Accelerate Learning with Effective Assignments Trainer Institute

“Students can do no better than the assignments they are given.” - Ruth Mitchell

Dates for This Event

  • July 22-23, 2025 at the Learning-Focused Training Center in Asheville, NC

Essential Questions

Why are quality assignments fundamental to student success?

Why are quality assignments fundamental to student success?

How do you evaluate the quality of an Assignment?

How do you evaluate the quality of an Assignment?

How do you determine an Assignment product that appropriately challenges all of your students?

How do you Differentiate an Assignment that appropriately challenges all of your students?

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Why attend the Accelerate Learning with Effective Assignments Trainer Institute?

Despite a data-driven approach to school improvement, most typical schools find themselves stuck within an achievement trendline of ten percentile points, unable to break away to consistently higher academic growth and proficiency levels. Mining their students’ test score data, these schools are almost always confronted by the uncomfortable truth that many of their students are slipping further and further behind or are now multiple years below grade level. Unfortunately, this often leads to the Cycle of Low Achievement. This cycle locks many schools into an achievement rut, unable to close learning gaps or recover from learning loss. To break this cycle, schools need to focus on creating grade-level assignments.

Students can do no better than the instruction and assignments that we give them. If schools fail to create assignments and assessments that are not aligned with grade-level standards, students may appear to be performing well, but they are not learning or completing work on which they will be tested or expected to master in a school year. 

Exemplary Schools use a system for consistently planning and assigning lesson instruction and assessments that reflect high expectations and grade-level appropriate work. The Accelerating Learning with Effective Assignments Trainer Institute provides educators with a roadmap for generating assignments and assessments from grade-level standards that integrate content, literacy, and thinking skills. In addition, you will learn how to differentiate grade-level assignments so that all students can succeed while maintaining high expectations. 

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Learn how to break the cycle!

Your Facilitator

Don Marlett

Chief Execuive Officer for Learning-Focused

Don has been an educator for 20+ years. Before joining Learning-Focused, he taught High School and Middle School Science and was a school administrator. Don has participated in school evaluations focused on implementing High Yield Strategies. In addition, he partnered with various state DOE to support leaders and present at numerous conferences hosted by multiple leadership organizations in Florida, NC, Ohio, WV, TN, and KY. Don leads product development, provides leadership training and coaching, and coaches educators in implementing High-Yield strategies.

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Learning Goals

You Will Be Able To...

  • Evaluate Assignments for quality.
  • Plan meaningful and challenging standards-driven lesson assignments integrating content, grade-level writing expectations, and Higher Order Thinking.
  • Adapt and using rubrics to guide the completion of assignments.
  • Differentiate Assignments based on student readiness and interest.
  • Identify specific Struggle Points for grade-level Assignments.

You Will Know...

  • The purpose of assignments.
  • The relationship between assignments and expectations.
  • The importance of closing the assignment gap.
  • The rationale for planning assignments before planning instruction.
  • The characteristics of challenging assignments:

What You Receive

In addition to learning how to design effective assignments,
participants will receive the following resources and materials ($125 value):

  • Accelerate Learning with Effective Assignments book
  • Accelerate Learning with Effective Assignments flipcards
  • Accelerate Learnign with Effective Assignments Trainer Notes
  • Access to Accelerate Learning with Effective Assignments Presentation
  • Strategies in Action: Effective Assignments book and online course
  • Membership to Learning-Focused Online (online platform for all trainer, teacher, and leadership resources)

When and Where

At Learning-Focused Training Center

Location

  • 200 District Dr. Ste 001, Asheville, NC 28803

Dates

  • July 22-23, 2025

Time

  • 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM each day
LF Center

Our training center is designed for intimate training, with only 22 spots available.  We aim to provide a wonderful learning experience to help you grow your network through collaboration.

Registration

Act fast, only 22 spots are available

Registration for Accelerate Learning with Effective Assignments is $600 per person.

Registration includes snacks, drinks, coffee, and other goodies.

Learning is better in teams! Register three people and receive a $150 discount off the third registration fee!

Participants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis only. We must receive a signed quote to secure your spot.