I spent 40 teaching in technical occupational classes, including 37 years at what is now Southern Maine Community College. When I first started teaching there was no need to include fundamental math skills. Applying the math necessary to interpreting drawings was easily grasped. By the time I retired this year we were devoting nearly 30% of the course to filling that void so students could properly analyze prints. So, hurray for Jay Sonti for seeing the importance of getting young children as comfortable with math as they are with reading.