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The New 3Rs Academic Transformation

The Right Systems, The Right Resources, The Right People

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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...
by Blaine Helwig
Aug 29, 20193 min read


Major Student Disruption – Identify Triggers, Plan, then Deescalate!
If you are a teacher, it will be impossible to avoid major student discipline problems. It will happen at some point in your career....
by Blaine Helwig
Jul 11, 20193 min read


Keep a Minor Student Disruption – Minor!
A couple years before I retired, I was teaching fifth grade mathematics at my Title 1 elementary school – despite the fact that I was the...
by Blaine Helwig
May 19, 20194 min read


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!...
by Blaine Helwig
Nov 27, 20184 min read


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...
by Blaine Helwig
Oct 25, 20183 min read


Bad Teaching Day at School – Do not Dwell on the Past
One Friday night about 15 years ago, I was resting on my couch after a long day at work when my cell phone rang. I looked at the phone to...
by Blaine Helwig
Oct 12, 20183 min read


The First-Year Teacher’s Cry – “Help! I Need Somebody. HELP!”
I was a first year teacher – TWICE in the same school year. I was hired as a second grade teacher, and I taught that grade level for a...
by Blaine Helwig
Aug 17, 20185 min read


“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...
by Blaine Helwig
Aug 2, 20184 min read


Student Management Redirection – Shorter is Better!
On my planning period, I walked down to the teacher workroom to check my school mailbox and make several Xerox copies. As I walked back...
by Blaine Helwig
Jul 21, 20183 min read


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...
by Blaine Helwig
Apr 27, 20183 min read


Teacher Tips to Improve Homework Completion
“Andrew will not complete his homework.” “At least half my class does not do their homework, consistently.” “I have called the parent...
by Blaine Helwig
Apr 13, 20184 min read


Why Give Kids’ Homework, Anyway?
As both an elementary classroom teacher and a principal, a few parents each school year have questioned the modern need for nightly...
by Blaine Helwig
Apr 6, 20182 min read


Student Choice – Empowerment, but with Personal Responsibility
The choices made by students in their behavior have everything to do with their social and academic success in the classroom. Their...
by Blaine Helwig
Mar 30, 20183 min read


Classroom Rules – Why, How Many and Which Ones?
According to Exodus, Moses climbed Mt. Sinai, and God gifted him the Decalogue – Ten Commandments that provided a foundation of conduct...
by Blaine Helwig
Mar 23, 20183 min read


Student Engagement – Active versus Passive Learning
You are a public school teacher. You are about half-way through your science or math lesson. The door opens and the principal walks into...
by Blaine Helwig
Mar 2, 20183 min read


School Culture – What Does It Really Mean?
There are many industry specific words bandied about in public education that all too often, educators possess only a vague definition....
by Blaine Helwig
Feb 23, 20183 min read


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...
by Blaine Helwig
Feb 9, 20183 min read


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...
by Blaine Helwig
Feb 3, 20183 min read


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...
by Blaine Helwig
Jan 13, 20183 min read


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...
by Blaine Helwig
Dec 15, 20173 min read
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