Our Events
The FIRST Educational Resources Conferences, Workshops, and Webinars are designed with the needs of educators and leaders in mind. Our presenters represent some of the premier thought leaders in education today.
Featured Event!
"We Got This!" Learner FIRST Back to School Summit
The Back to School Summit is the conference that will not only prepare educators with practical tools and strategies for the 2022-23 school year, but also provide a renewed sense of energy and optimism for this great profession.
In-Person Event!
Leadership Event
Learner FIRST
Leadership Summit
During this 2-day leadership summit, school and district leaders will have the opportunity to learn about new approaches to their work from some of the foremost experts in the field of leadership. Participants will gain the inspiration they need to plan for the 2022-2023 school year...a fresh start and a new chance for excellence!
Standards Based Grading Toolkit Series
Multiple Session Options
Whether you are a brand new teacher, or a teacher looking to expand your skill set in grading and reporting practices, the S.T.A.G.R. Toolkit Series is for you! Drawing upon the work of Dr. Thomas Guskey, Ken O’Connor, and others, this series will support teachers in learning and implementing the components of Standards Based Grading.
Standards Based Assessment Boot Camp
June 21-22, 2022
Looking for support in designing and aligning standard or target aligned assessments? Join us for a virtual, 2-day event where we will let the four components of standard/target aligned assessment guide our learning! Reserve your space and join us for a 2-day assessment boot camp adventure.
Center for Civil Rights in Education
CREATING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH A SHARED COMMITMENT TO ACTION
Equity-Minded Leadership: Strategically Creating Access and Opportunity
Multiple Options
Success for every student depends on equity-minded leadership. Through purposeful engagement, participants will build a deeper understanding of equity-mindedness to strengthen and support their capacity to lead for equity.
Coaching That Transforms Collaborative Teacher Teams
Multiple Cohort Options
As coaches, if we aren’t coaching for equity we are complicit in reproducing an inequitable system. We have a professional obligation to lead and coach in a way that surfaces and interrupts inequities and transforms practices that help us to create the schools children deserve. This series will offer an opportunity to learn how to support teams in navigating the stages of team development, with equity at the center.
Social Justice and Civil Rights in the Civics Classroom
June 14-15, 2022
This series will take place over two, 3 hour sessions, and will outline the greatest civics education approach in existence, The Legislative Semester. Participants will be provided with an overview of the “Legislative Semester” including how democratic classrooms create students with a passion for civic engagement, power of personal agency, and the skills needed to advocate for change on social, political, and economic justice in the 21st Century.
Check Back Soon for Upcoming Events!
Jenni Donohoo Center for Collective Efficacy Events
RAISING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT TOGETHER
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Collective Efficacy Institute
June 27, 2022
During this full day session, participants will learn what collective efficacy is and why it’s important. Audience members will also examine the enabling conditions for collective efficacy along with a model for leading collective efficacy in schools.
Literacy and Coaching Center
Events
STRENGTHEN AND GROW YOUR PRACTICES
Fostering Collective Efficacy Institute
October 5-6, 2022
Learn about the sources that strengthen collective teacher efficacy in schools. Participants will leave with a plan and actionable steps to strengthen collective teacher efficacy.
In-Person Event!
Instructional Coaching Toolkit Series
Multiple Cohort Options Available
Whether you are a brand new coach, or a coach looking to expand your skillset, the Instructional Coaching Toolkit Series is for you! Drawing upon a variety of coaching approaches and models, this series will support coaches in learning entry points for coaching relationships. Coaches will learn how to determine the best approach for any situation they might face.
Instructional Coaching Toolkit 2.0 (Advanced Pathways)
Multiple Pathways Available
Whether you participated in our original Instructional Coaching Toolkit series, or have several years of coaching experience under your belt, it’s time to take your desire to continually learn, develop, and refine your coaching practices and join us for the Instructional Coaching Toolkit 2.0, where you choose your learning pathway! Pathways include: Digging Deeper into Coaching Cycles, Planning and Facilitating Professional Learning for Staff, and Developing an Instructional Playbook.
Coaching That Transforms Collaborative Teacher Teams
Multiple Cohort Options
As coaches, if we aren’t coaching for equity we are complicit in reproducing an inequitable system. We have a professional obligation to lead and coach in a way that surfaces and interrupts inequities and transforms practices that help us to create the schools children deserve. This series will offer an opportunity to learn how to support teams in navigating the stages of team development, with equity at the center.
Equity Minded Coaching for Systems Change
Multiple Session Options
In this 3 part series, participants will interrogate their beliefs, learn key organizational considerations to address inequities, and analyze strategies needed to support an effective coaching culture. Participants will leave with tools and other resources to enact transformational change and create equitable conditions leading to high outcomes for all students.
