January 16, 2017

Math Equals Success – Elephant Learning

Let’s Talk About How Math Equals Success – Felice Gerwitz interviews Dr. Aditya Nagrath

Podcast # 173

As a long time homeschool mom, it takes a very special program to impress me – and this one impressed me enough to interview the CEO of Elephant Learning, Dr. Nagrath, who holds a PhD in Math and Computer Science. Ater realizing that early math learning is not only effective it can make the difference in the outcomes of a child’s improvement in education across the board!

Visit our sponsor Elephant Learning’s special offer for our listeners! ElephantLearning.com/mediaangels for a free 14-day trial with no credit card necessary. Also, sign up to receive the 50% off offer.

Did you know that math is the foundation for all learning?

I’m so excited to bring you a very special show – special because it isn’t often that the mainstream is supportive of the homeschool community and my guest and I crossed paths through a mutual friend some time ago, and when he shared his vision I was intrigued not only by his passion – but his excitement about the homeschool community. Some of you may not remember that my degree is in Education – with a certification in Early Childhood Learning and Specific Learning Disabilities – as it was termed then, however – I’m extremely interested as a homeschool parent in allowing our children free time to think, to explore and to learn – I’m also a big advocate of early childhood learning.

My guest and his team care enough about learning and homeschooling that they’ve agreed to sponsor – the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network, and share a very special offer specifically for our listeners. Our sponsor is ElephantLearning – and my special guest is Dr. Aditya Nagrath who is the CEO and PhD in Math and Computer science – welcome, Dr. Nagrath –

1. What made you decide to create an early learning program?

Alvaro Meeting

Flashback to childhood, mother

Expecting a child

How do I pass this gift to my child and the world?

A legacy is important to me as a homeschool parent – we want out children to gain from their experiences and education is essential to enter the job market competitively. I’m impressed that you used your time and talents for this purpose – but even further…

2. You and Alvaro spoke in great detail about early learning and education – how does this information impact those who homeschool—as well as the parents in general?

Preschool math scores predict entire life

Preschool -> 5th grade, it was not just math but English, social studies, reading scores … math scores predicted reading scores better than math scores.

Another study showed that 8th-grade math scores predict High School Drop out rates

2 out of 3 high school students are not proficient at math

Many of the students that go to college and try to go into STEM end up changing majors.

Can you imagine, we tell our children right now that they can grow up to be anything they want… but 4 out 5 students enter kindergarten ALREADY BEHIND!

and statistically speaking, the students that are behind tend to stay behind unless there is an intervention. So you are telling me that children even if they are homeschooled children can enter kindergarten prepared, yet can fall behind? How does that happen?

Did you know that 50% of 1st and 2nd graders have math anxiety?

Felice -My prediction would be that many school children today have math anxiety because of common core and homeschoolers may or may not fall into this category, however, I can say that for some of my children math was their least favorite subject – so, please go on…

When you are a child who does not understand what a teacher or parent is saying in an academic setting… it can be scary…

memorization strategy —> 1. ) NO adult can tell they don’t understand the concepts

you can memorize addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, processes of fractions but when you get to algebra its game over.

Statistically speaking at this point you never recover.

Felice – I homeschooled five children at various ends of the educational spectrum – and I found with my struggling learners that they could do the steps but you are right – often they did not understand the concepts.

4. Why do you think that the curriculum we typically use as homeschoolers designed for young children is not enough to teach children the math language?

What we do Elephant Learning is we introduce math experiences and add the language around it

And as we evaluate your child, we give you tips on how they can add these math experiences to every day life

We know that our curriculum will propel your child forward if they are advanced or catch them up if they are behind

5. Homeschool parents often have more than one child, so how does a busy mom, perhaps with multiple children oversee their toddler essentially – because your program is geared for 2-8 year olds – how much parental supervision should be expected? *

Application does not need any supervision —>

Our activities come from University of Denver professors, who did research with grant money in early-age math education

They tested the activities against a control group and have a statistically proven result

The games alone cause learning.

But being able to integrate math into play time with a parent is like strapping on a jet pack…

playing basketball

board games

6. Felice – I’m one of those parents who doesn’t like their kids in front of screens for an extended period of time – so, what do you say to parents like me?

We recommend play time between 10-30 minutes a day.

The puzzles are hard for children, and if your child is getting tired it is natural, they are thinking hard… let them rest

Felice – I always taught my children that if the work is easy – they already know the information and if it is difficult that it is new material they are learning, so it is good to hear that when they reach frustration level they can stop…

We like to have a minimum of 10 minutes a day and a goal of around 60 minutes a week. That is just the dosage that the research said was effective on the activities and what we base our guarantees on.

There are people in our system that are doing half the time and still getting surprising results.

7. Felice – When should a parent begin to see results?

After 30 minutes, the learning begins.

We have a child in our system now who is 3.5 years old and working math concepts that is typically taught in kindergarten. She joined the system in mid October. So you should see results fairly quickly.

8. So, you offer a free 14-day trial without a credit card – what is it that the parents and their children are getting for this 14 day trial?

They get a 14-day free assessment of their child’s ability, what he knows and doesn’t know, at the end of 14-days the parent has the option to continue with the program with the discount code “mediaangels” – this will deduct 50% off the yearly membership. This is for your listeners only.

Felice – So, you are saying that for 14 days the child will have an evaluation and from this evaluation – sooner if they finish it quicker you will have a math baseline to show an increase in learning if they play the game consistently…

Yes – that is right.

9. As an early childhood education advocate – and longtime homeschool parent, I love your passion for early learning and your specific mission to help children succeed… Why don’t you tell us more about that?

Children in low-resource communities are statistically speaking 3 years behind their funded peers.

48% drop out rate in these neighborhoods

Graduating class of 2007 —> $329 Billion dollars in lifetime wages —> not including from changed majors

Imagine how getting children to just understand the teacher would change their life? how would it affect their families? their possibilities and outlook on life?

that is why EL offers Buy one give one program. Purchase a subscription we give one to a family that is in need.

[Elephant Learning – gives free classes to a charity of our choice and we selected Homeschool Foundation the charity arm of HSLDA!]

Felice – this is wonderful information and I love that you are donating programs to underprivileged and also HSF because education is the key, and that is why homeschoolers can benefit from using this program with their children – so, as I promised earlier we have a special portal that will offer a special price point for homeschool families…

I want to thank-you for taking the time to come on Vintage Homeschool Moms – and also for your support of the homeschool community specifically through your sponsorship of our podcast network for homeschoolers – (You can say something here –

I want to let you know, as our listeners that we—all of the podcasters on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network are here to come along side you and your homeschool journey. As our network grows it is thanks to sponsors like Elephant Learning that we can stay on the air with quality broadcasts that help you in your daily work as a homeschool parent. I want to thank you for listening – trying out our sponsors and sharing this podcast with your friends. You can listen on iTunes, Google Play – any podcast app or on our website VintageHomeschoolMoms.com –

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By Felice Gerwitz

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