Still Can't Believe My Little Math Genius

"The trouble with telling people things that are unbelievable is that they don't believe them."

- Glenn Doman

The problem with sharing with other people about how much fun I'm having teaching Hunter math is that they smile nicely, give a little "Oh, that's neat" and change the subject. I can hardly blame them because most of the time I don't even believe it, and I'm the one who taught him and have watched him almost flawlessly and always effortlessly grasp every concept I've presented him with in mere seconds.

I was once again blown away as we sat down with our dot cards and quickly zoomed through a few equations. At this stage in the program (we're on week 12 - yes, very inconsistent considering we started last September) I show him three equations and then present him with an equation which he can solve if he wishes to do so. This was today's digest:

• 96÷3+3=35
• 96÷3-3=29
• 96+3÷3=33
• 96-3÷3=? 30 or 31
• 12x2÷3=8
• 12x3÷2=18
• 12x4÷3=16
• 12x3÷4=? 9 or 10
  

• 5x5+5=30
• 5x5-5=20
• 5x5÷5=5
• 5x5+50=? 75 or 74

At this point in the program you only show the answer card, so for example saying "5 times 5 plus five equals thirty!" and show the thirty card (thirty dots) as you say the word. When problem-solving time came up (the last equation in each session) I would show Hunter two choice cards and he would pick the right one. Usually he just pointed but this time he eagerly shouted "31!" for the first equation, "9!" for the second, and "75!" lastly.

I was once again amazed by this little math-boy and I just really cannot believe that he actually understands what is happening to the numbers when I say 5x5+27-42÷10. Why, it equals one of course! He not only knows the facts, but truly can see true quantity and knows the difference instantly between 75 and 74 dots. It's just... wow... it never ceases to amaze me.

He continues to blow me away and even though I'm the one who "taught" him (or actually, just showed him the facts of quantity and demonstrated a few equations) I still cannot believe the incredible brains God gave us. And to think that these meager arithmetic equations are only the beginning... all I can say is, "Wow."

Now, if you're new to this blog please know that we do not sit all day in front of flashcards and counting blocks. I have not spent more than 20 minutes TOTAL TIME teaching him math and he has never memorized addition tables or multiplication tables or anything. I just showed him the facts of math and let him figure out the rules. I did this according to the outline in Glenn Doman's book, How to Teach Your Baby Math.

I am eager to shoot a good video of Hunter doing his maths. Because, like I said, when you tell people unbelievable things they don't believe you. Things have been so busy though and I've been sorting out in my head the best way to shoot it so as people can really see that he's actually doing it and it's not some silly trick I taught him. I've also been working on a dialog to go along with a video to properly explain how the dot math system works. Hopefully, we'll get it done soon.

"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? ... I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

Luke 15:4, 7

Hunter is 3 years, 3 months old