--- title: How to Motivate Students with ST Math description: How ST Math educators amplify the visual instructional program’s impact on students’ intrinsic motivation for learning math. image: https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/social-suggested-images/Yes%20Boy%20Madison%20Elementary-1-281302-edited.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) [Technology & Games](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/topic/technology-games) # How to Motivate Students with ST Math By [Calli Wright](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/author/calli-wright) - - - - - [mailto:?subject=How%20to%20Motivate%20Students%20with%20ST%20Math&body=How%20to%20Motivate%20Students%20with%20ST%20Math%20https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/how-to-motivate-students-st-math](mailto:?subject=How%20to%20Motivate%20Students%20with%20ST%20Math&body=How%20to%20Motivate%20Students%20with%20ST%20Math%20https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/how-to-motivate-students-st-math) - When it comes to student engagement, the focus very often gets put on bringing students to the learning—getting them excited about a topic, a lesson or an activity. But when the method used to engage students is only superficial, that excitement can fade very quickly, and the deeper learning never happens. For engagement to be meaningful, students have to be motivated *through* the learning--the motivation must be intrinsic.         In [ST Math](https://www.stmath.com/)Ⓡ, a visual instructional program that builds a deep conceptual understanding of math, students are intrinsically motivated to continue learning for the sake of learning. ![Yes Boy Madison Elementary-1-281302-edited](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/Yes%20Boy%20Madison%20Elementary-1-281302-edited.jpg?width=750&name=Yes%20Boy%20Madison%20Elementary-1-281302-edited.jpg) ## **What Student Engagement Looks Like in ST Math** When students don’t want to stop playing, and they are actively learning, it’s a good sign of [student engagement](https://www.stmath.com/student-engagement) that is dynamically active. There is a difference between being engaged in the entertainment side of a piece of edtech software and being engaged in the learning itself. ST Math does not alternate between being a game and math program; the game is integrated into the math explorations with the puzzle format. This promotes intrinsic motivation. > Brandon showed true grit today. He was the last to sign off because he wanted to pass his level. He is working on symmetry during ST Math! [pic.twitter.com/0QKNPKMR60](https://t.co/0QKNPKMR60) > > — Mrs. Mancuso (@mrsmancusopky) [May 22, 2018](https://twitter.com/mrsmancusopky/status/998995202684739585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) How do you get students to this point of deeper learning and engagement? Our research suggests the following: 1. Let students know it’s okay to struggle and fail. 2. Provide physical manipulatives and thinking paper. 3. Help students set personal and classroom goals. 4. Let students engage in academic discourse. 5. Celebrate success. Here are examples of how educators are using these strategies to amplify student engagement and intrinsic motivation in ST Math: ## **Embrace Productive Struggle to Build Student Engagement** When you give students the opportunities to fail and try again with different strategies and use different tools, you help them actively engage in their own learning When given the space to [productively struggle](https://www.stmath.com/productive-struggle-math-rigor) and think deeply, ST Math educators see that students are determined to succeed. > Determined mathematical modeling [@EaglesBes](https://twitter.com/EaglesBes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@JiJiMath](https://twitter.com/jijimath?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/hSWqmB9GuE](https://t.co/hSWqmB9GuE) > > — Nate (@BESMrPotter) [March 30, 2018](https://twitter.com/BESMrPotter/status/979702466756403200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ## **Use Manipulatives to Support Thinking** When educators let students use manipulatives and paper, students can see the puzzle in multiple ways and plan different strategies. This blog post details many ideas on clever ways to [use manipulatives with ST Math](https://blog.mindresearch.org/blog/math-manipulatives-edtech). > Unbelievable [#FOCUS](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOCUS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) with [@JiJiMath](https://twitter.com/jijimath?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) today with [#collabfun](https://twitter.com/hashtag/collabfun?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@StaylorSuzanne](https://twitter.com/StaylorSuzanne?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@RES\_Roadrunners](https://twitter.com/RES_Roadrunners?