With a PhD in applied mathematics and experience working with scientists and engineers across various fields, I thought teaching mathematics to my children would be a breeze. It turned out to be anything but straightforward.

How early should we start teaching mathematics to children? What topics are appropriate? And how do we actually teach them? These are obvious questions yet without easy answers. I was forced to examine these questions closely after my initial failure to introduce math to my daughter. Hoping to jumpstart our learning, we enrolled in an online program designed for gifted students – only to be met with endless drills in basic addition and subtraction. I quickly realized that I wasn’t prepared. I had no ready-to-use, high-quality, and engaging math materials at hand. Friends echoed the same concern: how would our children make the leap from  standard textbook learning to the level of analytical skills needed for college and beyond?

I suddenly wanted to drop everything and focus on early math education. I began holding weekly classes for my children and a few of their friends. Digging through a treasure trove of old math books, I found problems that immediately captured their interest. In return, the children inspired me to invent new problems. We enjoyed reading math tidbits together, solving problems, and discovering connections between mathematics and the real world while bringing it to the abstract level.

As I expanded classes to middle and high school students, I kept the same core principle I had used when teaching younger children: self-discovery is at the heart of learning. Students are not directly taught new concepts – they uncover them by solving carefully crafted problems.  It is not an easy approach, but one that fosters independence and deep understanding. 

From graduate school to industrial research, from college classrooms to early childhood math education, I feel I’ve come full circle.  Every scientist, engineer, and mathematician begins as a curious child.  And even for those who won’t use mathematics professionally, there is something deeply rewarding in discovering the beauty and power of this remarkable subject.