Assessment Lab
Institute
December 2-3, 2024
DATE
December 2-3, 2024
TIME
8:00 am - 3:00 pm Central Time
LOCATION
Glacier Canyon Conference Center at The Wilderness Resort
45 Hillman Road
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
Rooms available for $129/night
COST/ REGISTRATION
$450
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(Includes a copy of Extinguishing the Fires Within Assessment and Grading Reform, coffee and soda and access to all other materials electronically)
Lunch will be on your own.
Are you struggling to create meaningful and accurate standards-aligned assessments? Do you find it challenging to develop assessments that truly measure student learning and growth? Are you looking for practical strategies to create differentiated and effective assessments? The Assessment Lab Institute (ALI) is the solution! Join us for a practical two-day workshop designed to equip educators with the skills and strategies needed to develop high-quality assessments that align with their standards.
What to Expect:
At ALI, you will bring 1-2 standards and their associated learning targets to our "lab" for intensive, hands-on experimentation and development. Our expert facilitators will guide you through a comprehensive process to create:
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Student and Teacher Observables: Define clear, actionable indicators of student and teacher performance for your standards.
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High-Quality Assessments: Create both formative and summative assessments that accurately measure student understanding and progress.
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Reassessments with Differentiated Assessment: Design differentiated reassessments to ensure all students have the opportunity to succeed.
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Self-Reflection/Assessment: Develop self-assessment tools that empower students to reflect on their learning and growth.
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Feedback Strategies: Create effective feedback mechanisms to support student improvement and engagement.
By the end of the workshop, you will have taken at least one standard through our entire assessment cycle, leaving with a complete toolkit of strategies and materials ready to implement in your classroom. You’ll gain hands-on experience in creating and refining assessments, ensuring they are aligned with your standards and tailored to meet the diverse needs of your students. You will also learn how to develop actionable feedback strategies and reassessment plans that promote continuous improvement. This comprehensive approach ensures you are well-prepared to replicate the process for other standards in the future, building your capacity to create a robust and effective assessment framework.
Why Attend?
ALI is not just another workshop; it's a solution to your assessment challenges. In our "lab," you'll collaborate with fellow educators, testing and perfecting your assessment tools. You'll leave with a full assessment cycle for one of your standards, ready to apply and replicate for future success. Empower yourself with the clarity and tools needed to enhance student outcomes and drive educational excellence.
Join us at The Assessment Lab Institute and transform your approach to standards-based assessment!
Garth Larson
Garth Larson, Ed.D is the Co-Founder and CEO of FIRST Educational Resources. Garth has previously worked as the Director of Learning for the Winneconne Community School District in northeast Wisconsin, was an elementary principal in two separate buildings and started his career in education as a high school speech and English teacher. In 2011, Garth formed Wisconsin Educational Resources (now FIRST) with a focus on improving student achievement across the United States. Since 2011, over 2000 school districts throughout the globe have become partnership districts with his company. Garth currently consults with school districts around the world and provides customized professional development around a variety of topics, mainly Professional Learning Communities 2.0, Learning-Centered Grading Practices, Leadership and School Improvement. Garth is also the author of Collaborative Systems of Support: Learning for ALL with co-authors Tom Hierck and Chris Weber, Target-Based Grading in Collaborative Teams: 13 Steps to Moving Beyond Standards with co-author Tom Hierck, Grading for Impact: Raising Student Achievement through a Target-Based Assessment and Learning System and PLC 2.0: Collaborating for Observable Impact in Today’s Schools with co-author Cale Birk.
Becky Peppler
Becky Peppler is the Director of the FIRST Education Center for Assessment and Grading (a division of FIRST Educational Resources). She has 15 years of professional experience in public education, working in the Winneconne Community School District in northeast Wisconsin. Becky has spent time as a 6-12 Instructional Coach with a focus on supporting teachers in the classroom on a daily basis. Prior to her role as an instructional coach, Becky taught Chemistry and Forensic Science and was the 6-12 Science Curriculum Chair. She is a member of the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers (WSST), where she was awarded the Excellence in Science Education Award for the state of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Science Education Leadership Association (WSELA). Becky has helped the Winneconne Community School District transition to Target Based Grading at the middle and high school levels. She has a passion for designing meaningful assessments practices, making reassessment work, target based learning implementation, building social and emotional skills and ensuring that all students continue to learn at high levels. Becky currently consults to school districts all over the United States in these areas.
Interested in Learning More About our Standards/ Target-Based Grading Services?
From institutes and workshops, to side-by-side coaching, we are here to support your efforts!