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Moving up precentages like crazy! [pic.twitter.com/ZymtEBDVZp](https://t.co/ZymtEBDVZp) > > — Elizabeth Ferguson (@Ferguson\_RES) [April 13, 2018](https://twitter.com/Ferguson_RES/status/984852342037188608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ## **Help Students Set Personal and Classroom Goals** When students set their own goals, they take ownership and have a stake in their own learning. In ST Math, goals can include time on task, number of puzzles, percent progress, explaining your solutions and more. Learn more about [goal setting for intrinsic motivation](https://blog.mindresearch.org/blog/intrinsic-motivation-for-students) using ST Math. > Student goal setting is one of the top strategies for academic success. Here we have students in Mrs. Michel-Schlitz' class demonstrating how they set goals with Jiji and ST Math. [pic.twitter.com/tAdwh4NkYW](https://t.co/tAdwh4NkYW) > > — Georgia Brown Tigers (@GB\_tigres) [November 13, 2017](https://twitter.com/GB_tigres/status/930183354615345152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ## **Engage Students in Academic Discourse** Student engagement doesn’t always mean a quiet classroom. ST Math helps students learn math conceptually, based on neuroscience research. Creator of ST Math, Dr. Matthew Peterson, recently shared his findings around the [four neural subsystems of learning](https://blog.mindresearch.org/blog/neural-subsystems-deeper-learning). One of the neural systems is academic discourse. ST Math educators observe that students are compelled  to talk about the puzzles with one another.  > Students share their thinking when finding common denominators with visuals on ST Math [@JiJiMath](https://twitter.com/jijimath?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@MsRBattle](https://twitter.com/MsRBattle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@mresnewton](https://twitter.com/mresnewton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/C8RXVrKnec](https://t.co/C8RXVrKnec) > > — Heather Hodge (@Heather\_Hodge13) [March 1, 2018](https://twitter.com/Heather_Hodge13/status/969071492607741952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ## **Celebrate Success**   When educators praise students for reaching goals, persevering, helping others and trying different strategies, they are rewarding those behaviors. This can reinforce the intrinsic motivation to continue learning! > Fantastic 4! These proud students captured their 4th-grade flags by completing their ST Math programs. [#mpslearns](https://twitter.com/hashtag/mpslearns?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Be determined. Be persistent. [#BeWES](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeWES?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@WoodlandMilford](https://twitter.com/WoodlandMilford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@MilfordSchools](https://twitter.com/MilfordSchools?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@JiJiMath](https://twitter.com/jijimath?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/RRHApJmjtt](https://t.co/RRHApJmjtt) > > — Ann Christine (@isntitabouttime) [May 9, 2018](https://twitter.com/isntitabouttime/status/994350542469115914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ## **Bonus: Extend the Engagement** ST Math is a [personalized learning](https://www.stmath.com/personalized-learning) program, which means students take their own path and pace to mastery of the concepts. But that doesn’t mean the learning has to end when some of your students reach 100%. In addition to optional objectives and challenge games in the program, [ST Math Central](https://web.stmath.com/central/content/home.htm) houses a list of ideas to extend the learning. ST Math educators continuously impress us with how they embrace ST Math by incorporating elements into other projects and activities, such as this JiJi robot! > JiJi's exploring Hartman School. [#ec\_proud](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ec_proud?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) with [@marshinart](https://twitter.com/marshinart?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@mgchilbert](https://twitter.com/mgchilbert?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) & [@ScottSetzenfand](https://twitter.com/ScottSetzenfand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) using [@birdbraintech](https://twitter.com/birdbraintech?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#hummingbirdkit](https://twitter.com/hashtag/hummingbirdkit?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#stmath](https://twitter.com/hashtag/stmath?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#JiJi](https://twitter.com/hashtag/JiJi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/Cm6ykdjkgU](https://t.co/Cm6ykdjkgU) > > — Matt Skoczylas (@ecasd\_elemtech) [May 25, 2018](https://twitter.com/ecasd_elemtech/status/1000083727161221121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Interested in learning more about ST Math? [![Play ST Math Games](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/237516/089e0ec9-be91-4ff3-bb11-1ca7ff9146fe.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/237516/089e0ec9-be91-4ff3-bb11-1ca7ff9146fe) ![Calli Wright](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/Blog/Authors/calli-wright-board-games.jpg) ### About the Author Calli Wright was the Marketing Manager at MIND Research Institute. She loves playing and designing board games, which she often talks about on twitter [@CalliWrights](https://twitter.com/CalliWrights). ### Comment #### [Making Quadratic Functions Engaging with ST Math](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/quadratic-functions-st-math) [The Math Makers](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/math-makers) ### 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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