June 14, 2022
Would you like to get a head start on planning for a stellar 2022/2023 year of writing instruction? During this session, teachers and leaders will learn how to ensure that their writing curriculum addresses all parts of writing instruction, including grammar and phonic and is cohesive and engaging. Participants will leave this session with plenty of concrete next steps to ensure that every child in their class/school/district gets the highest caliber of writing instruction
Planning a Cohesive Writing Curriculum
Powerful Partnerships: Observable Impact in the Work of Coaches and Principals
June 14, 2022
The value of a strong partnership between coach and principal cannot be overstated. When this collaboration is focused on impact that can be observed, student learning and teacher success is assured. During this workshop, principal and coach teams will learn how to plan for observable impact within their coaching model and what action they can take, collaboratively, to implement coaching practices that move learning forward.
Small Groups in the Secondary ELA Classroom (Grades 6-12)
June 14-15, 2022
Small group instruction has an abundance of benefits to support students growth in reading and is often an overlooked strategy in the secondary classroom. Small groups help us engage and inspire students all while fostering collaboration and increasing our ability to differentiate for students needs. As a result of this workshop, participants will gain an understanding of how to plan for and deliver small group instruction in the secondary ELA classroom.
Designing Engaging Professional Learning for Teachers
June 16, 2022
How can instructional coaches and school leaders ask our educators to engage in continuous learning when their plates are already overflowing? Just as intentional planning is critical to creating engaging and successful learning opportunities for students, intentional planning is also critical to creating engaging and successful professional development opportunities for educators.
Encouraging a Love of Science Through Picture Books and Literacy
June 21, 2022
In this session, participants will learn about why we use picture book read alouds to increase STEM understanding, how to select books and align them with standards and strategies that need be addressed in science and literacy, as well as looking at representation of the texts you choose, and strategies to use and extend student student learning with inquiry ideas and explorations.
Shared Reading Reboot: Using Short Texts as Mighty Mentors
June 28, 2022
Short texts are everywhere, and so are the readers who love them. In this 3-part series, learn how to select, plan with, and use short texts as the mighty mentors you need to teach valuable skills and strategies, increase reading volume and inspire opportunities for writing across content areas. If you are a K-12 classroom teacher, reading specialist, interventionist, instructional coach, curriculum designer or administrator, join us for this resource-packed series where you’ll leave with a toolkit for reshaping shared reading you can use immediately.
Engaging and Supporting New Teachers Through Mentorship
June 28 and 30, 2022
A high quality mentor program recognizes and understands those phases, addresses the logistical needs of a new teacher within a system, and allows the new teachers to set goals for their first year with guidance and support from their mentors. In this session, leaders and coaches will learn how to design an effective mentoring program and will leave with the tools and resources to put it into action.
July 12 and 19, 2022
In this series, we’ll work to redefine and refine small, flexible reading groups. We’ll name common challenges and uncover do-it-tomorrow solutions. This series nudges us to look closely at on-the-spot data that can be used to shift, or pivot, small groups keeping them nimble and responsive to students’ wants and needs. We’ll explore resources and different ways to curate texts that are going to get kids jazzed up about reading, both in small groups and independently. We’ll wrap up this series by exploring tools to put all of these small group reading moves into action through well-designed, flexible, learner-centered instructional plans
Small Groups, Big Results (Grades K-5)
Building a Collegial Community Through Professional Book Clubs
July 12, 2022
Book clubs and article discussions provide opportunity for professionals to connect around topics of interest to them personally, as well as professionally. This workshop will explore different models of developing sustainable book clubs that balance cognitive engagement and relationship building.
Coaching Essentials to Jumpstart the Year!
July 26, 2022
As a 1st or 2nd year coach beginning a new year and possibly a new position, of course you want to feel prepared! Sometimes we just aren’t sure where to begin. What can we wrap our heads around before the year begins? What can we prepare in advance of the start of the year to be able to hit the ground running? You will leave this workshop ready to begin coaching and supporting staff from the “get go!"
Relevant and Engaging Mentor Texts to Guide Standards Aligned Instruction (Grades 3-8)
July 26, 2022
Love to read …#kidlit? Love that “Book Club” feeling? Join like minded educators for collaboration around relevant, engaging #kidlit! Just one mentor text can serve as a catalyst for many lessons. We will explore and discuss literature that you will want to share with your students! Ideas for implementation will also be shared!
RtI Reboot: Asset-Based Approaches for Supporting ALL Learners
August 9, 2022
Are your RtI processes focused on students’ assets or deficits? Is the data you use to make important instructional decisions multi-faceted? Are you nimble in your approaches and responses to meeting students’ needs? Join author, Julie Wright, to answer these questions and more!
