FIRST Ed Resources

There’s something special about bringing passionate educators together around culture, purpose and students. ❤️ Culturize 2027 is coming bacl to Chicago this June! Two days to reconnect with your purpose, learn alongside incredible educators and leave with new ideas, meaningful connections and renewed energy for the work ahead. Join us for the Culturize 2027 Institute! Spots are filling fast, reserve your space now! 🔗 bit.ly/481Gzz8 #Culturize #Culturize2027 #SchoolCulture #Education

🔥 This Friday on Fires in Grading... We've spent a lot of time talking about grading reform. But what experiences shaped the people behind those conversations? In Episode 36, we're turning the microphones on Don Smith! From his early days as a classroom teacher to leading a school through standards-based grading, Don shares the experiences, challenges and lessons that shaped his thinking about grading and leadership. 🎙️ Leading the Change: Don's Journey in Grading Reform Drops Friday, October 30! 🎧 bit.ly/47Yr5Mq #FiresInGrading #StandardsBasedGrading #SchoolLeadership #GradingReform #EducationalLeadership @otusk12 @donsmithedu @beckypeppler @larsongarth

Experienced educators play an important role in helping new teachers find their footing. Sometimes, the most meaningful support starts with simply recognizing when a new teacher might need a little extra guidance, encouragement or someone to talk things through with. 🎥 In this Author Talk clip, Danica Lewis shares an important reminder for experienced educators supporting those new to the profession. Watch the full Author Talk and learn more about Journey to Success: The Essential Guide for the First Year of Teaching: bit.ly/4sbRAax #JourneyToSuccess #NewTeachers #TeacherMentoring #TeacherSupport

Join us for our FREE Reassessment That Works webinar on November 10th at 11AM CST! We’ll dig into the 5 biggest reassessment mistakes we see schools make and share simple, practical shifts that can make reassessment work better for both students and teachers. Register here: bit.ly/4dKOEMb

The best ideas in a PLC don't always come from the loudest voice in the room. Intentional protocols create space for everyone to contribute, challenge thinking and build on one another's strengths. The PLC Center helps teams turn those conversations into meaningful action and impact. #PLCcenter #ObservableImpact #CollectiveEfficacy

School leaders, this one's for you! Join Tony Frontier, Gabe Hackett and Garth Larson for a FREE, in-person Learning Lab on January 27 in Neenah, WI! Explore practical ways to recalibrate PLCs, strengthen collaborative teams and use AI to make collaboration more efficient and impactful. Connect with other leaders, share ideas and leave with strategies you can put into action! Register today: bit.ly/4Bjq6UI #PLCcenter #SchoolLeadership #Collaboration #CollectiveEfficacy

💬 Reassessment without penalty, but not without process. Giving students another opportunity doesn't mean simply handing them another test. What happens between attempts matters. In Episode 35, Becky shares why student responsibility, relearning and intentional processes are essential to making reassessment work. Because another attempt isn't the goal. Additional learning is. 🎧 Watch the clip and listen to the full episode: bit.ly/47jlOyI #FiresInGrading #Reassessment #StandardsBasedGrading #Assessment #GradingReform @otusk12 @donsmithedu @beckypeppler @larsongarth

ONLY 5 SPOTS LEFT! We're just ONE WEEK away from the Standards-Based Grading Implementation Conference, and we'd love for you to join us! Two days of practical strategies, meaningful conversations and dedicated action planning to help you move your standards-based grading work forward. Whether you're just getting started or working through implementation challenges, you'll leave with ideas, tools and a clearer path forward. Only 5 spots remain. Don't miss your chance to join us! 🔗 Register today: bit.ly/4z3SSHq #StandardsBasedGrading #SBG #Assessment #GradingReform #EducationalLeadership

Collaboration matters, but collaboration alone is not collective efficacy. The deeper question is whether teams believe their shared actions can improve student learning. From The Confidence to Lead.

