Principal Leadership 3/4

by Blaine Helwig

Dec 16, 20197 min read

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...

81 views

by Blaine Helwig

Aug 29, 20193 min read

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...

48 views

In Title 1 Schools, Facts are Stubborn Things

by Blaine Helwig

Aug 17, 20194 min read

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...

61 views

Major Student Disruption – Identify Triggers, Plan, then Deescalate!

by Blaine Helwig

Jul 12, 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....

108 views

Keep a Minor Student Disruption – Minor!

by Blaine Helwig

May 19, 20194 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...

57 views

Is Title 1 Public Education 'Working'? – Depends on Perspective!

by Blaine Helwig

Dec 12, 20183 min read

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...

131 views

Practice without Improvement – A Title 1 Invariant!

by Blaine Helwig

Nov 28, 20184 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!...

102 views

Bridge Resources and Their Academic Need

by Blaine Helwig

Oct 25, 20183 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...

66 views

Proactive Title 1 Principals: Active Management Supporting Teachers - Part 1

by Blaine Helwig

Sep 15, 20186 min read

Proactive Title 1 Principals: Active Management Supporting Teachers - Part 1

Over the last decade, Graham Elementary School in the Austin Independent School District's dramatic and sustained academic Title 1...

376 views

Proactive Title 1 Principals: Active Management Supporting Teachers - Part 2

by Blaine Helwig

Sep 13, 20187 min read

Proactive Title 1 Principals: Active Management Supporting Teachers - Part 2

Above all else at a public school, the first priority of teachers and administrators must always be ensuring children's safety....

157 views

The First-Year Teacher’s Cry – “Help! I Need Somebody. HELP!”

by Blaine Helwig

Aug 17, 20185 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...

94 views

A Title 1 Principal Can't Buy Academic Success

by Blaine Helwig

Aug 9, 20183 min read

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...

41 views

Student Management Redirection – Shorter is Better!

by Blaine Helwig

Jul 21, 20183 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...

49 views

Why is Effective Title 1 School Reform Not Happening?

by Blaine Helwig

May 5, 20184 min read

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,...

39 views

Teacher Tips to Improve Homework Completion

by Blaine Helwig

Apr 13, 20184 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...

356 views

by Blaine Helwig

Apr 6, 20182 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...

70 views

Student Choice – Empowerment, but with Personal Responsibility

by Blaine Helwig

Mar 30, 20183 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...

58 views

Student Engagement – Active versus Passive Learning

by Blaine Helwig

Mar 2, 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...

1,678 views

School Culture – What Does It Really Mean?

by Blaine Helwig

Feb 23, 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....

893 views

Problem Solving - Not Learned by Discovery

by Blaine Helwig

Feb 3, 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...

67 views

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