Meet Tanja Dakic | Expert mathematician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tanja Dakic and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tanja, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I started iracionalna_mama (translates as irrational mom), a math Instagram profile featuring games for young children, my idea was to teach my child math through playful activities. I just become a parent, and I wanted my child to learn math in a fun and engaging way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Currently, I work as a mathematics expert at a company that is testing new artificial intelligence. My role involves testing their mathematical model to ensure its accuracy and effectiveness.
What sets me apart is my unique approach to making mathematics accessible and enjoyable. Many people view math as difficult and complicated, but my background allows me to demonstrate its practical applications in an engaging way. Through my Instagram profile, iracionalna_mama, I use playful activities to teach young children math concepts, making learning fun and approachable.
I am most proud of the feedback I receive from parents who tell me that their children have quickly and easily grasped mathematical concepts through my games. Knowing that my work helps children learn math in a fun and effective manner is incredibly rewarding.
It was not easy to get to where I am today. Life has given me various opportunities, but it has also taken some away. Despite these challenges, I always focused on moving forward and making the most of the opportunities I had.
I overcame challenges by maintaining a positive outlook, staying resilient, and continuously adapting to new situations. My strong support system, especially my husband Pavle, has been crucial in my journey.
I’ve learned that resilience and adaptability are essential. It’s important to keep looking forward, no matter the obstacles. I’ve also discovered the power of combining my passions, like mathematics and teaching, to create impactful and fulfilling work.
I want the world to know that it’s crucial to start learning mathematics from an early age to build a strong foundation. Parents often realize this only when their children start struggling in school, but by then, it can be more challenging. This realization was one of the things that inspired my iracionalna_mama profile, aiming to make math fun and accessible for young children right from the start.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
With two little ones in tow, our main jam these days revolves around checking out the coolest parks in town. Currently, these are the ones stealing our hearts:
Hermann Park
Discovery Green
Levy Park

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A person who definitely deserves to be mentioned is my husband, Pavle, who stood by me and supported my idea. He continues to help with filming and is often behind the scenes.
And the book that I first dived into was “How to Teach Your Baby Math” by Janet and Glenn Doman.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iracionalna_mama?igsh=MWg5MXY2Y2xzendreA==