by Blaine HelwigAug 14, 20214 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...
by Blaine HelwigFeb 7, 20215 minTeaching to the Test - A Better Understanding of the PhraseI have heard the expression – Teaching to the Test – for many years, but I had not deeply considered the thinking behind the phrase until...
by Blaine HelwigAug 13, 20206 minEffective 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
by Blaine HelwigJul 8, 20203 minWord Problems: Student Benefits and Effective Teaching TipsThe daily teaching of math word problems is essential if students are to become adept problem solvers. The consistency of a daily routine...
by Blaine HelwigFeb 12, 20203 minBaiting Educators for an Emotional ResponseHappens far too frequently in our public schools. A student will use profanity or do something outrageous to get an emotional response...
by Blaine HelwigDec 16, 20197 minIt’s the Gaps, Stupid! – Part 2Small 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...
by Blaine HelwigOct 7, 20193 minPick 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...
by Blaine HelwigAug 29, 20193 minAlign, 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 HelwigJul 12, 20193 minMajor 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 HelwigMay 19, 20194 minKeep 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 HelwigNov 28, 20184 minPractice 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 HelwigOct 25, 20183 minBridge Resources and Their Academic NeedAbout 15 years ago, I attended weekly central administrator meetings as an elementary program supervisor in a large urban Texas school...
by Blaine HelwigOct 12, 20183 minBad Teaching Day at School – Do not Dwell on the PastOne 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 HelwigAug 17, 20185 minThe 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 HelwigAug 2, 20184 min“Drill and Kill” – AnalyzedEarlier this summer I was talking to a seasoned elementary teacher that is a standout educator and asset to the profession. She mentioned...
by Blaine HelwigJul 21, 20183 minStudent Management Redirection – Shorter is Better!As I walked back to my classroom, I passed the same teacher still reprimanding the same three kids. I gave the four of them more than a...
by Blaine HelwigApr 27, 20183 minThe Numeracy Power of Making 10, 100 or 1,000We 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 HelwigApr 13, 20184 minTeacher 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 HelwigApr 6, 20182 minWhy 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 HelwigMar 30, 20183 minStudent Choice – Empowerment, but with Personal ResponsibilityThe choices made by students in their behavior have everything to do with their social and academic success in the classroom. Their...