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Dismantling Math Anxiety with Dr. Aditya Nagrath (EP181)
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Dr. Aditya Nagrath helps students overcome mathematics anxiety. He is the creator and founder of Elephant Learning Mathematics Academy. With a PhD in Mathematics & Computer Sciences, he has spent over 30 years in industry as a software engineer, author, leader, speaker, and serial entrepreneur working on projects ranging from atomic clocks to iOS and Android apps to Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Dr. Nagrath shares how confidence and belief are essential in overcoming math anxiety and shaping a child’s success in mathematics.
Your WHY
I help children and the adults who support them overcome mathematics anxiety and build real confidence with numbers.
My mission is to empower children with mathematics. Right now, about 4 out of 5 students start kindergarten unprepared for the kindergarten math curriculum. Underneath that statistic is something very human: a language gap around quantities.
Children often don’t have a solid, intuitive grasp of what words like “three,†“ten,†or “five†really mean, and have not connected them with symbols on a page. When the language and ideas aren’t there yet, math can quickly feel like a foreign language. My “why†is closing that gap—so that every child has the conceptual language of quantity they need before they ever have a chance to say, “I’m just not a math person.â€
Your Background: What Math Was Like for You
Growing up, I was not always the kid who just “got†mathematics. It did not all come naturally. My mother played a huge role in changing that story for me. Every summer, she would gather the math books for the following year and have me study for a few hours a day so I could be ready when school started.
At the time, it sometimes felt tedious, but looking back, that steady, structured exposure is what gave me the understanding and confidence to persevere in math, instead of turning away from it. Early discipline and support are big reasons why I eventually earned my Ph.D. in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Denver.
Because I know firsthand what it’s like not to instantly understand math—and what a difference the right support can make—I’m passionate about giving other children the kind of foundation and encouragement that changed everything for me.
Elephant Learning
Elephant Learning is my way of scaling that kind of support and structure to as many families as possible. The system focuses on the language and concepts of quantity first, then builds steadily toward more advanced ideas.
On average, students in our system learn about 1.5 years of mathematics in just ten weeks, using Elephant Learning for only 30 minutes per week. By meeting students at their true level and strengthening the underlying language of math, we help them move quickly and confidently—without the pressure and anxiety that so many of us grew up with.
My goal is simple: to make sure that the next generation doesn’t inherit the same fear of math that so many adults carry today, and instead experiences mathematics as a tool for thinking, problem‑solving, and empowerment.
Book: Rethinking Math Learning
Book: Treating Mathematics Anxiety
- Resources: Course and Videos
- 30 Second Math Hack and more tips
What’s next for you?
Writing a textbook on Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages.
Dr. Nagrath’s Contact Information
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adityanagrath/Â
Website: https://www.elephantlearning.comÂ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anagrath/Â
Email:Â anagrath@elephantheadsoft.com
*****
It was great to have Dr. Aditya Nagrath join me on my virtual porch. I was one of the students who was anxious about math. I even said, “I don’t do math,†because I struggled with it. Listening to the strategies he shared about making math relevant and real makes so much sense. As a professional developer working with math teachers, I saw the power of math. I could see math everywhere. I understand the idea Dr. Nagrath mentioned about math being like a language we can learn if we practice it. I hope you enjoyed our conversation as much as I did. Please share this post and podcast with your friends, and make sure you connect with Dr. Aditya Nagrath.
*****
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