The Math Talks

In schools, math is often treated like a competition —faster answers, higher scores, fewer mistakes.But that’s not how math works in the real world.In this episode of Math Talks, we explore why competitive math classrooms fail to create real understanding — and what actually helps learning stick.When students make mistakes or show misconceptions, it’s not a failure.It’s proof that they’re thinking.Research and classroom experience show that children are capable of far more than we assume. They can reason, spot patterns, and make generalizations — if we allow them to think instead of rushing them to answers.In this conversation, we unpack:Why speed and competition weaken understandingWhat misconceptions really tell us about a child’s thinkingHow learning enters the brain — and why explanation alone doesn’t workWhy students must use their brain to truly own what they learnHow parents and teachers can shift from performance to thinkingIf you want children to understand math, remember it, and use it confidently, this episode will change how you look at learning.✨ Because learning doesn’t happen by being told.It happens by thinking.

What if math wasn’t about fear, marks, or memorization — but about thinking, curiosity, and confidence?Welcome to Math Talks, a podcast that goes beyond formulas and grades to explore what truly matters in a child’s learning journey.Hosted by Dr. Garima V Arora — math educator, mother, and co-founder of Uncover Mathiness — this podcast brings together leading educators, thinkers, and change-makers from around the world to reimagine how children learn math and, more importantly, how they learn to think.In each episode, we explore:Why curiosity matters more than curriculumHow early learning shapes confidence for lifeWhy pressure, tuition culture, and marks often backfireHow parents and teachers can raise problem solvers, not rote learnersWhat math education needs in an AI-driven world🎙️ In this episode, Dr. Garima speaks with Nadia Abdelal, an internationally respected math education specialist with over 20 years of experience across classrooms, national organizations, and global education communities. Nadia is also the co-founder of the AMSI Maths Talk podcast and a passionate advocate for joyful, meaningful, and human-centered math learning.Together, they discuss:Why children lose curiosity — and how to notice the early signsThe biggest myths around “math kids” vs “non-math kids”Why worksheets and early pressure can harm learningHow play, storytelling, and everyday conversations build real understandingWhat parents should focus on in the first 5–7 years of a child’s lifeWhether you’re a parent, teacher, or simply curious about how children learn, this podcast is for you.✨ Let’s reimagine math — and education — for the world our children are stepping into.

Math isn’t the problem.How we’ve been taught Math is.Welcome to The Math Talks — a podcast that goes beyond formulas, marks, and memorisation.In this show, we sit down with educators, thinkers, researchers, and real classroom practitioners from around the world to explore:Why so many students fear MathWhat traditional schooling gets wrong about learningHow Math shapes thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving in real lifeWhat Math education must look like in an AI-driven worldHosted by Dr. Garima, The Math Talks is about uncomfortable truths, honest conversations, and reimagining Math as a language of thinking — not a subject to survive.🎙️ Full episodes launched onYouTube | Spotify | Apple PodcastsIf you’re a parent, teacher, student, or simply someone who believes education can — and must — be better…this podcast is for you.🔔 Subscribe and stay tuned.

The conversation delves into the challenges of the current education system, the need to redefine exams and assessments, and the importance of changing parental expectations. It also highlights the role of mathematics in building brain capacity and shifting the focus from marks to learning. The conversation delves into the impact of the education system on parental expectations, the role of teachers in capacity building, the significance of language and math as key subjects, connecting language and math, preparing children for the future, and the importance of parenting in education.TakeawaysRedefining education is crucial for raising confident problem solvers.Changing parental expectations is essential for a shift from marks to learning. Changing parental expectations is crucial for educational reform.Language and math are essential for capacity building and critical thinking.Chapters00:00 Redefining Education06:16 Redesigning Exams and Assessments16:10 Mathematics as a Foundation for Logical Thinking23:19 Shifting Parental Focus from Marks to Learning28:38 Changing Parental Expectations34:24 Language and Math as Key Subjects42:55 Preparing Children for the Future