Ep. 110 - What Is the Science of Math and Why Does It Matter? // Nathan King — The Christy-Faith Show

There is a new term making its way through the education world right now — and researchers say it could change how we teach math the way the science of reading changed how we teach kids to read. Christy-Faith and Nathan King of CTC Math unpack the Science of Math movement and what it means for your homeschool.

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In this episode, you'll learn:

What the Science of Math is and why it's gaining momentum now
How it parallels the science of reading — and what that means for your homeschool
What explicit instruction is and why the research supports it
Why so many kids (and moms) develop math anxiety
The difference between mastery-based and spiral math curricula
Why homeschool families already have a built-in edge
What math automaticity is and why it matters
How to evaluate a homeschool math curriculum based on research, not marketing

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Resources Mentioned:
Education Week — "Debates Over Math Teaching Are Heating Up" (January 2026)
The Christy-Faith List — Find homeschool-friendly businesses and providers
Thrive Homeschool Community — Christy-Faith's membership community for homeschool moms

Other episodes for you:
From Struggle to Success: Building Confidence in Math with Pat Murray
What I Wish I Knew Before Buying Homeschool Curriculum
Is It a Learning Disability, a Skill Gap, or Something Else?

Connect with Christy-Faith:
Instagram — @christy_faith_homeschool
TikTok — @christy_faith
Website
Homeschool Rising — my book

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(00:00) - Introduction: The Science of Math
(02:23) - Meet Nathan King of CTC Math
(04:55) - What Is the Science of Math?
(07:33) - Science of Math vs. Science of Reading
(13:03) - What Ideal Math Instruction Looks Like
(19:07) - What This Means for Your Homeschool
(26:37) - Mastery vs. Spiral — What Every Parent Should Know
(31:22) - Why Homeschoolers Have the Edge
(32:38) - Fun vs. Effective: The Edutainment Question
(39:55) - Why Math Automaticity Still Matters