what will we do if they show evidence that they have not learned the standard and what will we do if they have mastered the standard.  We create standard check off sheets based on the NCDPI standards and connect assignments with the standard.  We analyze the resource a team member has found to see if it is aligned with the NCDPI documents especially if the resource does not have a standard written.

So true about the unpacking documents. So many times teachers don't use that tool.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I agree that incomplete alignment happens when we underestimate how long something takes to master, but misalignment can also occur when there are multiple points where things hit the curriculum. It may not also be true misalignment, but things that may align more than one time! 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I truly hope that the platform becomes a true professional discussion because so many things we do are aligned multiple times throughout the curriculum. I hope people see this and think vertical alignment, instead of criticism of the way they viewed the work. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  I think alignment discussion can become an integral part of PLC discussions. We share resources regularly in PLCs, so this platform will be a great resource for extending that discussion. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?  As many have said, the wording that describes lessons/resources can be vague and only use key words from a standard, but never actually cover it.  

What we saw in the ASW is that the lessons didn't fit the "Verb" for the standard.  With the new resources you have given us through this experience I believe we have options now to help write, remix, and examine lessons.  

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment? 

This will give us opportunities to discuss across the state more ways in making our lessons well rounded and how to make our students successful.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

By having the rubric and the other resources you have shown us, we will be able to have something to refer and hold up our ideas.

1) I think one common reason for misalignment is a lack of understanding of the standards.  Some standards tend to be very general and it's not always easy to know how indepth a teacher needs to teach a standard.

2) I believe the #GoOpenNC platform will give teachers a way to collaborate, make decisions, and consider all ways to teach standards.  It helps when you don't have to figure all of this out on your own.

 3) Alignment is a part of all of our PLC discussions.  This is how we plan our formative assessments.

Our PLC discussions are not quite where your's are. I think that attributes to why our teachers are searching for good activities then making the activity fit the standards rather than looking for ways for students to demonstrate mastery of standards. I think this platform will help teachers find resources with the end/mastery in mind. 

1.  Often there are no guidelines for folks evaluating resources!  There is great value in the use of a rubric.  Having some guidance should help the the misalignment/incomplete alignment issues.

2.  Our platform brings together educators looking for consistent/reliable resources that mesh well with our Essential Standards.  Will provide the opportunity to share/discuss the good. bad and ugly of finding great resources for our students.

3.  Our grade levels talk about things we can do to help each other out!  We work together to fill in gaps in our lessons!

1.  One common reason for misalignment/incomplete alignment could be that the standard it covers is so broad and could be interpreted in different ways.  

2. The #GoOpenNC platform could give us access to other teachers using the same resources.  In this way we are able to connect the needs of our students.  If in our own classroom we have only one or two AIG or EC students whose needs we are trying to meet.  Now, with connections of other teacher across the state, we have more such students whose needs could be met by connections and resources.  

3. PLC's using those alignment dicussions could benefit from the fine tuning of standard delivery.  When facing situation where formative assessment and  reteaching show deficits, they could see gaps where additional materials/approaches could be used and students would benefit.  

I can also see this platform being very helpful for differentiation in the classroom. Having multiple sources of materials to meet the needs of students with various styles of learning will be most helpful. 

1)  Not knowing the depth or  breadth. Only touching the surface. Only asking to recall versus developing skills/reasoning, for instance.  

2) It allows everyone to review resources and make judgements/flag/comment based on their knowledge and experience, and therefore creating discussions that are useful about content. Helping to learn and grow.

3) We haven't really had these kinds of discussions.  Would be very helpful! 

I agree strongly with the "learn and grow" concept that you mentioned. I find that working with other teachers, or teacher/ librarians often brings a new depth of understanding to the curriculum and subject matter. One perfect example was the math material that we were asked to discuss in the 2cd webinar. I have never taught ES, so it was completely foreign to me, and yet looked great. That was shot down by the ES math teachers pretty quickly! 

1)  Not knowing the depth or  breadth. Only touching the surface. Only asking to recall versus developing skills/reasoning, for instance.  

2) It allows everyone to review resources and make judgements/flag/comment based on their knowledge and experience, and therefore creating discussions that are useful about content. Helping to learn and grow.

3) We haven't really had these kinds of discussions.  Would be very helpful! 

Common reasons for misalignment to standars for an assignment include wording that is vague. I have read materials that can move off into tangents that are not aligned to the standards at all, particularly in social studies. I like the platform for GoopenNC because it fosters discussion among professionals that will eventually result in aligned materials that are understandable, and easily found and used in the classroom. 

