In this episode of the Where Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino speaks to Ted Dintersmith—education advocate, former venture capitalist, and author of Aftermath: The Math You Wish You Took—to explore the growing disconnect between what students learn in traditional math classrooms and the skills they actually need in the real world.
Dintersmith shares insights on how today’s math curriculum often prioritizes what’s easy to test over what truly matters: creativity, critical thinking, and practical application.
The conversation goes beyond academics, addressing essential parenting topics such as mental and emotional health, social media use, bullying, and consent, and how these challenges impact a child’s learning journey.
Key Takeaways
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Understand why traditional math education often lacks real-world relevance—and what to do about it.
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Embrace a broader, more creative approach to math that encourages curiosity over memorization.
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Shift focus from grades to building essential skills like problem-solving and critical thinking.
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Incorporate math into everyday routines to help children see its value and feel more confident.
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Recognize how AI is reshaping education, making conceptual understanding more important than ever.
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Support your child’s learning by making math engaging, empowering, and connected to their world.
TED DINTERSMITH
Best selling author
Education Disruptor
Former Venture Capitalist
Businessman
Documentary Producer
Father of two
“..we teach kids what’s easy to test, not what’s important to learn the — rote math esoterics that we quiz kids on. Can you invert a trig equation or can you do a closed form integral by hand or can you factor a polynomial? Those are ideal 30 to 60 second questions that you can pack a standardized distribution, high stakes exam with. That’s what we do.”