Math

“The philosophers pointed out that, to pass from a knowledge of the world of matter to the world of ideas, man must train his mind to grasp the ideas. These highest realities blind the person who is not prepared to contemplate them. He is…like one who lives continuously in the deep shadows of a cave and is suddenly brought out into the sunlight. The study of mathematics helps make the transition from darkness to light…[it] purifies the mind by drawing it away from the contemplation of the sensible and perishable and leading it to the eternal ideas.”

-Morris Kline, author of, “Mathematics for Liberal Arts.”

In the liberal arts tradition, mathematics introduces students to the profound truth that the order of the created world can be expressed through abstract mathematical principles. Mathematics, as a language, reveals the Logos-centered order and harmony of the universe. The study of mathematics prepares the mind for abstraction, enabling logical thinking about all subjects. 

During the elementary years, the focus is on the study of arithmetic—essentially, the study of quantity, the relationships between quantities, and the abstract representation of quantities as they relate to reality. The Grades K-5 curricula utilize the renowned Singapore Mathematics approach featuring the concrete-pictorial-abstract method. This method empowers students to solidify their grasp of arithmetic in the younger grades and develop fundamental memorization techniques. 

Middle school math prepares students for the study of algebra. The concepts covered in Algebra I serve to build upon the understanding of elementary arithmetic, providing a structured framework for further organization and utilization of mathematical principles. At OLP, middle school students are introduced to pre-algebra and then prepared to master algebra.