I won't give up, no I won't give in
Till I reach the end
-- Shakira, "Try Everything"
What does Shakira’s “Try Everything” have to do with math education?
Dr. Matthew Peterson, co-founder and chief research and development officer at MIND Research Institute (MIND), says Shakira has a growth mindset. She’ll try it even though she knows she could fail. And research shows that growth mindset is crucial for learning, especially in math.
Now MIND is working with One8 and Massachusetts STEM Hub to bring this growth mindset in math to students across the state.
The 54 schools in the first program cohort were selected Spring 2018, and have been working hard to make the most of ST Math during the 2018-19 school year. Applications for Cohort 2 are now open, with Part 1 of the application due on February 15, 2019.
For more details on the ST Math MA Program, click here.
To spread the word about the program, leaders from throughout the MIND organization visited Massachusetts to meet with teachers and school leaders. Throughout these events, participants had a chance to go deep into the science behind ST Math, to see ST Math in action, and to learn how to make the most of an ST Math implementation.
It was such an amazing day! We welcomed many educators as we hosted the Deeper Learning Symposium for @STMath. We enthusiastically learned about and shared the neuroscience behind learning and ST Math! Thank you! pic.twitter.com/OM1A7n1sUT
— SargentSharks (@SargentSharks) January 24, 2019
Dr. Matthew Peterson gave presentations on the four neural subsystems in Attleboro and Uxbridge, MA last November. He shared the details about how ST Math is built, the role it can play, and that Shakira has the growth mindset in her song "Try Everything.”
.@MIND_Research’s Dr. Matthew Peterson discussing the 4 neural subsystems of learning with Massachussetts educators! @AHS_Bluepride @STMath #deeperlearning pic.twitter.com/upjvA8AWNT
— Karin Wu (@KarinCWu) November 7, 2018
In January, Nigel Nisbet was the keynote speaker at two more Deeper Learning Symposiums in North Andover and Revere, MA. Leaders at each host school shared about their experience with ST Math.
“You can see thinking happening when students play #STMath they are exercising their spatial reasoning muscle.” Nigel Nisbet @MIND_Research @SargentSharks #neuroscience #productivestruggle pic.twitter.com/lA6PSQLnpN
— Jessica McKenzie (@jmckenzieMA) January 24, 2019
At Annie L Sargent Elementary School in North Andover, Principal Karen Murdoch-Lahey and ST Math Champion Joni Coleman talked about the growth they’ve seen in students during their first year using ST Math.
The next day, as students in handmade penguin hats streamed into AC Whelan School in Revere, Principal Jamie Flynn shared how JiJi culture was developing there. JiJi culture is the term we use to express how attitudes toward math and growth mindset develop as students journey through the program with JiJi the penguin. Our day culminated with a visit from the mascot, who toured the school.
Jen Hudak, Math Coach at Hannah Elementay School, presents how teachers are using ST Math to make classroom connections.
In addition to recruiting the new cohort of Massachusetts Program Schools, our team is very excited as we continue to build a community among the members of our first cohort. Our first annual Massachusetts User Conference was hosted at Community Day's RK Webster campus in Lawrence, MA. Teachers, coaches, and administrators from across the state gathered to share out about their experience, to talk about emerging practices and to meet like-minded colleagues at the event.
At the user conference, we also announced our next all-cohort event, which will be an end-of-year celebration for lucky students at the New England Aquarium (where penguins are featured!).
Whether celebrating with current colleagues or sharing our work with new partners, we're excited to continue to collaborate in cultivating a growth mindset across the state with members of the ST Math Massachusetts Program!
Learn more about ST Math and how you can apply to the MA grant:
James Dunseith is an Education Success Manager at MIND Research Institute. James is an educator of students of all ages, having taught in the classroom as well as provided professional development and instructional coaching to K-12 educators across the country.
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