Math Mind: The Simple Path to Loving Math

A national bestseller!

Bust the math myths that are holding you and your kids back and learn the importance of numeracy with this one-of-a-kind resource for parents, educators, and policymakers

Shalinee Sharma is one of the world’s top experts on math learning, but when she was in school, she sat in the back row, unsure if she could ever master the subject. Many of us buy into the idea that some people are innately good at math and others just won’t ever succeed at it—but it’s not true, and numeracy is as important as literacy when it comes to opening doors in life.

Sharma shows how complex problem solving and puzzle solving, abstract and logical thinking, developing fluency with numbers, and cultivating persistence in math are crucial skills for success that can be taught to everyone and how math, far from being a dry, dull exercise, shares common ground with art and creativity. She also debunks the myths that prevent us from learning and enjoying math, with chapters dedicated to the three roadblocks that discourage adults and kids from learning.

With instructive line drawings throughout, Sharma explains the math instinct that all humans have from birth, and better, more intuitive ways to solve math problems that are both rigorous and accessible. For anyone who has ever thought you’re “bad at math” but wants to get good—for your children and for yourself—Math Mind contains the guidance, takeaways, and specific approaches you need to learn to love numbers.

Shalinee Sharma is a math expert and the CEO and cofounder of Zearn, a nonprofit educational organization behind the top-rated math-learning platform used by one in four elementary-school students and by one million middle-school students nationwide. In addition to her role at Zearn, she serves on the Braven board of directors, is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow, and serves as co-chair of the Brown University Advisory Council for the College. She has a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University. As a mom of twins, Sharma is passionate about universal access to an excellent education.