| Students in the United States perform poorly on mathematics assessments when compared to students in many nations from around the industrialized world. Some researchers believe this is because the U.S. educational system relies almost exclusively on language-based reasoning and grossly neglects the complementary area of spatial-temporal (ST) reasoning. It is suggested that a ST to teaching math, in combination with the language-analytical approach, may be more effective. The Music Spatial-Temporal (MST) Math Program is one such approach to teaching mathematics.;This quasi-experimental study reviewed the solution strategies documented in research literature, together with an analysis of the problem setting. The selection of an intervention designed to enhance the ST ability of second-grade students was put to an educational reality test. The intervention utilized piano lessons with a certificated music teacher in a music lab, educational mathematics software with the regular classroom teacher in the computer lab, and engaging mathematics problems in the regular classroom setting. This curriculum used piano instruction to enhance the brain's ability to learn and then apply that mental acuity to solving problems. Test results from both the experimental and control groups were analyzed to determine if the intervention resulted in statistically significant differences in mathematical achievement as measured by both the Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition (Stanford-9 Test) and the Capistrano Unified School District CORE Level Test.;In the final analysis, two essential bottom-line questions needed to be answered for fellow educators: (1) Does the MST Math Program work? (2) Is it cost effective?;The challenge and purpose of this study was to determine whether the MST Math Program would work at any school. In this action research, or "education reality test," the MST Math Program did not work with the population sample studied (N = 200). The control group outperformed the experimental group on the SAT-9 Math Test and on the CUSD CORE Level Math Test. |
