Math Initiation

For boys and girls age 9–14, this program is an exploration of the nature of abstraction itself. We encounter basic concepts in math, such as numbers and fractions, as if we ourselves were discovering them. Math is never a dull chore.

The primary focus of the course is on the philosophy and history of math. We will establish a foundation of understanding, which will make everything in the traditional math ladder much more meaningful. We will attain deep understanding of numerals, fractions, multiplication, and geometry. By the end of the year, the student will understand basic algebra and be ready for further study in this area.

This course is your full math curriculum for the year. Enroll your child in it, and you don't have to worry about anything else.

Trimester 1: The nature and history of numbers. The relationship of math to concrete reality. The basic operations — addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication — reconsidered in this light. A special emphasis on fractions: the unity of division, fractions, decimals, and percentages. A couple sessions will deal with probability, since this is such an important area today.

Trimester 2: Deep dive into geometry and measurement. We will read some Euclid together. Understand the ancient relationship between math and science, and what geometry in particular meant to the ancient Greeks. Possible forays into prime numbers, infinity, and fractal geometry — focusing always on cultivating wonder.

Trimester 3: The fulfillment of the year's inquiry into pure abstraction, we approach algebra the same way the ancient mathematicians did: as the frontier of the mathematical mystery. We will explore some traditional theorems and proofs from our signature perspective, being ever-mindful of the unity and interconnectedness of the mathematical universe. Consider spiritual and patristic perspectives on math. Math as the grammar of the universe, revealing the glory of God.