When I moved from working as a librarian in colleges and universities, one of my weaknesses was writing lesson plans; my weakest point of that was assessments. In the university system there are few formative and summative assessments required, and they are certainly different than K-12.

I have taken away several items from these webinars that I will be using in PLT's with the instructional facilitators at my new school. Most importantly, I will be using the rubric to identify materials that are aligned with the standards. 

Common reasons for misalignment to standars for an assignment include wording that is vague. I have read materials that can move off into tangents that are not aligned to the standards at all, particularly in social studies. I like the platform for GoopenNC because it fosters discussion among professionals that will eventually result in aligned materials that are understandable, and easily found and used in the classroom. 

When I moved from working as a librarian in colleges and universities, one of my weaknesses was writing lesson plans; my weakest point of that was assessments. In the university system there are few formative and summative assessments required, and they are certainly different than K-12.

I have taken away several items from these webinars that I will be using in PLT's with the instructional facilitators at my new school. Most importantly, I will be using the rubric to identify materials that are aligned with the standards. 

Agreed Stephanie and those tangents eat up valuable classroom time with no real measuable learning outcomes.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

One reason that stands out to me from experience is that resources are often presented with the expectation that all prior knowledge is equal. Teachers differentiate for many types of learners, and/or reaching learners with various level of experience -- some reteaching might be necessary in order to successfully implement the resource towards the expected learning target.  

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

 Too often teachers share resources without really considering it's alignment to a specific standard - I think of colleagues who grab something from TPT, (unethically, typically) make copies for their team, and all go ahead and use it without critical inspection. Just because the box is checked for a standard by the creator, doesn't mean it's accurate! The exercises we're doing here allow me to better establish a dialogue with teachers in my building and my PLN on how to do this when evaluating resources in the future. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

​I'm an outlier (librarian!), so I don't have many PLC meeting opportunities with teams in my building around common planning. However! I do participate in vertical meetings and am serving on a district team to create learning targets around the DLCs... I see these exercises on evaluating the resources as a great way to better engage in the discussions with PLCs around implementing resources found here, as well as better evaluation and discussion for vertical planning goals. ​

I love the way you say that! You are SO right, all prior knowledge is different and there are all kind of different interpretations as a result of that fact. I think that is a very valuable point for me to think of before every PLC!!

I whole-heartedly agree with you Mollee! Scaffolding is a must to ensure all students can access the content. I also agree about the standardard. I think too often teachers are looking for good activites then making them "fit" rather than thinking with the outcome in mind. What does mastery of that skill look like? How can I get students to show mastery?

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

In many of the standards there is overlapping and vague wording. This can cause confusion and possible misalignment. Also, teachers can sometimes go deeper into a topic than the standard requires because they feel the students need to know this deeper content. Finally, some lessons are developed as if the student can master the content after being introduced so, the pacing is off.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think teachers do want feedback on the lessons that they create. The groups and discussion platforms will allow teachers to give that feedback as well as remixed lessons.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

When I taught face to face, I was the only teacher who taught my subject matter. So, that evaluative collaboration was difficult. At NCVPS there are several of us that teach the APSC-A. Last year our course was revised and our eLC discussions were filled with discussions about the revised course. This year the College Board has revised the big ideas, aka standards, so we will be focusing on the alignment of the new big ideas and our lessons.

I completely agree with your response to #1, Sandra.  A lot of times there is confusion due to standards overlapping or being too vague.  Also, the time constraints for 'assuming' a student will master the content in a short period of time.  When I was teaching inclusion classes (28 students at a time and more than 14 had an IEP or 504), time constraints for pacing and mastery just did not work to the student's advantage most times.  It also stresses the teacher out more when you want the students to truly understand, but you are being told that you need to not fall too far behind in your pacing.  

1) What are the common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Tasks might address part of a standard but not the entire standard. Teachers not keeping up with the curriculum changes is a common reason that I think there are misalignments, like when quadratic formula moved from Math 1 to Math 2.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I think by allowing open discussions on resources and make sure they have the aligned standards listed will help in the platform. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  When we approach a new unit we talk about what we want students to know at the end of the unit. We look at the standards and the I can statements that accompany them. We develop our assessment based on the standards and then look to find tasks to supplement the book resource to meet the standards. 

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment? I think many times, teachers are looking for a quick connection so they can note they covered a standard. In my experiences, many teachers check many standards that are loosely connected rather than a one major focus.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment? I think GoOpenNC can serve as a tool for finding great resources by individual standards. Teachers will begin to look for activites/assessments that address that one standard. 