🎙️ Episode 35 is LIVE! Reassessment That Works Reassessment sounds great in theory. But what happens when we try to make it work in actual classrooms? In this episode, Garth, Don and Becky discuss ideas from Becky's new book, Reassessment That Works, tackling some of the biggest challenges schools face: 🔥 Student responsibility 🔥 Relearning before reassessing 🔥 Unlimited retakes 🔥 Teacher workload The goal isn't simply to offer another attempt. It's to create a process that leads to additional learning. 🎧 Listen now: bit.ly/4yO8gre #FiresInGrading #Reassessment #StandardsBasedGrading #Assessment #GradingReform @otusk12 @donsmithedu @beckypeppler @larsongarth

Great PLCs don’t happen by chance. They take intentional structures, meaningful conversations and a shared commitment to student learning. Join us December 11 for the Fall PLC Virtual Institute, featuring keynotes by Adam Welcome and Garth Larson and practical strategies to strengthen collaboration and impact! bit.ly/47ND1R4 #PLCcenter #Collaboration #CollectiveEfficacy

🔥 This Friday on Fires in Grading... "I don't have time for reassessment." It's one of the biggest challenges teachers face. But what if making reassessment manageable starts with examining our priorities? In Episode 35, we're digging into the real challenges of reassessment, including teacher workload, student responsibility and creating systems that actually support learning. 🎙️ Reassessment That Works drops Friday, October 16 at 8 AM CT! 🎧 bit.ly/4e4H6nu #FiresInGrading #Reassessment #StandardsBasedGrading #Assessment #GradingReform @otusk12 @donsmithedu @beckypeppler @larsongarth

A strong assessment starts long before the first question is written. Join us this December for dedicated time to examine alignment, evidence and assessment design — then put it into practice with your own assessments. Choose virtual or in person and come ready to work! bit.ly/4zwUAAM #Assessment #STAGR #StandardsBasedGrading

Two teachers in a classroom doesn't automatically mean shared responsibility for learning. Strong co-teaching happens when both educators contribute their expertise throughout the instructional process, not just during the lesson itself. It's worth asking: Are we truly sharing the instructional work, or have we simply divided up the tasks? That distinction matters for both teachers and students. #CoTeaching #TeacherCollaboration #InclusiveEducation #SharedOwnership

Principals set the conditions for strong PLCs. Join Garth Larson & Gabe Hackett FREE on October 15 for practical leadership moves that build clarity, strengthen accountability, navigate resistance and keep collaborative teams focused on impact. Can’t attend live? Recorded access is included! Register: bit.ly/4B5fdFM #PLCcenter #SchoolLeadership #ObservableImpact #CollectiveEfficacy

A PLC meeting shouldn’t end with, “Well…that was a good conversation.” Strong collaboration moves from conversation to action. Teams need structures that help them use data well, make decisions efficiently and leave knowing exactly what happens next. In this free PLC Center webinar, Gabe Hackett, Garth Larson and Ashley Farrington share practical tools and strategies to help teams move from meetings to momentum. Watch the free webinar here: From Meetings to Momentum: PLC Moves that Lead to Impact bit.ly/4hxBrZq #PLC #ProfessionalLearningCommunities #CollectiveEfficacy #SchoolLeadership

Standards-based grading is one thing. Figuring out how to make it all work together? That's where things can get complicated. If your school is navigating those implementation questions, we'd love to have you join us! 📍 Woodridge, IL 📅 October 27–28, 2026 Two days of learning, collaboration and dedicated time to plan your next steps. Learn. Plan. Implement. @larsongarth @donsmithedu @beckypeppler bit.ly/47KIUOS

Join us for our FREE Reassessment That Works webinar on November 10th at 11AM CST! We’ll dig into the 5 biggest reassessment mistakes we see schools make and share simple, practical shifts that can make reassessment work better for both students and teachers. Register here: bit.ly/47Dbwtn

Principals set the conditions for strong PLCs. Join Garth Larson & Gabe Hackett FREE on October 15 for practical leadership moves that build clarity, strengthen accountability, navigate resistance and keep collaborative teams focused on impact. Can’t attend live? Recorded access is included! Register: bit.ly/3VRQ94U #PLCcenter #SchoolLeadership #ObservableImpact #CollectiveEfficacy

Reassessment sounds simple…until you start making the decisions. Who can reassess? What happens first? What gets reassessed? How do we keep it manageable? What happens to the grade? On Dec. 10, we’re spending a full day working through those questions—and building a process you can actually use. Designing Reassessment That Works | Neenah, WI Come ready to think, make decisions and leave with a plan. Registration is open - grab your spot! ttps://bit.ly/4jHQBMU