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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.
Events
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Summer
In-Person Summits
INSPIRATION | EXCITEMENT | LEARNING
We Got This Summit
Detroit Lakes, MN
June 20-21, 2023
The "We Got This Summit" is the conference that will not only prepare educators with practical tools and strategies for the 2023-24 school year, but will also provide a renewed sense of energy and optimism for this great profession. From the opening keynote with Jimmy Casas, to all 30 breakout sessions to choose from, our focus is “WE GOT THIS!”
FIRST Institute 2023
LaCrosse, WI
June 27-28, 2023
The "FIRST Institute 2023" will provide a renewed sense of energy and optimism for this great profession and help educators and leaders to prepare for the 2023-2024 school year. This year’s institute will focus on deep learning through extended, 2-hour workshops. Join us at the FIRST Institute 2023 and leave inspired around this great profession.
Extinguishing the Dumpster Fires of Assessment and Grading Reform
During this interactive series Becky Peppler, former High School Teacher and Instructional Coach, and Dr. Garth Larson, Former Director of Learning will talk through some common challenges (dumpster fires) that teachers and administration face when taking on assessment and grading reform. This reform series will be practical in nature and ground in experience of addressing these common questions as teachers and schools look to transition into more meaningful assessment, grading and reporting practices.
Clarity Roadmap Series
During this highly interactive 4 part series Dr. Garth Larson will examine what it means to have clarity throughout the entire STAGR Process (Standards, Targets, Assessment, Grading and Reporting). Not only do we want to know what those targets are, but what does it look like for students and teachers to be successful within those standards and targets.
15 Fixes for Broken Grades
Based on Ken O’Connor revised edition of “A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades,” attendees will be guided through all 15 Fixes and provided with revised examples and iterations to ensure educators are able to move to the highest level when answering these questions.
In-Person Event!
Spring STAGR
Conference
Join colleagues and schools from around the world at the STAGR Virtual Conference. This two day professional learning conference has been designed to give educators access to resources, thought-leaders, practitioners and provide solutions to help improve their ability to analyze what is important for students to learn.
Standards Based Grading Toolkit Series
In this series, participants will learn about the 4 main components of Standards Based Grading and have the opportunity to develop strategies and action plans for use within their classrooms/schools. Functioning as a professional learning community, the facilitators and fellow participants will support teachers as they try out their new learning between sessions and as they seek out the tools they need to be successful in their grading and reporting practices.
STAGR Center
Donohoo
Coaching
Instructional Coaching Toolkit Series
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.
Coaching for Observable Impact Network
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!
Instructional Coaching Spring Summit
Our most popular event of the year! Join Jim Knight, Jane Kise, and more at THE essential instructional coaching event of the year. You will walk away from this event with solutions to your coaching dilemmas and ideas and strategies to improve your coaching relationships and impact. See you there!
Instructional Coaching Toolkit 2.0 (Advanced Pathways)
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.
New Teacher
Learning Series
Your first year of teaching will be exciting, nerve-racking, and overwhelming. Sometimes all at the same time! We've been there and have supported hundreds of new teachers in your same spot. Join us, and a community of fellow new teachers, as we help you navigate the highs and lows of your first year in the greatest professional there is!
Coaching That Transforms Collaborative Teacher Teams
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
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.
Raising the Level of Early Literacy Foundational Learning
Lifting the level of early literacy skills such as print concepts, phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency is high on educator’s minds. This two part series will address what foundational concepts are important to teach in early grades, as well as why and how teaching these skills will foster engaged and proficient readers and writers.
Accelerating Literacy Learning through Small Groups
What is it that makes small group learning so tricky? Is it the management of the small groups? Is it the worry that not everyone is getting what they need or participating fully? Is it planning for small group learning that feels overwhelming? If you said yes to any of those, you are in good company. Join in to learn how to combat these challenges and accelerate student learning through small groups.
Re-imagining MTSS: Using LOTS of Literacy Data to Inform Decision-Making
There is no one-size-fits-all approach that is going to grow all students, but we can use LOTS of literacy data—the scheduled, numerical, similar for all types AND the in-the-moment, authentic, student work and interaction types—to create responsive plans. Teachers, specialists, coaches, curriculum directors — join in to learn about re-imagining RtI / MTSS and creating literacy supports for all learners.
Leveraging Writing Instruction for Total Literacy Success
If you are interested in learning more about how to integrate writing instruction into all parts of your day join Leah Mermelstein for a practical session on this topic. Leah will show you how to leverage all of your literacy and content area instruction towards helping students learn how to write with precision, clarity and joy.
Literacy
“Help! They Don’t Know Their Facts!”
Moving Beyond Memorization by
Developing Fact Fluency
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.
Best Practices in Secondary
Math Instruction: Incorporating Small Groups and Teams
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!
Math Workshop: Laying the Groundwork for Differentiation in your Math Classroom
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.
Productive Struggle: Strategies and Tasks
for Promoting Perseverance in your Mathematics Classroom
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.
FIRST Education Math Summit
Join us for this exciting one-day summit Making Math Equitable: Inspiring mathematicians by providing access and equity in the math classroom. Be prepared to walk away inspired, energized, and engaged to create classrooms where our students thrive and have access to rigorous math content.
Launching Math Workshop: How to Plan for a Successful Start
Starting Math Workshop in your classroom can be overwhelming. The first few weeks of implementing a workshop is critical to ensuring an effective and successful Math Workshop throughout the year. In this workshop session we will explore classroom set-up, creating a mathematical culture, and developing routines and procedures to ensure success.
Leveraging Small Group Instruction:
Mathematical Tools for Scaffolding and Extending Students Conceptual Understanding
Small group instruction allows teachers to understand their student’s instructional strengths and areas of need. This allows teachers to tailor lessons that meet students where they are along their journey of learning and understanding mathematical concepts. 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.
Re-imagining MTSS: Instruction for ALL in Math Using Data-Informed Instruction and Evidence-Based Practices
A one-size-fits-all approach to instruction sounds like a dream, right? However, we know this is not and should not be a reality because the learners in our classrooms are diverse in their needs. Therefore, we must be responsive in our instruction. The MTSS framework helps do just that by providing a three-tiered system of support for ALL learners.
Math
OI Center
Publishing
RtI Cente
Re-imagining MTSS: A Two-Day Event Focused on Responsive Instruction in Math and Literacy
A one-size-fits-all approach to instruction sounds like a dream, right? However, we know this is not and should not be a reality because the learners in our classrooms are diverse in their needs. Therefore, we must be responsive in our instruction. The MTSS framework helps do just that by providing a three-tiered system of support for ALL learners.
Science
SEL
Differentiating Up: Strategies to Engage and Challenge All Learners
All students come to the classroom with interests and talents that are rarely put to practice. They may seem unmotivated to interact with the content because they do not see the connections, worth and value of the curriculum. Therefore, teachers need strategies and techniques to differentiate “up” curriculum and instructional practices. In this series of three 1-hour sessions, you will actively engage in developing concept-driven instruction, advanced levels of questioning, and varied instructional strategies designed to challenge your students.
Better Behavior Institute
In this one day institute, 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 SOAR by developing their academic and social emotional wings.
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.
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