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? I think this is a weak area for my PLCs. I think they are still centered around the idea of "what activities are we doing?" rather than "what skill should students master next?"

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Lack of understanding of the standard 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

Providing the resource you have with the rubric is a great start. I think also providing a small P.D. module/resource for PLCs on the platform would also be helpful.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

We could use this platform to vertically aligning our curriculum based on the standards. RIght now, we work are working independently.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?  Many times misalignments occur when lacking deep knowledge of the standard in regard to the grade level as well as vertical alignment.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?  The best feedback occurs after a lesson is utilized in the classroom.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  'Alignment question stems can be utilized with a rubric or checklist to ensure alignment when palnning.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Reasons for misalignment or incomplete alignment might be because the standard is complex; the standard may be too large to cover in the time alotted or the user simply may not know or understand the standard.

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

The #GoOpenNC platform can foster productive discussion on resource alignment via group discussion, resource assessment and sharing, aligning and evaluating resources for classroom use.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

PLC could use the alignment discussions to identify resources for classroom use and implement as needed.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

I must say that coming from a state (Georgia) that did not have EOGs, Check-Ins, etc., it was very confusing to me when I began teaching in North Carolina.  It started with the NCSCOS, revamping of NCSCOS with same name, then Common Core, now back to NCSCOS.  The current, so-called 'new' standards seem to just be a 'merger' of the old and the new but with the old name.  I can only speak for the county I teach in, but a lot of time there are too many 'chiefs' in the room and that is why there is a confusion amongst a lot of teachers (seasoned ones included) that struggle with teaching directly to the standards.  Lessons cover more than one standard and becuase of that, it takes students a little longer sometimes to master those standards within the time our counties dertmine for our pacing guides.  Often times, students have mastered what is asked of them before we are moving on to the next topic/lesson.  I would love to particpate in a TRUE PLC that analyzes alignment and uses the data with fidelity to teach our kids.  Sorry, I kinda got off on a rant there :)  

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

I feel that with this opportunity to have discussions with others that are not specific to our location, it truly fosters more productive discussions, because there's no room to form biases (hopefully) and most participants seem to want the same thing.....collaboration on similar topics.  I wonder if this type of platform could be mandatory as part of professional development that is mandatory and not optional.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles? 

OMG, let me count the ways......Oftentimes our PLCs turn in to 'complaint' parties instead of colleagues truly listening and collaborating with one another on the issues at hand. Our county, usually every 4-6 years, will offer an incentive to receive CEUs for attending a summer workshop to help develop pacing guids and plans.  Unfortunately, colleagues attend with the expectation their hard work will pay off, only to find out later that what they created was not valued or even used.  If we incorporated this format (open discussion with more than the people at our specific locations), I feel that we could look at alignment issues throughout the year and hope to use that data to create a better plan of action for teaching the next year.  It should be continuous each year, because education is always chaning.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

One reason I believe a misalignment or incomplete alignment occurs is when a teacher does not fully understand the standards in which the assignment/task is assessing student knowledge upon. Standards are not a fluid as we would like them to be. I can speak from personal experience when I was student teaching, my coordinating teacher asked me if I was familiar with common core and expressed concern over not completely understanding the standards. She felt that she couldn’t accurately align her materials and the curriculum she had acquired over the years.  

 Another way in which a misalignment or incomplete alignment might occur is if a teacher did not have knowledge about students prior knowledge. i.e. What they might learn and master in 6th grade and how it relates to content taught in 7th grade and so forth. 

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

 As educators we are supposed to be reflective about our practice and value positive feedback in order to grow. I would hope that GoOpenNC would allow teachers to share their opinions openly to communicate and share what they have learned about the resources they have created. I have always found it beneficial to share my resources and receive feedback in order to make them better.

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

Again, as educators we (should) love to share and network with others. Personally I love to gather new resources and try them out in my classroom and discuss the data I collect from them. I would love to share the resources and information I glean from GoOpen with my colleagues and PLC.

1) What are common reasons for misalignment/incomplete alignment?

Misunderstanding the standards, not using the standards when looking for resources, missing details within standards and/or terminology, plus sometimes standards are hard to understand!

2) How can the #GoOpenNC platform foster productive discussion about different viewpoints regarding resource alignment?

It will be good to see perspectives from all across NC and the nation!

3) How does (could) your PLC use alignment discussions in your planning cycles?  

It would be really easy to start with a resource and/or a standard for review and planning.