Engagement Through the Lens of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
August 9 and 11, 2022
Engagement is more than catchy lesson openers, offering a few choice assignments, or asking students to turn and talk to a neighbor. Engagement is also more than attendance and compliance. Engagement includes interest, effort and persistence, and self-regulation. This two part workshop will build understanding of active engagement while providing strategies for monitoring and measuring engagement
Intentional Planning with Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
August 9 and 11, 2022
As teachers maximize instructional time with learners, it is key to proactively design for the variability of learners within any classroom. In this session, participants will explore what it means to be firm on goals and flexible on means. As a result of this session, teachers, leaders, and coaches will learn strategies to embed within lesson design to address barriers and will develop an awareness of how providing multiple means of representation creates “on-ramps” for the range of learners within a classroom community.
Engaging Literacy for the Big Kids
(Grades 4-12)
August 15-18, 2022
When it comes to meaningful literacy instruction for the Big Kids, engagement is the key! For years, Dr. Katie McKnight has worked with teachers around the country to learn and develop the most effective models of literacy instruction for students in grades 4-12. During this 4-part series, Dr. McKnight will share tools and strategies that teachers can implement in their classrooms to draw students into learning and to allow them to become stronger readers, writers, and communicators.
Instructional Coaching Toolkit 2.0 (Advanced Pathways)
Multiple Pathway and Date Options
Whether you participated in our original Instructional Coaching Toolkit series, or have several years of coaching experience under your belt, it’s time to take your desire to continually learn, develop, and refine your coaching practices and join us for the Instructional Coaching Toolkit 2.0, where you choose your learning from multiple pathway options!
I'm a Math Coach...Now What?
October 4, 2022
In this session, coaches will learn tips and ideas for making the leap from classroom teaching to being a math coach a little less intimidating. Participants will be guided through the components of a student-centered math coaching model, and share how coaching goals have a direct and intentional link to increasing math achievement.
Fall Learner FIRST Instructional Coaching Summit
September 28-29, 2022
More information coming soon!
Coaching for Observable Impact Network
Dates Throughout the 2022-2023 School Year
Members of the Coaching for Observable Impact Network will learn strategies and tools that will deepen the work they do with teachers. Coaches will also learn strategies for measuring the observable impact of their coaching efforts on the teachers they coach and the classrooms they support. Finally, coaches will have the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from their colleagues in schools and districts near and far. Together, we will connect our actions to our impact!
Mathematics Center
Events
HIGH QUALITY, HIGH IMPACT MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION
“Help! They Don’t Know Their Facts!”
Moving Beyond Memorization by
Developing Fact Fluency
Multiple Session Options
Have you ever wondered why students don’t know their basic facts? In this 90 minute virtual session, we will explore the difference between fluency and memorization, barriers, and how to build fact fluency through conceptual understanding and developing students’ number sense.
Leveraging Small Group Instruction:
Mathematical Tools for Scaffolding and Extending Students Conceptual Understanding
June 21, 22, 23, 2022
Individualized attention towards students boosts confidence and provides an environment where students feel comfortable with risk-taking, asking questions and receiving feedback to their learning. This series will provide teachers with many tools to build their “tool box” to meet the needs of the diverse learners in their classrooms through small group instruction.
I'm a Math Coach...Now What?
October 4, 2022
In this session, coaches will learn tips and ideas for making the leap from classroom teaching to being a math coach a little less intimidating. Participants will be guided through the components of a student-centered math coaching model, and share how coaching goals have a direct and intentional link to increasing math achievement.
Best Practices in Secondary
Math Instruction: Incorporating Small Groups and Teams
Multiple Dates
Instruction using grouping strategies provides strategically planned lessons that promote student discourse, problem solving, risk-taking, inquiry, and increased student engagement that results in deep conceptual understanding of mathematics concepts to maximize student learning outcomes. Join us to learn how to bring small group instruction to your 6-12 Math Classroom!
Launching Math Workshop:
How to Plan for a Successful Start
July 20, 2022
The first few weeks of implementing a workshop is critical to ensuring an effective and successful Math Workshop throughout the year. You will walk away with suggested anchor charts, mini lessons, and resources to begin a math workshop in your classroom right away on Day 1
Using Technology with High Impact Instructional Strategies
October 4, 11, 18, 25 2022
In this series, we will explore four instructional strategies: Feedback, Discourse, Metacognition & Purposeful Planning that have been proven to increase student achievement and how digital tools can enhance the use of these strategies.
