Podcast: The Future of Learning
Episode: How an Oxford-Educated Silicon Valley Exec Taught His Son to Get Years Ahead in Math
Pub date: 2025-11-24

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In this episode, Rahim Nathwani shares the systems and habits that helped his son get years ahead in math — and love learning.

Rahim is a tech executive and startup founder whose journey through London, Beijing, and San Francisco gives him a uniquely global perspective on education and preparing a child for the future.

We dive into gifted education, school choice, study skills, math acceleration, and the role of technology in modern learning, and much more.

Key Takeaways

• Ability grouping and the right school environment can accelerate learning.

• Technology has transformed how children learn.

• Math is foundational for understanding complex ideas.

• Giftedness should be supported and challenged.

Resources Mentioned

Math & STEM

• Teach Your Baby Math — Glenn Doman

• Math Link Cubes, Cuisenaire Rods, Base Ten Blocks

• Beast Academy Books

• Singapore Math

• MathAcademy

• Fluency.Amplify.com

• Khan Academy Kids

Reading & Languages

• Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons — Siegfried Engelmann

• Skritter, Anki, Wukong Shuzi, Sage Books 500 (Chinese)

• Duolingo (Spanish)

Skills & Habits

• TypingClub → Keybr.com → NitroType

• Zaner-Bloser Handwriting

• Streaks (habit tracking)

Coding & Creativity

• Human Resource Machine, 7 Billion Humans

• Osmo Coding → OctoStudio → Scratch

Educational Videos

• BrainPOP & BrainPOP Jr.

Summary

Felipe and Rahim explore how early experiences, school environments, and parental decisions shape a child’s academic future. Rahim reflects on attending schools in London, studying at Oxford, living in Beijing, and later working in tech roles at Amazon and Google — and how those experiences shaped how he now teaches his son.

They discuss ability grouping, foundational study skills, math resources, daily habits, reading development, and the importance of introducing challenges gradually. Rahim also shares the specific apps, books, and tools he used from the time his son was two.

They explore the limits of traditional schooling and how personalized learning can help children unlock their full potential.

Keywords

education, parenting, math education, gifted education, early learning, study skills, EdTech, school choice, child development

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:44 Educational Journey and Experiences

05:55 Transition to a New School Environment

06:51 Early Interests and Hobbies

11:12 The Impact of Technology on Learning

12:48 Parenting and Educational Values for Rami

13:34 Study Skills and Academic Challenges

18:50 Flattening the Learning Curve for Rami

24:28 Choosing the Right School for Rami

29:07 Navigating the School Application Process

33:04 Finding the Right Fit for Gifted Education

37:32 The Importance of Academics

42:54 Understanding Giftedness

48:39 Resources for Supporting Learning

57:54 Encouraging a Love for Reading

59:30 Exploring Math Academy: A Learning Tool

01:01:05 Daily Learning Habits and Incentives

01:05:00 Reimagining Education: The Ideal Learning Environment

01:07:03 The Future of EdTech and AI in Education

01:07:57 Fostering Agency and Proactivity in Learning

01:08:26 The Role of Projects and Curiosity in Education

01:10:14 Games as Learning Tools: Potential and Challenges

01:16:39 Final Thoughts on Educational Resources and a Contrarian View

The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Felipe Izquierdo, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.