As a third-grade teacher, I would walk briskly alongside my colleagues through the school hallways. With tired smiles and thermoses full of coffee, we’d walk to the staff printer to grab our stacks of morning activity sheets. While our printed math worksheets gave penmanship and focus practice, expecting them to guide our third-graders to a solid understanding of their grade-level math standards wasn’t always very unrealistic. While using ST Math in the classroom during math rotations, I was always impressed at how engaged my students were in their journey. I was encouraged to see the intentionality behind the creation of the program and how it made grade-level math accessible to all students, regardless of their current level of understanding.
Each year at MIND Education, many teams put their heads together to collaborate on an even more student-centered experience that prioritizes accessibility for ALL students. As an organization, we understand the daily effort you are putting into your practice and we’ve done the research to understand what it takes to create a program that helps students succeed in their math journey. See the Five PRIME Factors for EdTech Evaluation (More than a Checkmark, Coulson, 2024).
As you walk into the new 2024-25 school year, our goal is to make your students’ time on ST Math productive and your time spent in the Teacher console totally worth your while. Take a look at the game-changing enhancements we’ve made this school year!
In my own teaching journey, navigating through the intricate world of teaching third-grade mathematics meant finding ways to bridge the gap between my students’ diverse learning levels. In one ear, I heard experienced colleagues telling me to ‘aim high’ as I’d be surprised by what my students could actually do. In the other ear, I heard the content from my recently obtained teaching degree running through my head: ‘Aim to make your lessons accessible to all students.’
Each year in ST Math, you’ll get the best of both worlds. ST Math puzzles are created with intentionally easy entry points; a low floor. The first puzzles in any game start off easy and become more challenging over time. Our game designers carefully adjust each game by analyzing data from classrooms and students across the country. This helps make sure that the games are accessible to students below grade level while still offering a challenge to the most advanced students.
This year, we’re introducing new games that will continue to incorporate low floor, high-ceiling learning, offer real-time formative feedback, and utilize insightful virtual manipulatives. Enjoy a range of brand-new games and a revamped student curriculum. From Acorn Factory to Critter Circus, students will embark on a journey of exploration and discovery, building strong conceptual foundations along the way.
With an exciting new Island-Themed Student Experience, students can immerse themselves in a dynamic learning environment that fosters creativity and critical thinking.
Being an educator isn’t for the faint of heart. Day in and day out, our routines as dedicated teachers seem to blur into an endless loop, from the early morning staff meetings and the juggle of transitioning from one class or subject to the next, to the end-of-day reflective brainstorming sessions. This year, we’ve made the teacher dashboard even easier to use so your job as an ST Math facilitator can be simple and to ensure that any effort you put in pays out. Our enhanced educator dashboard offers streamlined reporting and advanced performance metrics, allowing you to track student progress, customize instruction, and drive maximum potential for every student.
Neuroscience research shows us that talking about math activates the part of our brain responsible for learning, memory, and spatial recall. This year, ST Math is taking mathematical discourse to the next level with redesigned Puzzle Talks that promote engaging discussions between all students and deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts. These enhanced Puzzle Talks are a game-changer, making objectives accessible to all learners at all stages of development. These interactive puzzles will spark student curiosity, foster a love for problem solving, and provide opportunities for them to exchange their unique understandings through organic conversation.
To support educators in seamlessly integrating ST Math into their core instruction, we are launching new Professional Learning Packages. These workshops are meticulously designed to empower teachers, facilitate rich mathematical discourse, and target specific standards to enhance student learning outcomes.
Join us for our final ST Math Enhancement Webinars where we will dive deeper into the enhanced student journey, enhanced Puzzle Talks, and this year’s seamless educator experience. Our goal is to provide you with the tools and resources you need to empower student learning in your classroom, while also making the educator’s reflective process less mentally taxing and more productive.
As you prepare for the upcoming school year, take a quick peek at these highly anticipated ST Math enhancements by heading to the ST Math: What's New page where you will discover how ST Math is revolutionizing education for students across the nation.
As you launch ST Math this school year, we don’t part ways with you here. We’ll be continuing to empower educators like you in the stimulating journey of shaping young minds into adept problem solvers. We are thrilled to present the reinvigorated MIND on MA+H blog. Here at MIND Education, we are committed to enhancing your approach to math instruction and encouraging experts to share their invaluable insights with our vast community of educators.
We wish you a successful school year ahead with ST Math and a fruitful year of educating young brilliant minds!
Kelsey Richards is the Marketing Specialist at MIND Education. As a former educator with a master's degree in Elementary Education, she is passionate about empowering teachers and students to innovate in Mathematics.
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