Having worked in education for many years, Dr. William Gideon, previously Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services at Los Nietos School District, was familiar with neuroscience research behind how the brain learns and was drawn to MIND's neuroscience-based approach to learning math.
At Los Nietos School District, student math performance was lower than where it needed to be. Dr. Gideon knew that if he wanted to turn things around, he needed to prove how a game and a penguin could change how students feel about math. Additionally, if educators could see how excited students were about ST Math—not only how much fun they were having but learning simultaneously—they would share in the excitement, and it would not have taken any additional time out of their schedule.
"The shift was happening," says Dr. Gideon. "Now that [teachers] could see that students were picking up on the approach and learning with JiJi—and having fun—they grew more convinced by how effective ST Math was in improving student math achievement. Student mindsets were changing as soon as they began to build their conceptual thinking and engage with the struggle."
Thanks in large part to ESSER funding and Los Nietos' administrators, students not only had one-on-one time in the classroom, but they could also have focus time at home. With their Chromebooks or iPads, students were motivated to play ST Math outside of the school setting. JiJi also played a prominent role in engaging students in math learning.
“As soon as students showed enthusiasm for JiJi and ST Math, their math scores went up, setting students up for success as they move onto the next grade level,” says Dr. Gideon. “It wasn’t long afterward that teachers were on board. It’s having a big impact on our Elementary School population.”
Though the week-to-week ST Math implementation is not entirely fixed, and there wasn't widespread adoption across the board, Dr. Gideon thought it best to develop it organically and see where it goes. Initially, the suggestion was to have students play ST Math at least three times a week for fifteen to twenty minutes. His team also pushed for small-group learning instead of whole-group direct instruction. Over time, the shift began to take place, and educators grew convinced of ST Math's efficacy.
“Once [teachers] saw the evidence, that students were gaining success in their math learning—and that they’re actually experiencing joy from playing ST Math—we received more buy-in,” says Dr. Gideon. “The neuroscience, the research, for why it worked was starting to convince them.”
Students weren’t only learning and succeeding in their math education; they engaged in productive struggle, helping them build a deeper conceptual understanding of the math they once thought was too difficult or boring. Educators were also able to see where and how the transition took place. Students were much more engaged with math than they were before.
Los Nietos also took advantage of MIND’s Summer Immersion program, where students partake in a rich mathematical and blended learning environment. The ST Math Summer Immersion program includes rotation stations through ST Math’s visual models and manipulatives, pre-and post-assessments, small group instructional time, and an array of table games and fun puzzles.
Seeing the number of students and all of the projects they created, creating math games using math concepts, was phenomenal,” says Dr. Gideon. “And watching parents sitting down playing with their kids, and engaging with these math games they created, was so great to see.”
Students aren't the only ones excited about ST Math and JiJi. Parents have become more involved in their math learning and are as thrilled as teachers were to see their math scores increase. "Parents really get involved, and we get a lot of phone calls about it," says Isabelle Santana, Database Specialist for Los Nietos School District. "It's not just the students; the parents are also excited about it."
Changes don't happen overnight, and Dr. Gideon was well aware of this. Some time had to pass for educators and parents to warm up to ST Math. "Just know that students will gravitate to [ST Math] faster than adults—and that's okay," says Dr. Gideon. "That's what we want anyway. We want students to become self-advocates of their learning. This is an opportunity for them to 1.) Have something they can take ownership of, and 2.) Change their self-esteem when it comes to learning math."
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The data from Los Nietos indicate noticeable differences in ST Math usage and point to the effectiveness of ST Math's ability to create a growth mindset among students. The Los Nietos School District has seen a dramatic improvement in mathematics achievement over the last two years, as indicated by their California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) scores.
“There was one student who shared with us that she wasn’t a fan of math; she didn’t feel like she was good at math,” says Santana. “When asked about ST Math, whenever she completed a puzzle, she felt good about herself. That made her want to keep trying. That’s what got her so excited about math. And now she’s able to help her classmates with fractions!”
Students' increased engagement with ST Math, and higher math scores, set a promising precedent for positive math outcomes. The future looks bright, not just for Los Nietos but for other school districts seeking solutions to the national math crisis. With the rise of a STEM-focused workforce, it's becoming increasingly important for students to understand how math works in real-world applications.
The Los Nietos School District has taken a proactive approach to improving student outcomes in math by integrating ST Math into the school day and encouraging usage at home. By providing students with an effective and engaging program, Los Nietos sets an example of how school districts can increase student achievement in STEM fields. ST Math not only proves itself as a viable alternative to traditional math instruction, but has the capacity to change what were once skeptical minds.
As Dr. Gideon moves on to a new and promising role, there's no doubt that Los Nietos’ students will continue to thrive and excel in their math education. “The dose correlation studies were essential because teachers, adults, and administrators need tangible evidence to see that things are working,” says Dr. Gideon. “They can now see something tangible to anchor themselves to and say, ‘Okay, this works.’’’
