Math Fact Mastery - Easy to Do!
On July 20th, 1969, mankind demonstrated the ability to place men on the Moon and bring them safely back to Earth. This space journey is...
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The New 3Rs Academic Transformation
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by Blaine Helwig
- Nov 17, 2022
- 8 min
Why Does Failure Continue?
I find the title of this blog interesting because as humans – I would hope that when folks perform poorly at some manageable task or...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Sep 27, 2022
- 19 min
So, You Want To Be A Principal???
About twenty-five years ago, I was a passenger in a car returning to Austin. I was part of a three-member structural engineering team on...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Sep 8, 2022
- 7 min
Atomic Habits – Repetition, Mastery, Pedagogy
After years of visiting Title 1 elementary charters and traditional public schools, I am constantly amazed at the minimal number of...
60 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Aug 20, 2022
- 21 min
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...
90 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Jun 30, 2022
- 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
- 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...
264 views2 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Sep 16, 2020
- 5 min
Trickle-Down Teacher Training Versus Bubble-Up Gap Elimination
The macroeconomic theory of trickle-down corporate tax cuts has been a mainstay for conservative politicians and economists for nearly a...
168 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Jul 8, 2020
- 3 min
Word Problems: Student Benefits and Effective Teaching Tips
The daily teaching of math word problems is essential if students are to become adept problem solvers. The consistency of a daily routine...
65 views0 comments
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...
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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
- Oct 7, 2019
- 3 min
Pick a Number. Any Number. Now - Why is that Number Important?
I am thinking of a two digit number between 30 and 40 that is both an even number and a multiple of 8. Can you guess the number? As...
75 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 2, 2018
- 4 min
“Drill and Kill” – Analyzed
Earlier this summer I was talking to a seasoned elementary teacher that is a standout educator and asset to the profession. She mentioned...
1,829 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Apr 27, 2018
- 3 min
The Numeracy Power of Making 10, 100 or 1,000
We live in a Base 10 world. Base 10 is everywhere! Of course, a math person may counter with clock time – hours and minutes. Time is kept...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Feb 9, 2018
- 3 min
Math Word Problems, Skills and Practice: In this Case, it takes Three to Tango!
Math word problems were difficult for me when I was a kid. At the end of thirty or so skill base computation problems on the exercise...
29 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Feb 3, 2018
- 3 min
Problem Solving - Not Learned by Discovery
Many State education agencies annual standardized math tests stress word problems in lieu of pure computation problems as they did 30...
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by Blaine Helwig
- Jan 13, 2018
- 3 min
Is that Number Even or Odd? – Commentary on Math Lesson Planning
Let’s teach/plan an elementary lesson on even and odd numbers – first step, compile the basic information on that topic: The even numbers...
88 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Dec 15, 2017
- 3 min
Mathematics Vocabulary – A Necessary Addition
Kenton Weeks, a South Dakota rancher and farmer, opened the door of his truck. He and his dog got out of the cab and walked into his...
39 views0 comments
by Blaine Helwig
- Oct 13, 2017
- 3 min
Math Test Stamina Issues? – Numeracy to the Rescue!
“My fifth graders can’t do 35 to 40 word problems in 4 hours! How can the State Education Agency expect any 10 year old to finish a math...
147 views0 comments
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