--- title: "ST Math Creator at #STEMSolve 2014: Fix Math, Fix Education" description: “We want to fix math education in the United States,” said ST Math creator Matthew Peterson in his keynote at the U.S. News STEM Solutions Conference image: https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/file-711877917-jpg/images/stemsolutions-resized-600.jpg --- [![](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/hubfs/MIND-logo-2018.jpg?width=1701&height=623&name=MIND-logo-2018.jpg)](http://www.mindresearch.org/) [![mind logo](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/graphics/logos/MIND-logos-color2.svg)](https://www.mindeducation.org/) [![mind white logo](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/graphics/logos/MIND-logos-white2.svg)](https://www.mindeducation.org/) - [Our Approach](https://2024.mindresearch.org/our-approach) - [Why MIND?](https://2024.mindresearch.org/why-math-education) - [Our Research](https://2024.mindresearch.org/our-research) - [Our Patents](https://2024.mindresearch.org/patents) - [Our Impact](https://2024.mindresearch.org/impact) - [Our Partners](https://2024.mindresearch.org/partners) - [Partner Stories](https://2024.mindresearch.org/partner-stories) - Our Programs - [ST Math](http://www.stmath.com/) - [InsightMath](http://www.insightmath.com/) - [MathMINDs](https://www.mindresearch.org/mathminds) - [Life at MIND](https://2024.mindresearch.org/careers) - Resources - [Blog](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog) - [Math Discourse](https://2024.mindresearch.org/puzzletalks) - [Podcast](https://2024.mindresearch.org/edtech-podcast) - [News](https://2024.mindresearch.org/news) - [Activities](https://2024.mindresearch.org/stem-resources) - [Donate](https://store.mindresearch.org/pages/donate) **Student privacy****:** learn more about our commitment to keeping students safe [Read More](https://www.mindresearch.org/privacy-policy) ![MIND-on-Math_Blog-Header-5](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/hubfs/graphics/headers/_blog-headers/MIND-on-Math_Blog-Header-5.png?width=2000&height=667&name=MIND-on-Math_Blog-Header-5.png "MIND-on-Math_Blog-Header-5") Category Community Teaching & Learning Technology & Games Research & Outcomes Neuroscience Celebrations & Successes [![Subscribe](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/237516/a35fb57d-2960-4554-a0f3-e7bb5946fc70.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/237516/a35fb57d-2960-4554-a0f3-e7bb5946fc70) [Teaching & Learning](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/topic/teaching-learning) # ST Math Creator at #STEMSolve 2014: Fix Math, Fix Education By [Abby Daniels](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/author/abby-daniels) - - - - - [mailto:?subject=ST%20Math%20Creator%20at%20#STEMSolve%202014:%20Fix%20Math,%20Fix%20Education&body=ST%20Math%20Creator%20at%20#STEMSolve%202014:%20Fix%20Math,%20Fix%20Education%20https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bid/384553/st-math-creator-at-stemsolve-2014-fix-math-fix-education](mailto:?subject=ST%20Math%20Creator%20at%20#STEMSolve%202014:%20Fix%20Math,%20Fix%20Education&body=ST%20Math%20Creator%20at%20#STEMSolve%202014:%20Fix%20Math,%20Fix%20Education%20https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bid/384553/st-math-creator-at-stemsolve-2014-fix-math-fix-education) - “We want to fix math education in the United States,” said ST Math creator Matthew Peterson in his keynote presentation at the [U.S. News STEM Solutions Conference](http://usnewsstemsolutions.com/) in Washington, D.C.  And the fix isn’t about making math easier. Or more fun. It’s about making math more challenging.  According to Peterson: “You want to make math tantalizingly tricky. Periodically, you want the puzzle to get really hard so students struggle with it. They get frustrated and they want to give up, but it’s an interesting problem, so they stick with it. Eventually they figure it out on their own, without a teacher telling them how to do it — and it feels awesome. This builds persistence and a thirst for challenge.” Peterson, co-founder, COO and senior scientist of MIND Research Institute, delivered his “STEM Spotlight” as part of the April 24 conference keynote session. Fellow speakers included co-founder and CEO of Code.org, Hadi Partovi; executive director of Girlstart, Tamara Hudgins; and owner of Ten80 Education, Terri Stripling.  “If we can stop telling kids how math works, let them learn by doing, put really interesting but challenging problems in front of them … we can build a solid foundation in math,” Peterson said. “And if you fix math, you fix all of education.” Check out what others had to say about Peterson’s #STEMSolve presentation via our Storify:   \[<a href="//storify.com/MIND\_Research/mind-research-institute-at-stemsolve-2014" target="\_blank">View the story "MIND Research Institute at #STEMSolve 2014" on Storify</a>\]     ![Abby Daniels](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/Blog/Images/Abby.jpg) ### About the Author Abby Daniels was Director of Communications at MIND Research Institute, where she worked for over 10 years as the organization transformed from a small, local nonprofit to a national leader in education. ### Comment #### [Fill in the Blank: Happy \_\_th Birthday, JiJi!](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bid/384070/fill-in-the-blank-happy-__th-birthday-jiji) [6 Tips for Building Grantmaking Partnerships](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bid/384929/6-Tips-for-Building-Grantmaking-Partnerships) ### Search Result By: ![feature image](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/Blog/Images/Inside-our-Minds-logo-teal-800x800.png) [Featured Podcast](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/topic/featured-podcast) ### [Rethinking Attendance in Edtech](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/rethinking-attendance-in-edtech) [Listen Now](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/rethinking-attendance-in-edtech) ##### LATEST PODCAST EPISODES ###### BY MIND RESEARCH INSTITUTE - [Rethinking Attendance in Edtech](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/rethinking-attendance-in-edtech) - [People, Process, and Penguins: Designing Math Experiences](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/people-process-penguins) - [Bridging STEM Gaps with STEMconnector CEO Jo Webber](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/bridging-stem-gaps-with-stemconnector-ceo-jo-webber) - [The EdTech Genome Project: Talking Implementation with Elizabeth Birie](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/edtech-genome-project) - [From Meeting the Moment to Foundational Change](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/from-meeting-the-moment-to-foundational-change) ##### [See all podcasts](https://www.mindresearch.org/edtech-podcast) ## Interested in Contributing? 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