I learned to read between the ages of 2 and 3.  My maternal grandfather, my beloved DeeDee, taught me to play dominoes before he died when I was 4.  My parents took me to symphonies (classical music in early childhood seems to have a relationship with academic success later in life, especially math).  When I started kindergarten, I was already through most of the Nancy Drew novels.  When I reached first grade, the teacher recommended that I be moved into 2nd grade after 6 weeks. I was and there it was that my teacher told my parents I had an uncanny math ability.  

While various poor teachers nearly sabotaged my math performance, and undoubtedly sabotaged my self-confidence in the subject, I eventually ended up in a graduate program (PhD) in Applied Statistics, where a professor told me I had the greatest natural heuristic abillity he'd ever seen.

I taught statistics as a college instructor, business math, and later in a private grades 6-12 school, geometry and algebra.  I have tutored people from age 5 to 55 all along the way.  So I know a little something about math, and about learning math.  I also know something about the FEAR of math, particularly algebra.  It is with that, and the latest report on the US performance in math and reading that came out today,  that I am creating yet another page to this website entitled The Math Language.  There I will post reports on math performance, resources for parents and students, hints, tips, tricks, and the occasional rant :).    I hope you enjoy it, use it if you need it, and leave me some comments please!