Productive Struggle: Strategies and Tasks
for Promoting Perseverance in your Mathematics Classroom
July 20, 2022
During this session, we will explore the meaning of productive struggle and how it encourages risk-taking in the classroom. We will learn the importance of valuing perseverance and how mental stamina can be built through problem solving.
Math Workshop: Laying the Groundwork for Differentiation in your Math Classroom
Multiple Dates
Math workshop is a flexible instructional format that allows teachers to meet the diverse needs of students in their classroom. During this series, participants will learn the how-to’s for a math workshop model, as well as an exploration into workshop structures and classroom organization in order to meet the needs of the diverse learners in the math classroom.
Observable Impact Center
Events
EMPOWERING COLLABORATIVE TEAMS
Leading for Observable Impact: Practical Tools and Strategies
April 26, May 3, and May 10, 2022
There has never been a more challenging time for school and district leaders across the educational system. Health and safety protocols, Zoomified meetings, the daily email logjam, where do we fit it all in? And how can we transition from ‘triage-mode’ to what we signed up for...educational leadership?
Powerful Partnerships: Observable Impact in the Work of Coaches and Principals
June 14, 2022
The value of a strong partnership between coach and principal cannot be overstated. When this collaboration is focused on impact that can be observed, student learning and teacher success is assured. During this workshop, principal and coach teams will learn how to plan for observable impact within their coaching model and what action they can take, collaborative, to implement coaching practices that move learning forward.
Publishing Center
Events
PRINT RESOURCES THAT ARE PRACTICAL AND ENGAGING
How to Think Differently about Learner Engagement
June 14 and 16, 2022
Too often educators are evaluated, judged and told what to fix. It’s time to shift our focus to notice engagement in an appreciative manner. To discover, dream, design and deliver how we can enhance what’s already working. This session will focus on an inquiry process to get curious, to notice and value ourselves. Appreciation is one of the most compelling and powerful feelings we possess, so why don’t we use it more often in education? Together let’s find our spark to Think Differently.
How the Hell Do We Motivate These Kids?
July 26 and 27, 2022
These two sessions provide you with a solid foundation for how you can motivate students who do not seem to be motivated by creating a culture in your class. By using the phases of motivation to create the culture, not only will students be more likely to do the work, they will be better equipped to gain an enduring understanding of what they are learning.
Science and Agriculture Center
Events
RELEVANT LEARNING WITH CURRENT PRACTITIONERS
Encouraging a Love of Science Through Picture Books and Literacy
June 21, 2022
In this session, participants will learn about why we use picture book read alouds to increase STEM understanding, how to select books and align them with standards and strategies that need be addressed in science and literacy, as well as looking at representation of the texts you choose, and strategies to use and extend student student learning with inquiry ideas and explorations.
Social Emotional Learning Center
Events
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS
Better Behavior
Blueprint
Multiple Session Options
In this 3-part series, Greg Wolcott, author of the best-selling book Significant 72: Unleashing the Power of Relationships in Today’s Schools, will provide educators with a blueprint of practical strategies, tools, and ideas to not only better the behavior of our most challenging students, but create the relationships, routines, and rituals needed for all students to excel.
Social and Emotional Improvisation -
Workshop Series
Multiple Session Options
The idea of "yes-and '' is practiced by actors to be ready to listen and respond on stage in front of an audience, this same practice can be done to listen to our students in the classroom as well as helping students learn to work with others! Improv games help us keep that curiosity alive and meet each individual where they are, helping scaffold social and emotional learning in a unique and playful way. Join these workshops to experiencing a unique approach to working with individuals.
SEL Strategies for Success
Multiple Session Options
Educators and parents across the globe have seen the effects COVID has had on the mental health and well-being of their children. During this series, Greg Wolcott will will provide participants with hundreds of easy to implement, practical strategies and tools to ensure students not only survive but thrive social-emotionally in the classroom and in life.
Event Registration Policies
By agreeing to the registration terms, you understand and acknowledge that this is a legal binding agreement and payment will be due in full whether you attend the event or not. If you are unable to attend, you may send a substitute at no extra cost, provided that you notify us of the change at least 5 business days prior to the Event. Substitutions must be communicated by email to FIRST Educational Resources (info@firsteducation-us.com).
By agreeing to the registration terms, you understand and acknowledge you can cancel your registration to this Event as long as it’s 15 business days prior to the Event, and will be refunded in full for the cost of payment received, minus a $10.00 administration fee and 3.49% of the total registration cost if you paid by Credit Card.
By agreeing to the registration terms, you understand and acknowledge if you cancel less than 14 business days prior to the Event or non-attendance, you will be liable for the full cost of the registration. No reimbursements will be made for travel, accommodation or any other costs incurred by you in connection with the Event which you do not attend or cancel.