Richard Ellerby has spent the past 28 years as an elementary school principle. Having dropped out of engineering in college because of an aversion and lack of aptitude for math, he decided upon teaching as a career. His sixth grade students soon became subject for experimentation with accelerated math. It wasn't unusual for half his class to complete the seventh grade math text together with a touch of base numbers, algebra and geometry.

It was during this time that the author realized the impact of excellence to motivate children. In life as in school, people who are successful while being challenged continue to seek challenges for themselves. Mathematics for Young Learners was conceived to provide a means for parents and classroom teachers to learn and practice a different system of math strategies and prompts to accelerate young children academically.

About 16 years ago, the author and his wife became custodians of two of their five grandchildren. When the oldest, Tyson, was almost six, he was introduced to card math games. Playing nearly every night with Grandpa, he mastered doubles to 10+10=20, doubles plus1, 2, and 3 and differences of 3 in a matter of a few weeks. Cody, his 2½ year old brother was put out because he was left out of the games. That's when the game of "Mommy, Daddy and Little Boy" popped up and made it possible to play at different levels with both boys at the same time. Thus, the potential for differentiation was realized.

Shortly after becoming an elementary school principle, Dr. Ellerby had an experience with a special education student, Robbie, which created a major transformation in his thinking. A fourth-grade teacher had told him that Robbie couldn't learn his multiplication tables, but Dr. Ellerby couldn't and wouldn't believe it. He even made a bet with the teacher that it could be done.

Dr. Ellerby worked with Robbie daily for about 15 minutes. It took him only 2½ hours to tailor a system, using right-brained techniques, to accomplish this formidable task. He discovered that anything can be learned if presented at the student's level of understanding and within the background of his/her experience.

From this "framework," Dr. Ellerby began to use what he had learned with his grandchildren... from whence came the beginning of this book. Since then he has helped hundreds of students become strategic thinkers.

If you are inclined toward direct instruction, hands-on games, less rote processing, small groups with individualized instruction, and ascertainable daily gains, click here to purchase the book.