MIND Institute

What Is ST Math (Mind Institute)?

ST Math+Music: K-5 combines a research-based music curriculum with the ST Math: K-5 instructional software.  MIND's original research showed that music training improved spatial temporal reasoning, the cognitive skill used by the instructional software to teach and illustrate math principles.  In combination, the music training and the instructional software have achieved dramatic gains in test scores.  Music has a mathematical architecture, and as young students learn music, they are also learning the recognize patterns and symmetries, and experiences and hearing concepts of counting and fractions.  (Retrieved from MIND Research Institute, 2011).

ST Math is synonymous with JiJi Math.  Students are familiar with JiJi the penguin and often refer to the program as "JiJi."

Benefits of MIND Program:

• Innovative visual approach teaches math concepts
• Comprehensive courseware aligns to state standards
• Increases state standardized test scores for students, classes, and schools
• Game metaphor engages students who have struggled with conventional approaches in math and learning
• Language-independent software lessons reduce the language barrier to learning math
• Instructional design reaches students at every level of academic proficiency
• Innovative games train students in multi-step problem-solving
• Self-paced instructional software makes teaching easier and more productive

Students have been using the ST Math Software program at Eader Elementary School.  The students play visual math "games."  Your student's teacher is now able to make selected games available for use from a computer with an internet connection at home.  This added feature allows your child to play "JiJi Math" games at home.  Games will only be accessible from home if the teacher assigns them as "homework."

Your student will access the program just as they do at school and, just as at school, they need to play and win the games themselves to get the math learning benefit.  The games should not be shared by others in the home.  Your student is used to the ST Math method, which involves solving often complex puzzles.  They start at very simple levels, which gradually get more difficult.  The ST Math Program is designed so that each student reaches a challenging level for them.  They may get temporarily "stuck" at a level.  This is normal, and the classroom teacher can monitor whether they are stuck for too long.  when they reach a learning hurdle, they should try to reason their way to a solution.   The software gives constant feedback to show why an answer is right or wrong.

 

Instructions:

1.  Enter web.stmath.com/entrance/ in the address line of your web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari are recommended). 

2.  Click on the big JiJi (penguin).

3. Click on the Homework button.

4. Students will enter his/her password.

5. Type in our school name (Eader) & press enter.

6. Begin playing JiJi at home!  (If there are no games visible, the teacher has not assigned new homework to be completed).

7.  After playing, your child should always use the button on the bottom-left of the screen (just like at school) to exit the program and ensure that progress is recorded.

Optional:  Create a bookmark or shortcut in your web browser for future access.

 

Reminder that this is your child's homework and no one should be logging on or doing the work for him/her.  Your child's progress and learning process is developed by having him/her do the work on his/her own.