Solving the Mystery of Poor Student Math Performance
NOPE! The usual suspects of endless blame are not the reason poor academic math results in American public schools. In fact, a...
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The New 3Rs Academic Transformation
The Right Systems, The Right Resources, The Right People
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by Blaine Helwig
- Jun 30
- 4 min
Chocolate and Title 1 Academic Inequities
Awhile back, I attended a national charter school founder’s lecture about his experiences opening new schools across the country. After...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Apr 2
- 8 min
Two Questions that Stymie Most Title 1 Administrators
In the last 30 years, the author has visited approximately 250 Title 1 elementary campuses as a teacher, principal, central office...
150 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Mar 23
- 6 min
Emulate Before Innovating: COVID or No COVID
Every time we boarded an airplane to travel, my wife would open the airline magazine and complete the three levels of Sudoku puzzles: ...
90 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Aug 14, 2021
- 4 min
‘Fix’ Fluency --- or, Comprehension ‘Breaks Down!’
Word fluency will drive comprehension proficiency since the students can read and not deplete their ‘CPU’ trying to decipher the most...
264 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Feb 7, 2021
- 5 min
Teaching to the Test - A Better Understanding of the Phrase
I have heard the expression – Teaching to the Test – for many years, but I had not deeply considered the thinking behind the phrase until...
242 views2 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Oct 5, 2020
- 3 min
Eliminating Differentiated Instruction is the Title 1 Campus Goal
Back in the spring of 2016 when I was an elementary principal, I attended a district professional development session on a new teacher...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Aug 13, 2020
- 6 min
Effective Daily Classroom Management – Come Rain or Shine!
Half a century ago, my father, older brother and I watched a herd of horses driven into a rectangular corral from an open field. My father w
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by Blaine Helwig
- May 13, 2020
- 5 min
Distance Learning – Pandemic Lessons Learned
The pandemic has brought to light many underlying issues in our society. Some incidents were surprising; for instance, I was astounded...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Dec 17, 2019
- 5 min
It’s the Gaps, Stupid! – Part 1
The famous American political phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid” is attributed to James Carville and coined during Bill Clinton's...
72 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Dec 16, 2019
- 7 min
It’s the Gaps, Stupid! – Part 2
Small Gaps Widen to Larger Chasms While hiking the 500-mile-long El Camino in Spain a couple of summers ago, a small pain ensued on the...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Aug 29, 2019
- 3 min
Align, Teach, Practice and Do Well!
A middle distance runner competing in a 3,200 meter or 5 kilometer race practices and trains differently than a long distance runner...
38 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Aug 17, 2019
- 4 min
In Title 1 Schools, Facts are Stubborn Things
When I was in college, my statics and dynamic professor proposed a no homework versus a double homework wager to his students. He...
46 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Dec 12, 2018
- 3 min
Is Title 1 Public Education 'Working'? – Depends on Perspective!
I do not own a washing machine. Never have. I use the condominium laundry room with its ten washing machines and dryers to handle my...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Nov 28, 2018
- 4 min
Practice without Improvement – A Title 1 Invariant!
“How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” This old joke is amusing and timeless because of the obviousness of its one-word punchline: Practice!...
78 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Oct 25, 2018
- 3 min
Bridge Resources and Their Academic Need
About 15 years ago, I attended weekly central administrator meetings as an elementary program supervisor in a large urban Texas school...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Aug 9, 2018
- 3 min
A Title 1 Principal Can't Buy Academic Success
In the 1970’s, my father started the first Christmas tree farm in South Dakota. A slotted hole was dug using a long steel spade shovel...
36 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- May 5, 2018
- 4 min
Why is Effective Title 1 School Reform Not Happening?
Federal and State money flows into the Title 1 public schools. The river of money flows regardless of academic results each school year,...
20 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Jan 4, 2018
- 3 min
"Work the Problem!"
My wife and I watched the Tom Hanks’ movie, Apollo 13 over the Holiday break. The movie has many memorable scenes of heroism and...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Dec 1, 2017
- 3 min
Testing: What ALL is being assessed?
Educators test students throughout the school year. Students are frequently assessed via both formative and summative assessments ranging...
42 views0 comments