INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana students math scores are showing a significant decline. Preliminary data from this year’s ILEARN results shows a drop, according to Indiana’s Secretary of Education, Dr. Katie Jenner.
In her newsletter, Dr. Jenner said the Indiana Department of Education is recovering from two academic years of pandemic learning, which will take several years to boost back up.
In the meantime, as students begin their summer breaks, there is a new STEM game developed in Indianapolis, that has been scientifically proven by Indiana University’s School of Psychology and Brain Sciences to improve spatial thinking and mental rotations.
It's called “Blocks Rock!” and it's a simple game with blocks for kids of all ages and learning levels and it does not involved any type of screen.
First grade teacher at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Emma Baker, is an Educational Consultant with “Blocks Rock!” and recommends this game to her students.
“Kids were struggling to put the academics first so the kids were really trying to learn," Baker explained. “This game can help fill the gaps and give them something new and different to play with instead of sitting on their iPad by activating their brain in a different way than they have in the past year with pandemic learning.”
In this quick thinking game, kids play by competing against the clock t create structures with the blocks based on the playing cards, with a point system for kids to add up at the end of the game.
Tim Frederick has two children at William McKinley Elementary School in Indianapolis, Evelyn who just completed the third grade and Tim who just finished first grade. Evelyn and Tim both play “Blocks Rock!” with each other.
“I have noticed with my kids being on the computer for seven hours a day is just tough," Frederick said. “It is tough on them, I notice their behaviors are out of line a lot of times, so stuff like this where they are busy with their hands working and interacting with other people is super helpful.”
All profits of “Blocks Rock!” are donated to a Massachusetts school that took the game’s creator in as a kid after his father died.
For more information on "Blocks Rock!" visit their website: https://www.blocksrock.com/.
To purchase “Blocks Rock!” on Amazon, click here.
To read Dr. Jenner's newsletter, click here.
