We talk with Dr. Brooke Helling about how an unexpected path led her into English, ESL, and curriculum work, and why student connection matters as much as content. We also share what makes NorthStar Academy’s online model feel personal, growth-focused, and worth remembering for the relationships.
• Brooke’s real-life snapshot as a teacher, church leader, wife, and mom of four boys
• The “accidental English teacher” story and what she learns from ESL students’ resilience
• Designing a strong learning experience through belonging, buy-in, and student choice
• Measuring growth with mastery learning, reteaching, and assignment retries
• Why online school can deepen teacher-student connection through feedback and messaging
• What traditional sit-and-get models miss in a short-attention-span world
• Boy-mom lessons on grace, consistency, listening, and saying yes wisely
• “Anything worth doing is worth doing well” and why excellence points beyond ourselves
• The hope that students remember people and community most of all
Michael Perkins
I am a Christian, physical therapist, have 4 kids, God let's us own and run at PT clinic. My wife passed in October '24 after an 11 year breast cancer to brain cancer diagnosis. Through that God helped me start 100x soil (see 100xsoil.com for details). I have a son in law and about to gain another in May. I am passionate about men's ministry and raising up/protecting children. Am passionate about PT as well and see it as a ministry. I have a podcast as well (Contagious Hope) and just so grateful for God's grace.
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