How an Oxford-Educated Silicon Valley Exec Taught His Son to Get Years Ahead in Math
In this episode, Rahim Nathwani shares the systems and habits that helped his son get years ahead in math — and love learning.
Rahim is a tech executive and startup founder whose journey through London, Beijing, and San Francisco gives him a uniquely global perspective on education and preparing a child for the future.
We dive into gifted education, school choice, study skills, math acceleration, and the role of technology in modern learning, and much more.
Key Takeaways
• Ability grouping and the right school environment can accelerate learning.
• Technology has transformed how children learn.
• Math is foundational for understanding complex ideas.
• Giftedness should be supported and challenged.
Resources Mentioned
Math & STEM
• Teach Your Baby Math — Glenn Doman
• Math Link Cubes, Cuisenaire Rods, Base Ten Blocks
• Beast Academy Books
• Singapore Math
• MathAcademy
• Fluency.Amplify.com [http://Fluency.Amplify.com]
• Khan Academy Kids
Reading & Languages
• Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons — Siegfried Engelmann
• Skritter, Anki, Wukong Shuzi, Sage Books 500 (Chinese)
• Duolingo (Spanish)
Skills & Habits
• TypingClub → Keybr.com [http://Keybr.com] → NitroType
• Zaner-Bloser Handwriting
• Streaks (habit tracking)
Coding & Creativity
• Human Resource Machine, 7 Billion Humans
• Osmo Coding → OctoStudio → Scratch
Educational Videos
• BrainPOP & BrainPOP Jr.
Summary
Felipe and Rahim explore how early experiences, school environments, and parental decisions shape a child’s academic future. Rahim reflects on attending schools in London, studying at Oxford, living in Beijing, and later working in tech roles at Amazon and Google — and how those experiences shaped how he now teaches his son.
They discuss ability grouping, foundational study skills, math resources, daily habits, reading development, and the importance of introducing challenges gradually. Rahim also shares the specific apps, books, and tools he used from the time his son was two.
They explore the limits of traditional schooling and how personalized learning can help children unlock their full potential.
Keywords
education, parenting, math education, gifted education, early learning, study skills, EdTech, school choice, child development
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:44 Educational Journey and Experiences
05:55 Transition to a New School Environment
06:51 Early Interests and Hobbies
11:12 The Impact of Technology on Learning
12:48 Parenting and Educational Values for Rami
13:34 Study Skills and Academic Challenges
18:50 Flattening the Learning Curve for Rami
24:28 Choosing the Right School for Rami
29:07 Navigating the School Application Process
33:04 Finding the Right Fit for Gifted Education
37:32 The Importance of Academics
42:54 Understanding Giftedness
48:39 Resources for Supporting Learning
57:54 Encouraging a Love for Reading
59:30 Exploring Math Academy: A Learning Tool
01:01:05 Daily Learning Habits and Incentives
01:05:00 Reimagining Education: The Ideal Learning Environment
01:07:03 The Future of EdTech and AI in Education
01:07:57 Fostering Agency and Proactivity in Learning
01:08:26 The Role of Projects and Curiosity in Education
01:10:14 Games as Learning Tools: Potential and Challenges
01:16:39 Final Thoughts on Educational Resources and a Contrarian View
